Rail Online General Manager AUS/NZ, Kirsty Blows, finds it uplifting is to be part of a travel industry rebuilding after the pandemic.
“When COVID hit there was so much unhappiness, with people losing jobs and companies struggling for survival. Now it brings me such a joy to see people being rehired and companies mapping out exciting futures,” Kirsty said.
Find out what else she had to say in this week’s Talking Travel.
What does your job involve?
Essentially I’m responsible for promoting international rail travel to Australian and New Zealand travellers and travel agents. That means constantly reminding people of all the benefits that high-speed rail travel offers, including speed, convenience, safety and reduced impact on the environment. A key part of that involves liaising with travel agents and retail travel groups, while also forging connections with media and other travel partners who want to work with our company.
How have you tackled the difficulties caused by COVID-19?
To enjoy rail journeys in regions such as Europe and North America, people first have to be able to get there, and post-COVID that hasn’t been easy because air capacity out of Australia and New Zealand has been restricted. There’s not a lot we can do about that, other than work hard to rebuild rail’s profile to ensure we are well positioned once the market returns to some form of normality. Another challenge is finding the right people to talk to now because the industry has lost so many key people as a result of the pandemic. Forging new relationships, and re-connecting with trusted partners, just takes time and patience.
What do you enjoy most about your profession?
I love the travel industry and everything that comes with it, most notably of course the passionate people it attracts. But I’m especially lucky because I also genuinely love train travel, and I think that comes across in everything I do. I was doing a presentation the other day when someone mentioned they were going to New York, and I started telling them they had to check out Moynihan Train Hall, Amtrak’s spectacular new home in New York. You know train travel is in your blood when you start insisting people visit train stations.
What are the biggest challenges for you in your profession (outside of COVID-19)?
We are a start-up, so we face just about every challenge you can think of! But one of the biggest challenges at the moment is just keeping up with the demand we’ve seen from travel agents, which erupted as soon as we went live. Our recent addition of live Amtrak inventory has helped enormously, and we’re working hard to add more rail passes and journeys to ensure we are meeting the growing desire for all manner of rail travel among Australian and New Zealand travellers.
What do you think are the biggest challenges the industry faces?
There are so many challenges, but as a priority, we need to attract the talented people we lost during the pandemic back to the travel industry. We also need to look beyond the initial post-pandemic travel wave, which has been characterised by short-term bookings and work together to re-establish more stable and manageable booking patterns.
What do you think will be the biggest game changer in the travel industry in the next 12 months?
From a rail perspective, the rapid expansion of e-ticketing is set to transform our sector. High-speed trains themselves are extraordinarily sophisticated examples of cutting-edge technology, but the process of booking travel has not always kept pace with the advances we’ve seen in the air sector. That is changing, and it will make booking rail easier than ever before.
What destination/travel trend do you think is the next big thing?
Sustainable travel is a major issue in regions such as Europe, which are facing more intense pressure than us when it comes to the cost and supply of energy. I think Australian and New Zealand travellers will have come increasingly sensitive to travel-related emissions, and rail will benefit from that simply because it’s a much more environmentally friendly mode of travel.
What are your thoughts on responsible travel and how do you try to implement this in your workplace?
It’s essential and we as a company are doing all we can to minimise our own personal domestic and international travel. For instance, it’s part of our company philosophy that we only operate offices that are easily accessible by public transport.
Who inspires you most and why?
As someone with two young children, I’m constantly inspired by other working mums who manage to juggle children, families and successful careers. The travel industry is full of so many great examples of women who have done just that.
What is your must-pack travel item(s)?
It’s been so long since I’ve travelled regularly that I’ve almost forgotten, but I guess the first thing I always ‘pack’ is my credit card!
Who would you invite on your next holiday if you could choose anyone and where would you go?
I’d go to any destination in which my three sisters can gather at the same time. We live in four different countries – one is a hoola hoop performer in Mexico, one is a flight attendant in Abu Dhabi, and another works for the Treasury in Melbourne – and we haven’t been in the one place for around 10 years.
Contact Email: kirsty.blows@rail.online
