Travel is back. While that corny phrase may be floating around, these commuter-friendly careers fly under the radar. In front of you, meet four people with untrodden jobs driven by tourism. All of this creates unique employment opportunities that may prompt you to rethink your own journey.
Director of mindfulness programming
At the green Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, NY, you can recharge your batteries with Dr. Read also : Do you need a library update? Aesop gives away free books by LGBTQ + authors. Nina Smiley, Princeton-educated psychologist and co-author of The Three Minute Meditator (Mind’s I Press) and Mindfulness in Nature (Hatherleigh Press.)
“Sharing the simplicity and power of mindfulness meditation in this spectacular space is a perfect fit as I teach people how to use mindfulness in real time and in real life to reduce stress and improve well-being,” said Smiley.
On vacation, people can be more open to exploring new skills, explained Smiley, 70, who invites guests to discover mindfulness during wellness weekends and private sessions, many of which take place along rugged forest trails above gin-clear Lake Mohonk.
Smiley believes that starting work in this niche means cultivating your own practice, and then training yourself to share awareness. “A lot of programs have great teachers who offer training, and since the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s a lot available online,” she said.
Smiley has studied and practiced mindfulness since the 1980s, and when Mohonk Mountain House opened its spa in 2005, she became director of marketing. “I saw an opportunity to bring mindfulness into my workplace and formed a vision of how to do it, creating lectures that I integrated into existing programs and new proposals over several years,” she said.
Wildlife conservation manager
Vaman Ramlall, 46, is passionate about wildlife conservation and dedicated to making a positive impact, so accepting this unique career opportunity on Richard Branson’s Necker Island and the Mosquito Islands in the British Virgin Islands was a no-brainer. This may interest you : Family travel: How much should I budget for a family holiday?.
“Working in the tourism industry and being able to say that your work is actively saving species from extinction is truly a privilege and an honor,” he said.
Ramlall works daily with critically endangered species and educates guests, school children and locals about nature.
His top tip? “It takes hard work, diligence, care and resilience, of course, but the real need for this specific specialty is a true passion and love for animals and their welfare. It is a prerequisite, and without it it is impossible to be successful in that role,” he said.
To date, Ramlall and his colleagues have witnessed some major victories on Necker Island, from the mid-2000s re-establishment of a flamingo colony that had been heavily hunted and disappeared from the BVI to recently welcoming the first baby giant tortoises.
“We believe these are the first Aldabra giant tortoises bred naturally anywhere in the world outside of the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles, so they are extremely special,” he said.
Ramlall believes the tourism industry will increasingly be at the forefront of wildlife conservation, so if you’re curious about being a part of that movement, jump in now.
“We must work together to ensure a positive impact on addressing climate change, species extinction and planetary health,” Ramlall said. “I’m extremely proud of our little sanctuary for endangered species that I can call work.”
Brand consultant
West Village resident Anthony Berklich, 37, typically travels up to 200,000 miles a year and shares some of that joy with his clients, booking them luxury trips through his consultancy. On the same subject : People share the 30 most underrated travel destinations around the world.
Berklich, a travel writer and marketing consultant for luxury hotel brands, broke into the field after working in television and earning a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University. He decided to start his blog, Inspired Citizen, focusing on detailed stories about his life-changing travel experiences.
“During this process and learning the ins and outs of the tourism industry and what guests are looking for, I translated this into consulting for luxury brands in the travel space who needed help improving the guest experience, marketing efforts and increasing revenue while guests are on property,” He said. “My goal is to share these experiences with people and help them understand how they can experience it too.”
For aspiring brand consultants, Berklich recommends creating a brand or service that fills a gap. “While the travel world has come a long way in modernizing reservations and the way they interact with travelers, there is still a lot of work to be done and a lot to create to make travel easier, more seamless and an all-around better experience for travelers,” he said. “Don’t wait for someone to offer you the perfect job. Create a business and let people understand why they need you.”
Guest experiences manager
In the six years Daniel Brigano, 38, has been at the Plaza Hotel in Midtown East, no day has been the same, he said. His job is to make sure the guest’s journey goes smoothly, from room amenities to answering questions.
“Our guests are what make my job not only unique, but also fulfilling,” he explained. “The Plaza welcomes guests from all over the world, from royalty, CEOs and CEOs to those who have always dreamed of spending one magical night at the iconic hotel. My job is to bring that magic to life, creating unforgettable experiences for all our guests.”
To keep his high-pressure job in perspective, he tries to live by Maya Angelou’s quote: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel,” stressing the importance of cultivating character like being kind to others to stand out in the hospitality industry.
“Anyone can be taught the logistics of a day-to-day operation; however, you cannot teach empathy and compassion. It just comes from the heart,” he said.
