Suzanne Headford, travel trade executive, NITB
Age: 29.
Education: 10 O’ Levels, 3 A’ Levels in Geography, French and German. BA (Hons) Degree in Business Studies and German from the University of East London in 1992.
First travel job: 1992 in the ABTA Convention Office. It was a six month contract to help with the organisation of the ABTA Convention in Palma, Majorca.
Career path: In 1993 Suzanne moved to Panita Travel, an incoming tour operator, as sales and marketing executive. Her position initially involved dealing with accounts in the German and Eastern European markets and then developed into marketing tour programmes to Ireland. In 1995 Suzanne was recruited by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board as travel trade assistant, where she was responsible for promoting Northern Ireland to the retail travel trade in Great Britain and developing the Northern Ireland Specialist Travel Agents’ programme. In 1997 Suzanne left NITB for the Air Travel Group where she worked as key account executive. In 1998 the NITB won Suzanne back, promoting her to the position of travel trade executive. Last year she was also nominated as a Travel Industry Babe in Travel Weekly’s popular search of the trade’s best-looking workers! She is now responsible for developing business to Northern Ireland through GB tour operators, travel agents and carriers, co-ordinating many promotional events including the infamous ABTA Irish Pubs and organising educationals to Northern Ireland as well as the key trade shows and conferences.
Advice for people wishing to develop a career in travel: “Be prepared to work and play hard!”