| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 22/05/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 16 |
| Copyright: Other |
people profile
profileJob title: marketing director.
Path to career: joined Thomson Holidays in 1988 as marketing assistant. After working in variousmarketing positions, Richard was promoted tomarketing manager, flight programmes. He became long-haul manager in 1996. In 1998, he left to join Magic Travel Group as commerical director beforebecoming marketing director in February this year.
open to question: Richard Nealon, The Magic Travel Group
industry talk
n What was your first job in travel and how much did you get paid?
Stamping brochures in my mum’s travel agency as a Saturday job over 20 years ago. At that time, £1 an hour seemed a lot of money.
n What has been your biggest challenge in the travel industry?
The biggest challenge is always meeting this year’s targets.
n What has been your most embarrassing moment in the travel industry?
Having left Thomson for Magic, Thomson bought Magic six months later. Fortunately Ileft on good terms so it wasn’t nearly as embarrassing as it could have been.
n Who has been the biggest influence on your career and why?
Colin Mitchell at Thomson Holidays – a master tour operator and Jackie Kernaghan at Magic Travel Group who was a great coach.
n Which company, apart from your own, do you most admire and why?
There are so many to choose from but it probably has to be Microsoft. Can you imagine a world without Windows?
n If you weren’t in travel, what would you be doing?
I’d be a restaurant critic in the day and a professional clarinettist by night.
n What single thing have you achieved at work which has given you the most satisfaction?
Working with Maggie Hallowed to build up the seat sale business at Thomson. In the face of adversity, we turned into a profitable operation, which was incredibly satisfying.
n What percentage of holiday bookings do you estimate will be taken direct in five years time?
E-commerce is changing our world almost daily. In five years time, we could be seeing 40% direct.
n How many travel agents do you estimate there will be left in five years time?
On the high street, 5,000 at most. But counter that with more on the Web.
n Make one prediction about travel in the 21st century:
There’ll be more of it and cheaper.
personal talk
n What is your star sign?
Pisces.
n Which living person do you most respect and why?
Chad Varah who founded the Samaritans. It’s a unique worldwide charity that has supported millions through times of crisis.
n What is your greatest extravagance?
I go to Macmillan in Covent Garden for a hair cut. About £40 a month does sound a lot but my view is that I’ve got to make the best of what little is left.
n If you could be anyone for the day, who would you be and why?
Tom Jones. So I could see what it is like to sing with a great voice for a day and so that I could have adoring women’s knickers thrown at me.
n Who, apart from your partner, would be your ideal holiday companion and where would you go?
I think that Italian food is the best in the world and who better to discover it with than Italian cook Elizabeth David on a grand tour of Italy.
n What is the most memorable destination you’ve visited and why?
Standing with my partner in torrential rain on a balcony overlooking St Mark’s Square as it flooded. The most romantic city in the world, a perfect moment.
n What is your idea of a great night out?
Few things beat a great night at the theatre, followed by dinner with friends.
n What would you have put on your gravestone?
I hope someone will be able to write ‘good effort’.