This week, we broke bread with Matt Endycott – Head of Agency Sales at SureSave. He promptly left after we ate more than our fair share. Sorry Matt!

The challenge for the industry is…

Innovation.

In the travel agency space, remaining one step ahead of consumer demands and external development from online aggregators and service providers, such as Airbnb. In the travel insurance industry, we need to continue striving forward in order to educate travellers on insurance.

We need to ensure that travellers appreciate just how critical it is to have travel insurance, and also understand how the level of coverage offered by alternative service providers such as credit cards and banks can differ from insurance providers who focus solely on the needs of travellers at home and overseas.

The things I like about my job…

My team.

I am very fortunate to be part of a team in which my colleagues have worked in insurance for many years, therefore their knowledge is second to none.

This makes a positive working environment, but also means that we learn a lot from each other.

If I didn’t work in travel I would be…

Either consulting or working for myself in property development, design and renovations.

My proudest moment was…

Landing my first job out of school at the age of 18 with Walt Disney Special Events based in Tokyo, Japan.

Moving to another country (with no real grasp of the language or culture, fresh out of high school) was a huge challenge, but one that I’m incredibly proud of.

I was originally meant to stay in Japan for six months, but I quickly fell in love with the country, people, culture and food and ended up staying for two years.

The naughtiest thing I ever did was…

Years ago, I took a group of agents to Los Angeles and a number of them hadn’t tried In-N-Out Burger. After a few social drinks, we all ended up at the closest In-N-Out Burger, behind the counter flipping burgers and making milkshakes.

We wore the proper hats and aprons followed by a feast of Double Doubles and ‘Animal Style’ fries. The In-N-Out staff loved it and so did the agents.

I try to relax by…

Spending time with my family, heading to the beach or camping. I purchased a surfboard over the Christmas break and have loved getting out amongst the waves.

If I can, I always try to avoid…

Politics and religion at the dinner table.

I really wish I had…

More hours in the day!

The best advice I’ve ever received was…

The same boiling water that softens a potato also hardens an egg. It’s not about the circumstance, but rather, what you’re made of.

I don’t understand why people…

Travel without insurance!

My greatest weakness is…

Wine, cheese and good company.

And my greatest strength is…

Listening.

If I won a $1 million lottery (aside from travelling), I would…

Invest in property, then send my parents to Europe. My dad is a huge history buff and is fascinated by World War II.

If I was prime minister I would…

Give greater concessions, support and funding to Australian farmers and their families.

If I could be someone else for one day I would be a…

A professional surfer, that way I would be close to the beach and I could travel!

I’ve always wanted to travel to…

Israel and Oman.

They’ve been number one on my bucket list for a very long time and I’ve set a goal of visiting both by 2019.

My favourite holiday was…

When I took my mum, aunt and sisters to the USA in August 2017. We visited LA, San Francisco, New York, New Orleans and Dallas.

My favourite moment was getting lost in the backstreets of New Orleans’French Quarter in an afternoon storm.

We ran through the rain back to our hotel laughing and kept the laughter going over a few cocktails at the famous Carousel Bar in Hotel Monteleone, where we were staying.