Home » News » Midweek Interview with Rob Thompson, Director, Tahiti Tourisme Australia

17 June, 2014

Midweek Interview with Rob Thompson, Director, Tahiti Tourisme Australia

The challenge for the industry is… Making sure we are satisfying an increasingly sophisticated, information-hungry and tech-savvy consumer. Keeping up to date and making sure our own brand is sufficiently represented in a consistent manner, everywhere!

The things I like about my job are… The wonderful places I’ve been given the chance to experience, being able to see the islands of Tahiti on a fairly regular basis (you can never get tired of it) and the fact that I work in an industry with so many like-minded, interesting people!

And the frustrations… Not enough hours in the day!

If I didn’t work in travel I would be a… Barman.

Qantas or Virgin? Qantas. Happy Frequent Flyer member since I was 7!

My proudest moment was… In recent memory, becoming an Aussie citizen last year.

The naughtiest thing I ever did was… I’m sure if there WAS something to say, I’d have forgotten it and blamed it on wine.

I try to relax by… Making sure my unread email list is empty.

The last time I feared for my life… Really bad turbulence for about 10 hours of a 14 hour flight. I could swear I heard things snapping.

If I can, I always try to avoid… Really bad turbulence on a 14 hour flight.

I really wish I had… More time to read.

The best advice I’ve ever received was… My father quoted Einstein once – “Any fool can know. The point is to understand.” It stuck.

I don’t understand why… You have to turn your cell phone off when the plane door closes.

My greatest weakness is… I’m usually on island time.

And my greatest strength… I’m empathetic. Most of the time.

If I was prime minister I would… Legalise gay marriage

If I won $1 million on the lottery I would… Buy a small apartment in Sydney. Might need to top it up a bit though.

If I could be someone else for one day I would be… Richard Branson.

I’ve always wanted to travel to… Egypt.

My favourite holiday was… Not a holiday per se, but on a weekend during a sales trip to India I visited the Taj Mahal at sunrise with a colleague whose mother had always loved it but never visited. 60 years later, I saw it with him. It was a spiritual experience for the both of us.

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rob thompson tahiti tahiti tourisme australia