“We sell people their dreams”
FRANCES GEOGHEGAN, 47, IS MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THREE TRAVEL COMPANIES: AFRICA TRAVEL (AFRICATRAVEL. COM), CLEVELAND TRAVEL (CLEVELAND COLLECTION.CO.UK) – WHICH DEALS WITH OTHER LONG-HAUL DESTINATIONS – AND HEALING HOLIDAYS (HEALINGHOLIDAYS.CO. UK), WHICH SPECIALISES IN SPA AND WELLNESS RETREATS. SHE LIVES IN WEST LONDON WITH HER HUSBAND, CHRIS, WHO IS ALSO ONE OF HER BUSINESS PARTNERS.
I ENDED UP IN TRAVEL BY DEFAULT. I READ HISTORY AND ENGLISH AT DUBLIN UNIVERSITY AND GOT A SUMMER JOB AT A TRAVEL AGENT. I LOVED IT – THE HAPPY ATMOSPHERE, THE JOY OF BEING ABLE TO SELL SOMEONE THEIR DREAM. I WAS INSTANTLY HOOKED. I’D TRAVELLED A BIT AS A CHILD, BUT ONLY AROUND IRELAND AND TO ENGLAND AND FRANCE. I REMEMBER GOING TO NEW YORK AT
19 FOR THE FIRST TIME, A CITY THAT NEVER DISAPPOINTS. I STILL REMEMBER THAT BUZZ. AFTER GRADUATING, I SOUGHT A JOB IN THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY AND I AM NOW AT THE HELM OF THREE VERY DIFFERENT – BUT EQUALLY REWARDING – TRAVEL COMPANIES.
AFRICA WAS MY FIRST LOVE. AFRICA TRAVEL WAS THE COMPANY THAT I FIRST JOINED AND I AM LUCKY TO HAVE VISITED THIS MAGNIFICENT CONTINENT MANY TIMES OVER THE YEARS. FOR SHEER VARIETY, THERE IS NOWHERE QUITE LIKE IT – FROM THE VAST PLAINS AND ANIMALS OF THE SERENGETI, TO THE DRAMATIC VICTORIA FALLS AND THE MAJESTY OF CAPE TOWN. PEOPLE ARE TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR HEALTH. MODERN LIFE PRESENTS SO MANY CHALLENGES, WE ARE MORE STRESSED THAN EVER AND THE NHS IS AT BREAKING POINT. WE STARTED HEALING HOLIDAYS 10 YEARS AGO – WE REALISED THERE WAS A GAP IN
THE MARKET AS INCREASINGLY CLIENTS WERE ASKING ABOUT WELLNESS. WE WANTED TO DO IT SERIOUSLY SO WE MADE IT A STAND-ALONE COMPANY WITH SPECIALIST STAFF. AND WE HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE ABOUT IT – WE’VE HAD PEOPLE WITH ANOREXIA, WHO ARE RECOVERING FROM CANCER, WHOSE MARRIAGE HAS ENDED; PEOPLE WHO WANT FULL BODY MOTS AND SCREENINGS FOR CANCER. WHILE WE STILL GET THOSE WHO WANT A LOVELY, PAMPERING BREAK, IT IS THE EXCEPTION
RATHER THAN THE RULE.
EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED. WE TRY AND MAKE OUR CLIENTS’ TRAVEL EXPERIENCE AS STRESS-FREE AS POSSIBLE – WE PRE-BOOK SEATS, CHECK THEM IN ONLINE AND FORWARD ON THEIR BOARDING PASSES – BUT EVENTS BEYOND OUR CONTROL CAN SOMETIMES THROW A SPANNER IN THE WORKS. AN AIRLINE LOSING YOUR LUGGAGE OR AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER STRIKE CAN WRECK THE START OF YOUR HOLIDAY, BUT TRY TO STAY CALM – AFTER ALL, YOU ARE ON HOLIDAY. MY BIGGEST TRAVEL NIGHTMARE RESULTED IN ME BEING DELAYED FOR
30 HOURS AFTER THE FLIGHT I WAS ON TO SINGAPORE WAS DIVERTED TO KIEV, AND AS IT WAS SNOWING AND MINUS 20, I DIDN’T HAVE THE RIGHT CLOTHES. I ENDED UP IN A HOSPITAL IN BORNEO FOR FOUR DAYS WITH A CHEST INFECTION.
MY FAVOURITE PLACE IN THE WORLD IS BURMA. I’VE BEEN MANY TIMES AND IT HAS AN EXTRAORDINARY INNOCENCE ABOUT IT AS IT’S STILL EVOLVING FROM A DIFFICULT PERIOD. IT HAS A FASCINATING HISTORY, ENGAGING PEOPLE AND PHYSICALLY IT IS PERFECTION. I’M VISITING AGAIN SOON AND GOING TO A GROUP OF ISLANDS WITH UNTOUCHED BEACHES THAT HAVE ONLY JUST BEEN DISCOVERED – A REAL RARITY IN THE TRAVEL WORLD.
NEXT ON MY DREAM LIST IS IRAN – I’VE MET A LOT OF IRANIAN PEOPLE AND THEY ARE ALWAYS SO WARM AND FRIENDLY, PLUS THE COUNTRY HAS A TREMENDOUS HISTORY AND AMAZING FOOD. IT’S UNCHARTERED TERRITORY FOR
ME – WHICH I LOVE.
SAYING THAT, I’M NOT ADVERSE TO MORE HOME-GROWN BREAKS TOO. I LOVE THE COTSWOLDS, IN PARTICULAR THE LYGON ARMS IN BROADWAY, A WONDERFUL HOTEL THAT IS HUNDREDS OF YEARS OLD, AS WELL AS STOKE GABRIEL IN SOUTH DEVON, WHERE MY HUSBAND IS FROM.
WHEN I’M NOT WORKING – OR TRAVELLING
– I STILL LIKE BEING ACTIVE. I LOVE CYCLING AND PILATES. I’M ALSO OBSESSED WITH GOING TO SEE MY COUNTRY IRELAND PLAY – EITHER FOOTBALL OR RUGBY – ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. WIN OR LOSE, THE ATMOSPHERE AT AN IRELAND MATCH IS ALWAYS THE BEST. >>