How Jacqui Walshe failed

How Jacqui Walshe failed

Jacqui Walshe is the long term Managing Director of The Walshe Group, which looks after clients such as Abu Dhabi, Hawai’i Tourism, Etihad and many more. She’s also the latest in a string of industry leaders to admit failure.

Yep, Walshe, along with Wendy Wu, Jennifer Vanderkreeke, Christian Hunter, and more, are standing up and confessing their failures, but in the most positive of lights.

You see, failure is not a bad thing – it’s quite the opposite – and these speakers from our upcoming Travel DAZE TEDx-style conference on September 25 are all about the failure.

Alongside oodles of other speakers, Walshe is urging the travel industry to be more courageous, more daring, and to take risks that ensure you’re well on the way to reaching success.

Walshe told TW, “In the 80s and 90s, our business was called Walshes World because we represented everything from trains to ferries to hotels, airlines and tourism boards.

“In the early 1990s, we made a strategic decision to streamline the business by solely specialising in airlines and tourism bodies.

“This move was a major shock to some of our clients at the time, but it was one we believed in.

“Then, 9/11 happened and at the time, we only represented two airlines in the Australian market: both were North American and both were partners of Ansett.

“Within the next six months our revenue tanked, we lost one airline account altogether, and we almost lost our entire business.  But twelve months on we had three new accounts in Australia which grew to be our cornerstone revenue for some years.

“Luck?  Perhaps or simply work hard get lucky.”

Talk about a tough run!

“So what did this very near catastrophic failure teach me?” Walshe asked.

“It allowed me to see that even when things look dire and it feels there’s no possible recovery, there is always a way out somehow. You just have to broaden your thinking and work like crazy.”

To suss out what this Travel DAZE thing is all about (ahem, networking, inspiration, ideas and tasty food and bevvies), you can grab tickets here.

TRAVEL_DAZE_SPONSORS_2017_V5

 

Latest News

  • Cruise

Aurora Expeditions announces savings for solo travellers

Aurora Expeditions has today announced savings for solo travellers thinking of going north for the summer. Adventurous solo travellers can take advantage of no solo supplements, enjoying a guaranteed private cabin on select departures during Aurora’s Arctic 2024 season with plenty of options available on unforgettable voyages visiting Greenland, Svalbard, Northwest Passage, Iceland and more. […]

  • Aviation
  • Destinations

Etihad and Tourism officials launch free Abu Dhabi Stopover

Etihad Airways and the UAE’s Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi have announced the launch of Abu Dhabi Stopover which invites guests flying through to turn their stopover into a free hotel stay and holiday. The Abu Dhabi Stopover, exclusive to Etihad Airways, will enable passengers to enjoy a convenient free stay in […]

  • Destinations

Tropical North Queensland action-packed events calendar for adventure enthusiasts

Sporting enthusiasts and adventure seekers are gearing up for an action-packed year in Tropical North Queensland, with a lineup of sports events and adrenaline-pumping experiences set to take centre stage in 2024. Leading the charge is the highly-anticipated return of the Crankworx World Tour ‘Paradise Edition’ to Cairns from 22-26 May 2024. The mountain biking […]

  • Travel Agents

Disney Days returns with Inside Out 2 showing in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Auckland

Time is running out for agents to register their Expression of Interest to an exclusive screening of the much-anticipated Disney and Pixar film, Inside Out 2, hosted by Disney Destinations Australia/New Zealand team and partner United Airlines. Places are limited and applications must be in by 17 May. In addition to the screening of the […]

  • Cruise

Aranui Cruises slashes prices with No Single Supplement and Half Price offers

French Polynesian cargo cruise line Aranui Cruises is slashing thousands off its 2025 Austral and Marquesas Islands cruises with an autumn sale offering 50 per cent off the second guest in a twin share room and no single supplement for solo travellers. On sale until June 21, 2024, Aranui’s 12-day roundtrip voyage from Papeete to […]

  • Destinations

Raes on Wategos celebrates 30th birthday and guests get the presents

World famous luxury boutique hotel Raes on Wategos, in Byron Bay, has launched its 30th birthday celebrations with a Raes Indulgent Escape package. Available for all stays of two nights or more, from June to August, the curated package offers an invitation to indulge in a shared celebration of Raes 30th birthday, whilst revelling in […]