| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 26/06/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 16 |
| Copyright: Other |
people profile
open to question: John Cooper, Apartments Abroad
profileJob title: overseas operations and marketing manager.
Path to career: joined Summer-Plan in 1980 as a rep.Left to join ILG as area manager, Costa Brava. In 1990, John joined Sunset as overseas commercial manager. In 1996, he joined Airways Holidays as general manager. He became sales and promotions manager of Dune fm in 1997. In 1998, John joined Club Travel 2000 as overseas manager before moving to Apartments Abroad this year.
industry talk
n What was your first job in travel and how much did you get paid?
Working as a holiday rep for a company called Summer-Plan. I earned £30 a week plus 10% commission on trips.
n What has been your biggest challenge in the travel industry?
Turning the overseas operation of Sunset Holidays into a major profit centre for the company from a cost centre.
n Who has been the biggest influence on your career and why?
Arthur Longden, he was my overseas personnel manager at Lancaster Holidays and he taught me that you don’t get anything without putting in time and effort.
n What’s the best job you’ve had, apart from your current one?
Resort manager, Florida for Lancaster/Sol/Global back in 1989/1990.
n Which company, apart from your own, do you most admire and why?
Airtours. They are committed to what they do, profit driven and do it well.
n If you weren’t in travel, what would you be doing?
I would be presenting a radio programme six days a week, making the British public’s life hell with my totally optimistic outlook.
n What single thing have you achieved at work which has given you the most satisfaction?
The very first brochure I wrote. I never thought I would ever end up writing for a living and now I really enjoy it.
n What advice would you give to someone starting out in the travel industry?
Go the extra mile, work the extra hour, enjoy what you do. It makes the difference between just being a job and something you do with a passion.
n What percentage of holiday bookings do you estimate will be taken direct in five years’ time?
Not that many more than today – people trust peopleand when you are spending a lot of money, you want see someone’s face.
n Make one prediction about travel in the next decade.
People will travel more often, for shorter periods. They will want more independence and more choice.
personal talk
n What is your star sign?
Aries.
n Which living person do you most respect and why?
My father, he’s backed me in everything I’ve done, even when he thought I was wrong.
n If you could be anyone for the day who would you be and why?
The holder of the single ticket that has the six correct numbers on it when the next rollover happens on the National Lottery.
n Who, apart from your partner, would be your ideal holiday companion and where would you go?
Demi Moore, on Richard Branson’s island. I am sure we could find something to amuse us.
n What are your hobbies?
I present two radio programmes a week on 107.9 Dune FM if you are ever in the north Merseyside/west Lancashire area.
n What is the most memorable destination you’ve visited and why?
Thailand. It was quite off-putting being so large surrounded by a lot of small people.
n What is your favourite TV programme/film/book?
My favourite programme is The Vicar of Dibley, the film is It’s A Wonderful Life and I enjoy any Dick Francis novel.
n How do you relax?
Watching Liverpool FC. This can also be very stressful.
n What would you have put on your gravestone?
John Cooper – lived 1961-2xxx and boy did he live!