People now want the ‘big trip’ they’ve always thought about, Stay Curious Travel founder Kerry Ellis tells Samantha Mayling
Q. Why did you set up with Inspire?
A. I decided during the pandemic to move into travel and started in August 2022 with zero experience. I used to be a financial advisor and find travel surprisingly similar. Both are high-trust industries: people trust you with their life savings or their much wished-for holiday. Researching trips is more exciting than researchifhubng pensions. I travelled extensively with my children as a single parent and we’ve had amazing bucket-list holidays. The financial sector is heavily regulated, so travel regulations make sense, to look after clients’ money.
I travelled extensively with my children as a single parent and we’ve had amazing bucket-list holidays
Q. How has Inspire helped you?
A. Everyone is so supportive. Whenever I need help, someone is happy to answer questions about products, systems and marketing. I was very methodical when choosing an agency, looking at the Travel Weekly Homeworking Guide for inspiration. I rang three or four then chose Inspire – I just clicked with Charlotte Gallop, the business development manager. Half the commission is paid when clients book and half when they travel, so I got cashflow from the start. I went to the Inspire conference and It was good to see people face-to-face. We have local supplier events and I’m going to Tipto in Chester in May – and I want to attend the Association of Touring and Adventure Suppliers conference this year.
I was very methodical when choosing an agency, looking at the Travel Weekly Homeworking Guide for inspiration
Q. Do you specialise in a particular area?
A. I specialise in epic family bucket-list trips, combining my wanderlust and knowledge of travelling with children. My ultra-personalised service is for people who don’t have time to book complicated or big trips themselves. Being a single parent means I can help others in my situation. I travelled a lot as an unaccompanied teenager, with BA and Virgin, as my parents lived in Asia and I was at school in England.
I specialise in epic family bucket-list trips, combining my wanderlust and knowledge of travelling with children
Q. How has business been recently?
A. This has been my first peaks and I’ve been very busy. The US and South Africa are popular and people are booking Lapland and Iceland for next winter after seeing friends’ pictures there this winter. People want the ‘big trip’ they’ve always thought about. Missing out [during the pandemic] made people more aware of how fleeting time is with their families.
Q. How much did you travel pre-pandemic?
A. I did two separate gap years pre-kids. I used to find the cheapest flights and go to Europe for a weekend, or sometimes a day. After my son was born, we Interrailed around eastern Europe for six months of my maternity leave, with him in a sling. Just before the pandemic, I had an eight-week trip around southeast and east Asia, with my son and daughter. We adored Japan.
The US and South Africa are popular and people are booking Lapland and Iceland for next winter after seeing friends’ pictures there this winter
Q. What are your own future travel plans?
A. After we’ve been to Orlando in February with a friend and her kids, we also have plans for a fjords cruise, a week in Italy, long weekend in Iceland, short trip to Qatar and maybe Egypt if we can squeeze it in. If I see a great offer somewhere else, that might go on the list too. I can still earn while travelling.
Q. What sort of marketing do you do?
A. I find most clients from business networking groups. People buy from people. I’m based in Chester and most clients are local. People want more for their money, but are not necessarily spending less – they want as much as they can. Some are turning to cruises as they are all-inclusive. I am seeing a lot of new-to-cruise clients. LinkedIn is the most useful social media channel, and I’ve met all my connections in real life. My Facebook and Instagram pages are growing organically, and I write a blog.
People want more for their money, but are not necessarily spending less – they want as much as they can
Q. How did you win The Great Travel Weekly Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022 Sweepstake?
A. I got Argentina in the draw after training with Qatar Tourism. I won a trip to Qatar, with flights from Qatar Airways. I offer clients ‘wildcard’ suggestions, so Qatar might suit if someone asks about Dubai, for example.
Tell us about your most memorable bookings…
I secured a £32,000 cruise booking after seeing someone on Facebook ask for a travel agent. It was a couple with primary school children who wanted to celebrate the mum’s 40th birthday, along with her parents. I chose a Celebrity Cruises itinerary from Sydney to Hawaii. The grandparents will sail with Cunard from Southampton to meet them in Sydney – after spending three weeks in Australia between cruises to meet other relatives out there. I arranged a week in Hawaii after the cruise and a stopover in Los Angeles on the return to tailor a round-the-world trip that ticks a lot off their bucket list.
It took a week from first contact to booking and I spent a lot of time discussing cabins, dining, dress codes and other details. My first booking was Disneyland Paris, with a friend of a friend of a friend. That client is now a regular and we have planned holidays to Greece and Sardinia. Recently, I booked a Kenya and Zanzibar holiday with different hotels, flights and activities, plus hotel parking, transfers and other extras.