Sue Wright | Travel Agent

Sue Wright

Phone: +61 432 590 030

Add/Update information

Reviews

Tags

• Businesses
• Travel and transport
• Travel Agent
• Travel company

24.01.2022 Whilst the road to recovery for our industry is looking like it's going to take far longer than we initially anticipated it was so reassuring to receive this update from our Travel Managers Australia Chairman this week! Our parent company, House of Travel, have been successful in securing two new shareholders who have injected significant capital into the company. As a result this has placed Travel Managers Australia into an incredibly strong position to be able to trade through this period of COVID-19 uncertainty and disruption. Yet again feeling so very proud to be aligned with this forward thinking and caring company that has everyone's best interests at heart! #feelinginspired #feelingthankful #stayingpresentwhilstlookingtothefuture #ptmlife

22.01.2022 A new definition for the word Passport rather sad but unfortunately true Looking forward to that day we can start exploring our amazing world yet again....yes that will be a time for incredible celebration and as we move forward let’s ensure our appreciation in being able to do so never diminishes!

22.01.2022 With so many changes these past few months I feel it's safe to say that when it comes to social distancing this will most likely be part of our "new normal" as we continue to move forward. Whilst I am the first to acknowledge that COVID-19 has disrupted some industries majorly, with the travel industry being the first hit and most likely the last to recover, I also simply love the innovation that businesses are going to during this time...they are not letting COVID-19 bring t...hem down! Here's two terrific examples...a restaurant in the Netherlands and a cafe in Paris....whilst honoring the social distancing rules they are also creating beautiful customer experiences. Whilst the first pic is quite self explanatory the Teddy Bears in this second pic depict where you cannot sit in the cafe...so much more delightful than a sign! At the end of the day our lives are all about experiences as it's these experiences that create our precious memories! Who else wants to dine at this restaurant and cafe??!! See more

22.01.2022 How I miss creating adventures & experiences....I feel like there is a part of me missing right now....however this will eventually return and when that day finally arrives I will be refreshed & recharged ready to ramp up again! #ptmlife #asindividualasyouare #dowhatyoulove #lovewhatyoudo #mygapyear

21.01.2022 Whilst this made me laugh, just a little, sadly it is a rather true reflection of what the past four months have been like in our industry and it’s not over yet. Deciphering ever changing policies from airlines, cruise lines and tour operators has certainly kept my brain active as I continually strive to get the best possible financial outcome for all of my clients. It’s slow progress but I believe any progress is a good thing....as I have said before each day we are one step closer!

20.01.2022 When Brisbane went into lock down last weekend it made me realise just how long it may take our industry to recover and I finally came to level of acceptance with this. I believe it was this change in mindset that in turn manifested the latest development in my professional world this past few days. I have been working full time at North Jacklin since June 2020 as the Courtesy Vehicle driver whilst continuing to work through cancellations and refunds with my clients and qui...te frankly it's been this work that has given me the ability to keep my business in an incredibly strong financial position despite the effects of COVID-19 This week I was offered another opportunity at the dealership which was simply too good to refuseso I said yes! Come Monday I commence my training as the new Finance & Insurance Business Manager of the Nissan/Subaru side of the dealership! Please know my Travel Managers business remains solid and I am still here to work with my clients, particularly those that have credits in place with various suppliers. I will forever be a PTM! So whilst I may not be able to make people's holiday dreams come true right now I will be in a position to help people get into a brand new vehicle and that's also rather exciting! #ptmlife #asindividualasyouare #newlearnings #sothankful

18.01.2022 Today the Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) kicked off a 4 week Resilient Mind Program in partnership with Paul Taylor from the MindBodyBrain Institute which I have chosen to participate in. These are incredibly trying times for so many of us in so many different ways and one of the strong messages I took away from today was just how very important it is to take positive action despite how you might be feeling. Paul talked about the Inner Gremlin...we all know t...hat one...the one with the negative self-talk, the classic over-thinker and is an absolutely expert when it comes to self-criticism...we then move onto the Inner Sage...this is the one with gratitude who takes complete responsibility for their actions and takes positive action! Whilst I would like to think I am more "Inner Sage" than "Inner Gremlin" we all have both within us and quite frankly I would like to kick my "Inner Gremlin" out of the park as I am a little done with her right now! Paul challenged us to name both our Inner Gremlin and Inner Sage.......I save my creativity for planning holiday experiences so would love any ideas you all might have!

17.01.2022 It was a great day at the "office" today! I would never have imagined being so excited about meeting with clients and assisting them with the submission of a travel insurance claim but that's precisely what I did this morning with this delightful couple! Helping others and interaction with others is what I am missing most right now. Bill & Yvonne...sincere thanks for your incredible patience, kindness and trust these past few months...you have no idea just how much that means...we are finally on the home run!

16.01.2022 I caught up with a friend this week and we chatted about the importance of being aware of our talents & our passion when it comes to our professions and the fact that once we get to this point and are actually honouring this that feeling we get of never having to "work" another day in our lives.....without a doubt my absolute passion is helping others. Today I have spent my day working through many refunds and whilst I would rather be creating holiday experiences right now I have still had the most gratifying day knowing I have been able to get to the outcomes I have! #ptmlife #asindividualasyouare #dowhatyoulove #lovewhatyoudo

15.01.2022 And just like that we are half way through 2020! I don't know if anyone else feels this way but for me March and April seemed to go on FOREVER whilst May and June have passed ever so quickly. Whilst the first half of 2020 hasn't shaped up quite as any of us anticipated I feel this quote by Sir Richard Branson really sums up what this year is all about! Whilst I may not be able to create amazing travel experiences for others right now I can only hope I am making this unraveling process pleasant and stress free for my clients as I strive to secure the very best outcomes possible #ptmlife #asindividualasyouare #definingsuccess

14.01.2022 So I decided this was the week to dip my toe back in the water so to speak and for the first time in more than seven months have spent time today researching accommodation options and touring experiences for clients travelling to Adelaide next month! How I have missed this and whilst I felt like an absolute novice getting started it has been the most enjoyable afternoon spent in some time. So many additional things to consider now and questions to ask due to COVID-19 to ensure we get the "experience" just right and as your Personal Travel Manager that's exactly what I will be doing as we start to move forward! #ptmlife #asindividualasyouare

13.01.2022 When COVID-19 really kicked in hard for our industry on Friday 13 March my initial thoughts were...give it 6 months and things will start getting back to normal Here we are...four months in and there is still no end in sight...still doing my best to take one day at a time and staying in control of what I can which are cancellations and refunds. Getting some very favourable outcomes all round and my gratitude for all of your patience, trust and immense kindness runs so very deep! Whilst we may not be able to travel right now let’s not lose sight of our individual creativity!

12.01.2022 I spent today with Robbie Cornelius and Leigh Bennett from the Institute for Tourism Leadership Australia. I was fortunate to be accepted into the Resilient Leaders and Mentors Program which is a four month coaching program running through to March 2021. This is covering topics including personal resilience, emotional intelligence, adapting to change, tenacity, mindfulness, general well being & gratitude and will come out of this as a Certified Resilience Mentor! I so love all of these topics and am extremely grateful to Mackay Tourism and Tourism Whitsundays for providing this amazing opportunity. Looking forward to many new learnings over the coming months! #ptmlife #dowhatyoulove #lovewhatyoudo #lovenewlearnings

12.01.2022 My post today is not specifically travel related as such however this quote popped up on my newsfeed yesterday which I absolutely love and can so resonate with right now! Over these past eight months there have been a handful of times when I have questioned myself as to how am I ever going to have the energy to start rebuilding my business again when the time comes. Well...that time has arrived and may I say I am feeling absolutely energised and excited about what’s ahead! Whilst it’s most likely going to be a slow rebuild it’s one that will be built on incredibly strong foundations as we move forward! #ptmlife #asindividualasyouare #dowhatyoulove #lovewhatyoudo

12.01.2022 Interestingly enough this popped up on my Facebook memories today from six years ago. At the time my reason for sharing this was purely fitness related with the desire to encourage others to take that first step, persevere and be consistent.....I had dropped 20kg between August 2013 and April 2014 and by June 2014 had never felt fitter or stronger in my lifetime! Seeing this today has had me reflecting on where I was 12 months ago with my business...I had just returned from... Las Vegas, my business was evolving beautifully and I was looking forward to my next trip away which was early August to spend time with a friend in WA and attend our Travel Managers Annual Conference in Perth. Whilst this quote has a completely different meaning for me right now it's so very relevant! #samesamebutdifferent #ptmlife #asindividualasyouare #mindsetiseverything See more

12.01.2022 An afternoon spent working my way through the processing of refunds as they are now starting to slowly come through...whilst I believe it's going to be a long road ahead before I can get back into "creation" mode it still gives me pleasure to be able to offer some joy to my clients as I make contact with them and reassure them I have a refund for them! I stumbled upon this beautiful quote this week which reminded me why I love what I do so very much and what the experience of travelling gives us from within!

12.01.2022 My day today was spent with the guys from the Institute for Tourism Leadership Australia as part of the Resilient Leader & Mentor Program I am involved in. It was a wonderfully interactive day as we explored a variety of personality styles, leadership mindsets, the six domains of resilience and last but not least our own personal social communication styles! My strongest style came out as expressive followed by analytical as my secondary style. Interestingly enough each of th...ese styles at their extreme are at the opposite end of the spectrum which has given me a little insight as to why I frustrate myself so much at times!! But I seriously love this stuff......we are such a complex species and as we continue to learn and appreciate our differences this will enhance how we communicate and view our world! #ptmlife #asindividualasyouare #growthmindset #neverstoplearning

08.01.2022 Whilst I continue to remain optimistic about the future of our industry I am the first admit to that today's news regarding the majority of our States in Australia closing their borders to South Australia made me rather sad. On a brighter note today marks the 100th anniversary of Qantas and it had me reflecting on the fact that I was working with Qantas when they celebrated their 75th anniversary! Here's a little flashback to that time...the uniforms that we were wearing...oh... so very stylish, designed by Yves Saint Laurent and flying on the original Wunala Dreaming to Bali at the time. I was also nominated for a Customer Excellence Award within just a few months of working with Qantas...yes even way back then the Customer Experience was my absolute passion! Whilst 2020 has given us very little to celebrate in our industry I have so many wonderful past memories and I just know there are many special memories ahead just waiting to be created...for both myself and my clients...and that in itself is something to look forward to!

08.01.2022 I was speaking with one of my clients recently that has plans in place to travel overseas at the end of this year. Whilst we both know that she won't be travelling in December it's still too early to cancel as to do this now would disadvantage her from a financial point of view. At the time she said to me...think of this as a "gap year" and I simply loved her outlook on this. I continue to remind myself of this when I have my low moments with what's happening in our world and this quote I saw recently was also a timely reminder...we can't have beautiful rainbows without the rain....and it's these difficult times that give even greater value and meaning to the good times and make us stronger within!

07.01.2022 In these last few days an opportunity presented itself which was simply too good to refuse and as we patiently wait for the world to reopen I have swapped out my daily drive car for this one....yes as of today I am now the courtesy vehicle driver for the North Jacklin Nissan & Subaru Dealership! Please know that this is simply an interim measure and in addition to this role I will still continue to work in my business, following through on everything that needs to be actione...d with regards to cancellations & refunds and researching unique experiences on offer within Australia and New Zealand. I am available for appointments late afternoons, early evenings and Saturdays and rest assured that once things do open up I will move back into my business on a permanent basis! In the meantime I am so very thankful for this opportunity....I now have some routine and structure back into my week whilst getting to meet so many new people and having fun at the same time......feeling incredibly blessed right now! See more

07.01.2022 It was an interesting day at the office today! Met with clients this morning which ended up with a quick trip to the Base Hospital ED...all is well but have to say that’s taking the personal in Personal Travel Manager to a completely new level! Was so thankful I was there to help them..it’s these personal relationships I have with my clients that add so much enjoyment to what I do ... I then moved onto a cafe to continue working....this took me back in time as I fondly reflected on what my working days used to look like Booked flights to Tahiti!! Unfortunately the bookings are simply fictitious dates but had to go through this process so I can reissue their tickets and keep them alive in the system....was pleasantly surprised I could remember how to do this given it’s been almost 12 months since I created a new international flight booking...now that’s what I call winning It’s fascinating just how much we retain in our memory banks which will so easily resurface as required! #ptmlife #asindividualasyouare #dowhatyoulovelovewhatyoudo

06.01.2022 Having completed my first week of training in my new role at North Jacklin it surprised me just how many of my existing skills I can bring into this...it's also a role I can put my own stamp on and do "my way", within reason of course, and hearing that was simply music to my ears! It's brought a spring back into my step and has spurred me into action within my own business! I have spent this weekend working my way through future travel credits with a variety of airlines and... tour companies that would not refund at the time, revisiting the validity of the credits and whether anything has changed that will now enable us to secure a refund. Whilst this was always my intention momentum has returned! Whilst this past 11 months has been a crazy roller coaster being in a position to handle it all "my way" has given me an immense control of something I had absolutely no control over! I saw this perfume recently and simply had to buy it...fortunately I love the fragrance too! #ptmlife #asindividualasyouare #dowhatyoulovelovewhatyoudo #myway

05.01.2022 The customer experience has always been of utmost importance to me and as I continue to navigate my way through cancellations and refunds for those that had travel plans in place for 2020 I believe there has never been a more critical time to deliver on this than now! In saying that as I am now working in another full time role with the North Jacklin Group my turnaround time in some instances has not been as fast as I would like it to be and quite frankly this has been bothe...ring me greatly. In most instances executing the respective cancellation and getting the refund process underway has been so much more time consuming than putting the initial arrangements into place. I have also had numerous instances whereby I am having to contact the supplier a number of times over to get the desired outcome and will continue on this path until I achieve this where necessary! Again sincere thanks to everyone....your patience and trust with me in all of this never ceases to amaze me and I simply cannot thank you all enough #ptmlife #asindividualasyouare See more

04.01.2022 Heading into the weekend with mixed emotions as this weekend should have been our 2020 Travel Managers Conference which was to be on Hamilton Island...our annual event where we all come together to celebrate our past 12 months and catch up with an amazing group of passionate and caring people! It’s been a tough year for our industry and feeling sad that we can’t all be together right now however also feeling grateful and excited to have the opportunity to be spending the weekend with a handful of Queensland PTM’s on the island We truly do live in a stunning part of the world and the Whitsundays has certainly turned on the weather for us! #ptmlife #asindividualasyouare #todayalmostfeltnormal

03.01.2022 Well it’s been an exciting day at the office today!! For the first time in 8 months I have had the absolute pleasure of handing over travel documents...as I was going through her documents Lenore commented to me.....I am not sure who’s more excited here....you or me....aaah I had almost forgotten just how good this feels!! #ptmlife #asindividualasyouare #dowhatyoulove #lovewhatyoudo #relaunchmindset

03.01.2022 Tomorrow marks 12 months to the day since fellow PTM Leah Hughes and I met up to discuss the year ahead, looking at how we could do things differently to manage the incredible influx of business we were both experiencing. That day Leah asked me if I had anyone travelling to China and my response was...thank goodness no...I am fine!! Little did either of us know that day just what was ahead of us So fast forward 12 months....this past week I have spent reviewing every future... travel credit in place, updating each of my clients with the most up to date information relevant to their respective credit/s so that when the time comes and we can start getting plans in place again we know precisely where we are at. Am feeling absolute elation this afternoon as I just emailed my last update....this task is now complete!! Just a few refunds to come through now and yes that's a wrap! Finally feeling like I can put COVID-19 precisely where it belongs and that's behind me! #ptmlife #asindividualasyouare #movingforward #stillsmiling #strongerthanever

02.01.2022 Rob & Lenore recently returned from their week holidaying in South Australia taking in Adelaide, the beautiful winery region of McLaren Vale, Hahndorf - Australia's oldest German settlement and Kangaroo Island which is famous for it's wildlife, scenery and fresh local produce! These were my first clients to travel since February 2020 and I cannot begin to express how much joy I experienced researching and providing recommendations to them. I chose to work with local specialists in the relevant areas they wanted to take in and as a result was able to create a beautiful personalized itinerary that delivered the exact experience they were looking for! #ptmlife #asindividualasyouare #dowhatyoulove #lovewhatyoudo

02.01.2022 Today is the first day in almost seven months that I feel I can finally see light at the end of the tunnel with regards to the execution of cancellations. Whilst I am still waiting on many refunds to come through I can now count on one hand the number of bookings that I have left that are to be cancelled when the timing is right to ensure we get the best possible outcome! I shed a few tears this afternoon...not sure whether they were tears of relief, heartbreak, exhaustion o...r joy...perhaps they were a combination of all....but when I sit back and reflect back on this past seven months whilst it's been an emotional roller coaster I am immensely proud of how in control I have felt in what has been such an uncontrollable situation and the financial outcomes I have been able to secure for so many clients! #ptmlife #asindividualasyouare #dowhatyoulove #lovewhatyoudo See more

02.01.2022 I love nothing more than a day filled with positive action! 1 Travel Insurance claim submitted 4 more refunds actioned ... 2 wins with a cruise line that advised they would refund only to find out three months later I was incorrectly informed so after politely throwing some facts back their way they have now agreed to refund 11 airline refunds finally in the process that I submitted for refund on the 30th of March Whilst this past six months has been anything but smooth sailing knowledge, skill, patience and absolute perseverance do eventually pay off! #ptmlife #asindividualasyouare

01.01.2022 I was chatting with a friend earlier in the week who is contemplating starting her own business...she is excellent in her field and my advice to her was "back yourself, what's the worst that can happen?" It was in that moment that I realised the very worst has in fact happened to our industry and once again was reminded of just how grateful I am for my business model which has enabled me to survive this global pandemic incredibly well! For now though it's time for me to take a piece of my own advice as today is my first official day in my new role as Business Manager at North Jacklin......feeling a little nervous....I know I still have so much to learn but that's the exciting part! #ptmlife #asindividualasyouare #dowhatyoulovelovewhatyoudo

01.01.2022 Yesterday we spent the morning on beautiful Whitehaven Beach... if you are planning a visit to the Whitsundays this is an absolute must! If you enjoy walking would recommend taking in a full day trip as there are some great walking tracks on the island which offer spectacular views....otherwise the half day trip gives you sufficient time for a shorter walk whilst still allowing plenty of time to enjoy a swim and simply relax! #ptmlife #asindividualasyouare