David McDonald – account manager, corporate sales, Qantas
Age: 32.
Education: four O levels, five A levels.
First travel job: telephone sales agent.
Career path: three years with Air New Zealand based in Christchurch travelling the Pacific and the UK gave David a good introduction to the travel industry. He moved to the UK in 1988 and joined Qantas as a telesales agent followed by agency sales and the retail offices. He then moved into corporate sales where he was co-ordinator and special fares and product trainer. A brief spell as a sales analyst gave him the understanding of route revenue mechanics and product pricing he needed to undertake his current role.
Training: both Air NewZealand and Qantas provided David with all the International Air Transport Association fares and ticketing training necessary to fulfil the basic requirements. Qantas also undergoes a series of in-house training programmes covering product and service and he has been on a number of exterior courses involving account management and negotiation techniques. However, David believes the majority of his understanding is accumulated from many of the day-to-day experiences that occur in this ever-changing industry.
Advice for people wishing to develop a career in travel: “The industry has a lot of great challenges for someone wanting to be part of it, but think carefully about where you want to be. Whether it be an airline, a hotel group, a travel agent or tour operator, make sure you start out with a company who has a solid background. The industry can be very rewarding, but you will only get out of it what you put in.”