An Intern's Perspective

Interning at Far and Wild Travel

Interning for a start-up business is very exciting as everyone is learning at the same time as me, making it a little less daunting. Sitting next to someone like Ben, who has years of knowledge, is very interesting as I can listen to the way he interacts with customers and see how he builds a relationship with them. What is also helpful is the fact that, if I am ever stuck, I have someone to turn to who knows exactly what they are talking about. My previous knowledge of the travel industry was minimal; I loved travelling but, as far as behind-the-scenes goes, I didn’t know a lot. Indeed, after my first day, I knew this was something I would want to pursue as a full-time career.

What have I done in my two months?

I have been involved a lot with the production of the website: writing about lodges that we want to feature and uploading content such as the Wilder articles. I have also been involved in contacting lodges in Africa to build a relationship with them as suppliers of our holidays. This has benefited me as I am getting hands-on learning about the variety of locations in Africa and each property’s unique selling points. One of my favourite properties is Alfajiri Villas in Mombasa, Kenya Coast. It is a luxurious beachfront villa overlooking the stunning Indian Ocean – when I look it at it I instantly want to jump on a plane and be there!

During the internship I've sat down with Stu, the Head of Marketing, and Ben the MD, to get feedback on how I was getting on, and was asked on what areas I'd like to focus on. This was great as I really wanted to try some customer sales, and with the help of Ben I was able to organise a Botswana trip for someone. Ben helped me do all the behind the scenes research and preparation – but I was able to speak to the customer and answer his questions (don’t worry... Ben had told him I was interning, and he was great) and I can’t have done too badly.. as in the end he booked the trip. YAY :-)!! It was a awesome itinerary... have a look at it here.

Another ‘property’ that took my interest was the Bush Rover – it’s technically not a property, but it is by far the coolest way to see the Great Migration. The lovely owner, David, visited the Far and Wild Travel office and brought a Bush Rover with him. We drove through the beautiful Edenhall Estate (where we are based) and I sat on the toilet (which acted as the passenger seat – it even had a seatbelt!). He showed us how his Land Rover transformed into a large tent with space for a double bed, a balcony, bath and full flushing toilet. Thanks to this role, I’ve seen things I never imagined were possible!

I have also taken over the Far and Wild Travel social media accounts (check us out on Instagram: @farandwild, and like us on Facebook!). I really enjoy doing this as I have full creative control – it’s surprisingly satisfying trying to improve how many likes I get on each post!

Where do I go from now?

Nearing the end of the internship we did a formal review process – well not that formal :-), but I was given feedback from from all the team, and was then asked about what I want to do next. In my case, it's to definitely stay in the Travel sector.. I’ve got the bug! Rebecca helped me plan my CV so that it highlights the experience I have that is relevant to travel, including all the new and different things I've learned at Far & Wild! Ben gave me advice about career opportunities in the industry and the whole team are now helping by making some introductions for me for my next steps in Travel (my plan is to get some experience in Africa next!!).

This internship has made me realise how fun and exciting (albeit sometimes challenging) the travel industry can be. I know this is what I would love to do in the future, specifically working in sales. I enjoy interacting with the customers and making people’s dream holidays come to life. I am very grateful for being chosen as the first intern at Far and Wild Travel – the next intern will be very lucky!