Homeworker Suzanne Smith has celebrated 50 years in the travel industry and said she has “many more years of selling travel yet”.
Smith began her career in travel when she left school in June 1972, and has since had clients including Princess Diana and a Who Wants to be a Millionaire? winner.
Her first role in the industry was stamping brochures and manually confirming bookings in her local branch of Fame Travel in King’s Lynn, Norfolk.
She then moved to Lunn Poly and held several retail roles before she became a homeworker. She has worked for Brilliant Travel since 2019, and said her “genuine love for travel and people” are what has kept her in the industry for half a century.
Smith said: “I’ve seen so much innovation and change during my career. I remember the days of issuing manual tickets and working out costs by mileage, which I actually miss, I loved it.
“Being able to travel the world has been one of the many benefits of working in our industry. I’ve travelled to more countries than I can count and have many more on my list.
“More than anything, it’s the people – both customers and colleagues – that have kept me going, even in the tough times. I love seeing how travel unites people, no matter their background.
“I’m not sure when I’ll retire but I know I’ve got many more years of selling travel yet.”