Spotlight on Talent : Holly Bickley

Studied: Level 3 Travel & Tourism and an Apprenticeship in Customer Service

Progressed: Travel Consultant at Parrys International Tours Ltd

Although Holly’s role at Parrys International Tours Ltd is primarily that of a travel consultant, she also steps into a holiday rep role at weekends.

This gives her the opportunity to take care of passengers during their journeys, serving drinks etc.  She also assists with hotel check-ins and shows her customers how to navigate their way around their holiday area.

“I’ve repped during London Theatre Weekends and a nine-day trip to Spain,” she said.  “It means I get to go ‘on the road’, experiencing the things our customers enjoy and then share this with future travellers.”

Knowing the coach company’s holiday brochure inside out is key to Holly’s success.  It ensures she can instantly advise customers of suitable trips to take and help them throughout their booking and ticket purchasing process.

“I’ve always loved customer liaison,” she said.  “It’s a dream come true to be in this job.  And being a holiday rep too means I experience the best of both worlds.”

Following her travel and tourism course, Holly gained customer service experience as a travel agent for Thomas Cook, then completed an Apprenticeship at Fairlawns Hotel & Spa where she was front of house.  Following this, she took up her current role.

She values her time at the college for adding to her love of the industry.

“You get to meet people who aspire to the same things as you.  You’re surrounded by friends,” she said.

“You also get some real insights into the job roles available across the industry; some of which you might not be aware of.

“My friends all felt the same.  It helped us get the travel agent and cabin crew roles we wanted.”