Agent diary: Susan Dearing from Designer Travel
The business associate saw an uptick in business in June as she celebrated 10 years with the homeworking specialist
This year marks a decade since I joined Designer Travel. I started in the travel industry 23 years ago, and it’s the best place I’ve ever worked.
I work from home in Northampton and, this month, as always, most bookings have come from repeat customers and recommendations. Clients tell their friends I arrange their flight seats and boarding passes and email their hotel to get something extra included. These things make it special, and they see the value in booking through me.
Positive changes
Business is definitely picking up and client confidence is growing. The airport luggage issues and flight cancellations haven’t helped, but I deal with it as it happens as I’m here to help my clients.
Bookings have been varied this month. The Canaries and Greece have been popular recently and durations are getting longer, as most bookings are now for 10 nights or more.
One standout booking took place in June, when I chartered a boat for four customers with Explore Montenegro, sailing around the Adriatic.
I received an email from the operator with a massive discount, and suggested it to clients wanting something a bit different.
I’ve also been selling more cruises, which we are focusing on as a business. Through the Cruise Designers project I’m doing lots of online training and I recently had lunch with Norwegian Cruise Line in London, which was really informative.
I’ve also booked my own first cruise. In August 2023 I’m sailing to Europe with P&O Cruises with my son Ryan and my parents.
Travel champions
In March, Designer Travel was named Top Luxury Agency and Top Homeworking Agency in the TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies 2022, and our Ramsbottom store was named the North West’s Top Agency. It was very well deserved, as our founders Amanda Matthews and Karen Pocock have worked their socks off.
In June I joined the TTG Top 50 Champions Trip to Florida, along with two colleagues. It was really action-packed, as Visit Florida arranged for us to go to Universal Orlando Resort, Universal’s Volcano Bay Water Theme Park and Nasa’s Kennedy Space Center. I loved New Smyrna Beach, which is the second oldest city in Florida – the beach is absolutely glorious.
Providing support
Designer Travel have been incredibly supportive, as in April 2019 my eldest son Aaron was 12 when he was diagnosed with a rare form of a malignant germ cell tumour. He underwent an aggressive adult chemotherapy treatment but the tumour continued to grow. It was very stressful and, in April 2021 Aaron lost his battle against cancer.
We’ve fundraised for the charities that supported us, including PASIC, which provides a brilliant support network for children and young people with cancer.
They arranged trips for us and a Christmas party. Plus Young Lives vs Cancer, which also helps youngsters and their families.
Last year Ryan was 12 and he did a Race for Life, so I popped his fundraising link on Facebook and he raised more than 1,000. It was incredible. Then in February 2021, 200 of us from Designer Travel and some customers “walked around the world” for Aaron, each taking 10,000 steps a day.
Making memories
Before Aaron passed, and when we were told that he wasn’t going to survive, we created a bucket list together.
We thought we had a lot longer with Aaron, and Covid prevented us from doing many things. So now we have his bucket list, and I’m working through it with Ryan, in Aaron’s memory.
We’ve been to Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Wight and the Warner Bros Studio Tour – the Making of Harry Potter World in Leavesden, all of which Aaron wanted to do. Drayton Manor Resort is on the list, and he loved Bournemouth, so we’re taking a day trip during the summer holidays. We’ve also got to find a way to visit Mauritius.
We know that Aaron is no longer in pain and is at peace. My philosophy is that he wouldn’t want me to sit in a corner, crying the whole time, but he’d want me to live life to the full. So that’s what I try to do.
To donate to the charities that supported Susan and her family visit pasic.org.uk and younglivesvscancer.org.uk
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