Midweek Interview with Katherine Cole
We chat to Regional Marketing Director – Singapore, Australia & New Zealand for Hotels.com.
The challenge for the industry is…
Fast-changing technology is allowing business to reach customers anywhere at any time in a personalised way. However, with the abundance of new tech solutions available, it’s a challenge for businesses and marketers to understand how to use these platforms efficiently and understand where to invest.
The things I like about my job…
- Lots of travelling
- Flexible working hours and a supportive team
And the frustrations are…
Working across different time zones
If I didn’t work in travel I would be…
I would be involved in nutrition, health and fitness
Favourite airline?
- Internationally: Emirates
- Domestic: Qantas
My proudest moment was…
Achieving everything I set out to achieve in my life – personally and professionally
The naughtiest thing I ever did was…
I got NBO’d (next boat off) from Day Dream Island in the 90’s due to an argument with my boss who was subsequently sacked a week later. To this day I have a positive working relationship with people above him who made that decision.
I try to relax by…
- Indulging in a bath when staying in my favourite hotel
- Going to the spa and having a massage
- Keeping fit and active by rowing and swimming on the weekends
- Spending time with my family
The last time I feared for my life was…
Flying out of Sydney down to Melbourne during the recent Sydney Storms!
If I can, I always try to avoid…
Negative people
I really wish I had…
A spare million dollars to travel first class around the world with my family – no strings attached
The best advice I’ve ever received was…
Give more than what people expect – under promise and over deliver
I don’t understand why people…
Don’t make it a priority to travel and experience new places. I can’t understand why people travel to the same place over and over again when there is so much more of the world to experience.
My greatest weakness is…
Fine food, wine and people – if I have all three things in the one place, there’s no getting me out of there! I’m very easily swayed!
And my greatest strength is…
My greatest strength is my knowledge of the industry, connectedness and experience. I’m an incredibly loyal person and I never forget what people have done for me and I make sure I pay them back ten times over.
If I won a $1 million lottery (aside from travelling), I would…
Invest in my children’s education and also buy a holiday house in the Whitsundays
If I was prime minister I would:
- I would focus on the inequality in society
- Ensure education and health remained free for every Australian
- Focus on programs to get youth and the grey market trained and assimilated into the workforce
- Lower taxes – especially the tax threshold
- Give every Australian a travel bonus each year
If I could be someone else for one day I would be…
Jennifer Lopez – I can’t sing or dance that well, but I think it would be fun!
I’ve always wanted to travel to…
South America, Nepal, Iceland, Canada, Antarctica
My favourite holiday was…
Skiing in Queenstown three years ago with my family, it truly is the perfect winter destination. During our stay we went to a variety of ski fields, stayed in a beautiful accommodation right on the lake and the kids loved the ice skating. It was also the opening of the ski season so it was amazing to see the town come alive with street party stalls and this incredible atmosphere.
On top of this we travelled to Wanaka, went to neighbouring wineries, dined at incredible restaurants, visited Glenorchy (Lord of the Rings), took a ride on the Gondola and went on the Shotover Jet – it was an action-packed trip!
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
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