TIME - Travel Industry Mentor Experience
TIME - Travel Industry Mentor Experience
TIME with Emmalita Malmberg - Golden Shoes And The Art Of Saying No
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Australia’s travel industry doesn’t run on passion alone, it runs on advocacy, relationships, and the unglamorous work happening in the background. We’re joined by Emmalita Malmberg, National Manager Corporate Partnerships at the Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA), to unpack how a peak body supports a $30 billion travel sector and why partnerships across airlines, cruise lines, insurers, tour operators and the travel trade matter more than ever.
We also go personal. Emmalita shares how the TIME mentoring program helped her build confidence, develop self-awareness, and make a career move she wasn’t sure she deserved. We talk about what happens when a mentor “holds up a mirror”, why asking colleagues how they describe you can be confronting, and how a strength like friendliness can tip into blurred boundaries at work. Along the way we explore the leadership idea that sticks: clear is kind, and kind is not always nice.
If you’re looking for career growth in travel and tourism, better communication at work, or practical leadership development, this chat is full of real-world takeaways, plus a quickfire purchase that made day-to-day work easier and a few strong words on finding mentors before you think you’re “ready”. If you enjoyed it, subscribe, share it with someone in the travel industry, and leave us a review so more people can find the show.
Welcome And Guest Introduction
SPEAKER_01Hello and welcome back to the newest episode of the Time Podcast. Season five, six five, thank you, Anno. Season five, episode four, five, something. One of the later episodes in season five. So welcome, and I also want to welcome our most famous French person that dominates the not networking world, not only in Australia, but most recently also in India, because he chooses to constantly be away whenever there's a networking event. But we are more than excited to have him in the virtual space today. Welcome back, Ambu.
SPEAKER_00Thank you, Thibault. I'm really happy to be back. I'm really also very proud that you call me like the most uh famous French person. So that puts me in front of like poof, Catherine Deneuve, Emmanuel Macron, all these people that, you know, are so famous in my mind. But thank you so much. Look, um, credit where credit is due. Exactly. You're absolutely right. Uh, but I think that today we should not make it about me for once. Um we have a special guest. Um, a special guest, and she's also um quite special for me too, because we've known each other for um quite some time. Um sorry. Who is it? Oh, sorry, who is it? I didn't I couldn't hear what you said. Um, you have this kind of like radio host voice today, and I'm kind of like uh a bit thrown off, but that's very smooth and you know. Um we have Emmelita Mannberg. Uh she's the national manager, corporate partnerships at Atial. Um, welcome to the podcast, Emilito.
SPEAKER_02Thank you so much. Um, it's great to be here, and thank you both for having me today.
SPEAKER_01It's our pleasure. Bonjour Emilito.
SPEAKER_02And we've got our most famous German man here.
SPEAKER_01Yes. There's definitely a couple of others that also qualify for that title, but they're usually not on a good book.
SPEAKER_02It's a pretty good afternoon being with the most famous famous Frenchman and the most famine Deutschman.
SPEAKER_01See, we make it happen at time.
ATIA And The Work Behind Travel
SPEAKER_01Now, Emilita, can you maybe um quickly explain to someone who has absolutely no idea about the tourism industry what do you do in your job?
SPEAKER_02Uh in my current role?
SPEAKER_01Yes.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so I'm working for um the Australian Travel Industry Association. Um, so we are the peak body for the travel industry, um, representing a $30 billion industry here in Australia. Um, we have been um in functioning for the industry um since 1957. So we're coming up to our 70th year next year. Um so yeah, it's um I'm very pleased to be part of ATIA. Um, they're an amazing team and they care deeply about our industry and the people in it um and advocate um and support our sector. Um so yeah, it's a real privilege to work work with them in support of an industry that I personally really love too. So and what do you do?
SPEAKER_01Like what's your day-to-day?
SPEAKER_02So I my role is um corporate partnerships. So obviously, we have uh all of the TMCs and um travel agencies that are members, but then our corporate partners, um airlines, cruise lines, insurers, consolidators, tour operators, um there on our our corporate um partner side. So I'm managing those relationships. Um we've got three large flagship events per year in the industry Beyond Borders, um, NTIA, Beyond Borders on the Road, um, and then we have a lot of other initiatives as well. So working with our our partners um and um organizing sponsorships for those events as well. So yeah, working with our partners to to um you know connect them with the Australian travel trade um through engagement and all of Atia's initiatives that we carry out throughout the year.
SPEAKER_01And how long are you in the role for already?
SPEAKER_02Um only about six weeks. And I actually started and then I went on holidays for three weeks. So I'm kind of only three weeks into the role.
SPEAKER_01So um you're pretty much just doing your onboarding.
SPEAKER_02Yes. Yeah, exactly. Um, it's it's yeah it is.
SPEAKER_01Has time played a role in the change of your role, or how did you come to time?
How The TIME Program Built Confidence
SPEAKER_02Uh definitely. It it played a big part in why I am where I am right now. Um, so yes, I did the time program um with Alyssa O'Connell. Um, she was my mentor. Um, she's head of people and culture for FCTG. Um and yeah, we we had an amazing, it was an amazing um mentorship experience for me. Um we formed a deep, yeah, deep connection. And um that mentorship program really put me on the traject trajectory that I'm on now. And I don't feel that I would have probably had the confidence to um to go for the role with Atiya had it not been for that program. So yeah, it was definitely um instrumental in um some of the changes that I made in my career path.
SPEAKER_01So when you go back to your first day of being a mentee of the time program, from your perspective, what was the preferred outcome?
SPEAKER_02Um I really wanted to um grow personally. Um to I had some um personal um situations that I wanted to someone I could really trust to discuss with, um, someone um yeah, to confide in, to get direction from. And I went into the program very open to to that, to receiving feedback and to looking internally and reflecting and growing. Um and yeah, Alyssa really helped me. She was um, you know, firm but gentle and kind. Um, she said to me, clear is kind, is one of her um, you know, she lives by that. And she was a very kind mentor, but really helped me to self-reflect. Um, yeah, and to learn and grow. And I feel like we really achieved a lot together.
SPEAKER_01That is fascinating all to see, you know, that some people can just um be kind and nice, isn't it?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, look, I I can't agree more. There's the this is so rare these days. Nice people. Oof, who would have thought? Um, makes me sick just thinking of it. Um there's there's a lot of stuff that are very interesting with what you said, but I think that I was there at your graduation, and um there's a lot of things that you said during your speech that I think um were very personal about your about your journey, you know, like um beyond these achievements that you were trying to do like professionally. And and and circling back to what you said before, um, when Timo asked you if your current role is kind of like the produce of the time that you did with time. There's something I remember that you said during your during your graduation, and you said like you you you you you found I'm just gonna rephrase it because I don't remember the exact quote or the your exact words, but you say something along the line that you learn how to trust yourself, right? Um and and that I thought that made it like it's so much more personal about your your your your time journey and maybe you needed to trust yourself to to put yourself you know up for that new role or you know that that new situation.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, 100%. Um I think I had a lot of self-doubt um and insecurities probably. Um, and you know, Alyssa really held a mirror up for
Feedback That Boosts Self Awareness
SPEAKER_02me. Um, and that is very it's quite confronting when when someone holds a mirror up to and and you know your your knee-jerk reaction is to be defensive. Um but she I she was so kind and so I I had such trust in her that I was able to um be open to her, to her advice, to her um her direction. Um and yeah, she helped. We did a couple of um um activities together. For example, she asked me um to speak to my colleagues and asked them how would they describe me? If I'm not in the room, how would they describe me? And you know, you you think that you know how people perceive you and and you know to a certain degree a lot of the feedback was expected, um but some of it was not expected, um, and it really helped me to see, yeah, how I come across, how I'm perceived. Am I am I um showing up how I want to? Is that how people see me? How how you know? Um, in for example, like I'm a very friendly person, but does friendliness tip does that strength turn into a weakness?
SPEAKER_01Oh yeah. Um as we as we say in Germany, let's put some butter on the bread. Um what were some of the surprises that people you know used? Um what are the surprising descriptors people used when speaking about you not being in the room?
SPEAKER_02Um, some of the surprising ones. I don't know if I want to share them.
SPEAKER_00Okay.
SPEAKER_02No, but um I think um, you know, they got my my colleagues uh I like I was sitting in the FCTG head office, so I had a really great rapport. They're an amazing group of people in the independent with TA and Envoyage and LTC. And and um I said, come on, be really honest, you know, open up. And and so they did. And um, yeah, I think you know, that's where I got that feedback, that that friendliness can become, you know, a little bit overwhelming or a bit too maybe asking too many personal questions, or what I would perceive as personal interest as being stepping over a boundary or being disruptive when you know, think things like that that I didn't realize that I I was. And maybe that's due to a lack of self-awareness on my part. Um, so Alyssa really helped me to become more self-aware and you know, think about how I come across, how I'm perceived, I'm a chatterbox, I'm but then when does that veer into becoming a waffler and a rambler, you know? Um probably what I'm doing now, you know.
SPEAKER_00But you know what? It's actually really interesting because um you and I have known each other for a little while, but you know, more on a you know on a on a professional level. And then uh but maybe a not even a year ago, like I think it was maybe eight months ago. I was I was in Brisbane, you know, I was um at Flat Center, Flight Center Head Office, I was visiting one of my clients there, and and I saw you there, and you were you were working, right? But um because yeah, because you're a very friendly person, I saw so many people coming to bother you and ask you all sorts of stuff or interrupt you while you were doing some work. Um and so I I can I can see that uh you probably for to them, you were they probably perceive you as someone really friendly, and they probably thought it was okay to disturb you while you were doing your work and ask you all sorts of questions. And I was like, oh, that now that you say that, I can I can see that. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, oh thank you. Yeah, it's it's not it's good to be approachable and um yeah, I love I I love people. Part of the reason why I love the travel industry is just because there's just so many good people. It's such a great industry, um, full of full of good, kind people. Um yeah, so yeah, thank you.
SPEAKER_01But so I would assume because you're still very friendly and kind, you haven't changed that.
SPEAKER_02No, I I probably haven't changed as much as I should. I think I need to, but I'm I'm trying to be more self-aware going into a meeting or um, you know, sitting at a table. Um, yeah, just being more conscious, um, yeah, of how I present.
SPEAKER_01It's just more about being able to say no if an inquiry comes through as the goal you're trying to achieve there, or because it's probably not about how you deliver the message. You don't want to deliver the message like the Germans are very rude or something, you know. You try to No, no, it would never be rude on or clean.
SPEAKER_02No, you're not, you're just direct.
SPEAKER_01Direct. Some people see that rude, but no, but obviously it's not about the delivery of the message. Is it actually more about being able to say, no, sorry, that's doesn't have any, you know, room on my plate?
SPEAKER_02Or um maybe learning to say, yeah, maybe it's includes
Nice Versus Kind At Work
SPEAKER_02that. Learning how to say no, learning how to um Alyssa encouraged me to read two really great books. Um one was Fierce Conversations, I guess. Uh another one is Dare to Lead.
SPEAKER_00Yes, I'm gonna do that.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so yeah, uh Timo, I think you you're right. It yeah, being having the ability to um have those conversations because nice isn't kind, and I think sometimes we confuse the two. Being nice is the easy way, but being kind is maybe sometimes saying no, or maybe delivering a message in a kind way that might be hard, you know, but making it palatable for the hearer, and that's what Alyssa did um really well. Yeah. So I've I've learned I've learned a lot just from my my my hours with her. I just absorbed as much as I could, and I learned a lot just from her behavior. Like she's the head of you know, global head of people and culture. And at MoFo's, we would be sitting at the cafe there in Flight Centre, and and one of the young ladies that works there as a you know, in the cafe walked past, and Alyssa would notice that she's not feeling well and say, and stop her and say, Are you okay? Is everything all right? Just you you learn from um the kind of leader um that she is, is um, you know, the kind of person that I want to aspire to be too. So I learned so much from her just by incidental interactions with her and her team or her and other people. I learned so much, yeah.
SPEAKER_01That's a beautiful story, actually. I love that. And I think um back to what you said before, a lot of people mistake kind as do not create conflict or potential emotional barriers. While I know with you there, I fully believe sometimes delivering the message, even if it's not, you know, preferred for the individual to hear, yeah, is actually the kinder way of doing rather than pretending like it's not in the room, you know.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, because we can't grow, can we, if we don't get feedback and and self-reflect and um yeah, so uh being a good leader is having the ability to have those difficult conversations in a in a kind, productive way.
SPEAKER_01I actually think it even goes both ways. It's not necessarily only the difficult, it's also about the genuine, authentic, positive conversations that we probably not often enough have in a work environment. Like I know that can be said, Timo, you do the podcast fantastically or something, you know. True. Tells me all the time what I do wrong, but I don't.
SPEAKER_00He puts me through so much. He drove me around Centennial Park and made me sing karaoke songs, and that's put me so much out of my comfort zone because I would never do that in at any other setting. But but I have to say, and I totally relate to what you were talking about, Emilita. Because I trust him so much that I felt like I was in a safe space, and I, you know, I just let yeah, my guard down. I just like went for it. Um and and that's you know, that's sometimes there's some relationships like that where you can trust someone and then you know that you're you you're safe, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and did you have a outside of your comfort zone, I know is going to karaoke moment?
SPEAKER_00No, let's not push it. I'm not gonna become a professional karaoke singer. But um, at the time I thought, okay, let's do this. Let your hair down. Not that I have any hair, obviously. Um, but I thought, okay, let's do this. You know.
SPEAKER_02In a safe space to be here. In a safe space, yes.
SPEAKER_01Did you have a moment like that, Emily? Tell us throughout the time program, was there like where you in the beginning probably thought, oh gosh, that's really way out of who I am, but then trusted a process and suddenly maybe even had some joyful moments in the process because Arnold definitely enjoyed himself.
SPEAKER_02Um, nothing quite like karaoke, but um yeah, I definitely um opened up and you know, I I I think I even cried quite a few times in the first few few sessions. I shed a few tears, so that was you know embarrassing. But I think that showed um like the the relationship and that I felt comfortable and I really decided to throw myself in and just really I I really opened up and it's hard to voice your insecurities, it makes you feel so vulnerable, like you want to just like put that shield up and that that you know to protect yourself. But um, when you have a mentor that you know that they're there to advocate for you, they to believe in you, to support you, to get the best out of you, and for you to see the best in yourself. And sometimes you need to see yourself through someone else's eyes, um, to to realise, okay, you know, I I can do this or I can go for this role, or I can I can um achieve this goal. Um, so yeah, not not exactly a karaoke moment, but some a few embarrassing tears shed.
SPEAKER_01I don't think there's actually anything embarrassing about embarrassing about it, quite the opposite. It just shows how intensely uh and how open you approached this opportunity for six months working with someone who has the ability, you know, to show you that. And um the uh I think we had it all the time, I don't know. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the efficiency of the program comes from doing exactly that. Be open, embrace it, and you know, remove those um initial reactions of um protecting yourself and rejecting the feedback and or dismissing it or whatever everyone's individual protective mechanism is. So I think I think there's nothing embarrassing about it, quite the opposite, something to be proud of.
SPEAKER_02Oh, thank you. Yeah, um, I'm proud that I embraced the experience and um I mean I feel very, very, very lucky um to be paired. I think Penny is we we say it all the time. Penny needs to get a little side hustle into matchmaking because she she's so good at it. And um, I was quite intimidated at first when I found out I was paired with Alyssa. I was like, oh, she's so senior, 38, 39 years at Flight Center. Um yeah, it but um yeah, she was just a genuine, genuine, kind, down-to-earth um person, and yeah, that really helped me open up to her. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01That's amazing. I was quickly want to share the first time I saw you actually in person. Obviously, I didn't know who you were, so um, I know this is a story for you actually. Um so Emmelita was actually having lunch at my lovely restaurant here at and I I remember I was come, I think I was walking from the kitchen via the front bar area towards my office, and there was this fierce lady in a great outfit and golden shoes at the bar and ordering coffees or lunch, I have no idea. Um I'm walking by and think like God of amazing shoes. And um because sometimes golden shoes sounds a bit tacky, but you know, if you get them right, they are just absolutely awesome. Like, and if you got them right, like it was such a good look. Um, and then I walked through the courtyard a bit later, and then um there were a couple of other people at her table that I knew, and then we were introduced. That's that's the first time.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, with the Goldmans, David Goldman and and Chris, Shane, yeah, and his team.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that was that was the first time we met. That was very exciting.
SPEAKER_02And I already knew who you were though. I I um I'd seen I'd seen you um on yeah, so I knew who you were. So on LinkedIn and on the Time podcast. I knew you were t part of the Time program. So Yeah. It was great to meet you in person.
SPEAKER_01It was indeed. And I always try to be very different on air than I'm in real life, so people don't recognize me.
SPEAKER_02I'm loving the new um blonde as well. The new the curls are shot looking great. Thank you.
unknownThank you.
SPEAKER_01A bit of a change every now and then.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Mix it up. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And when was the last time you had curls?
SPEAKER_00Oh that was in uh 2019. Talk about a byproduct of the pandemic that I lost all my curls.
SPEAKER_02I think we all got a few more grey hairs out of that, didn't we? I was just chatting to Dean the other day and I said, Oh Dean, there's a few um grey whiskers coming through. And he's like, Yep, they're from the last six weeks. They've just developed.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, obviously what's been happening in the last six weeks is giving a lot of grey hairs to a lot of people, right?
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Oh, it's been it's been interesting times. I think Dean's done like 60 interviews on um so yeah, he's um been yeah, very very busy on behalf of the industry, that's for sure. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01So what's what's next for you? Obviously, you started a new role with you know the new um with Dean. The new me. Um what's what's what's the plan for you and also especially in regards to uh being or continuing potentially being part of the time community, or what's what's what's your thought process there?
SPEAKER_02Um yeah, on c I'm I really am just sinking my teeth um into this new role. Um it's an exciting new role because it's part of it is is a new uh a new position. So um yeah, it's it's a great opportunity and yeah, a great team to be working with. So I'm just trying to learn as much from Dean and Nina and Ingrid um and the rest of the team and really try and make
Values That Shape The Next Step
SPEAKER_02a difference. So that's something that I did a values exercise with Alyssa. What are like your values? And you think that you know what your values are, but when you look at a list and you have to pick two or three out of a big list, you it really helps you, you know, zone in on what's important to you. And I did that exercise with Alyssa and I try and I picked um making a difference was one and a sense of belonging was the other. And I think knowing those, those are the two things that really mattered to me helped me with clarity in making that decision to change my role and move to ATIA. Um, so yeah, sinking my teeth into um into into that role and and really making a difference um for ATIA but for the wider industry, which is the whole purpose of our existence, is is what I really want to achieve. And and then um I I went to the time event in Brisbane recently, um, and Janice mentioned to me, oh would you ever um be a mentor? And my initial reaction is like, well, no, like, but um I thought about it afterwards and I thought, oh, well, with time, maybe um that is something that I would um be keen to explore down the track. Um, especially, you know, being able to share a lot of the um wisdom that Alyssa taught me, being able to pass that on um to to someone else. Um, so yeah, I that I think that could be part of my future as well. That would be would be great.
SPEAKER_01It would have been my last question, so it's funny that you covered it already.
SPEAKER_02Oh, sorry, jump the gun.
SPEAKER_01No, no, no, no, not at all. But when you look at your values that you've chosen, there's obviously a very people's and relationship-oriented person behind that, right? Yeah, and um making a difference is exactly what the mentors do, and you experienced it yourself face-to-face um in 22 hours non-stop. Um so yeah, I can I only highly highly encourage you to become a mentor, you know, and um we we see more and more of um the graduates from the time when we graduated many, many moons ago, now also starting to become mentors and have their own mentees. And um, it's a slight reminder that I have to top up my superannuation, but uh it's also a reminder that we have a gift, that we have a gift, you know, to to pass on as well, which is very exciting, I think.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, exactly. It it is it is about sharing it, isn't it? What you learn and then passing it on. And I feel like um as well, just with COVID and the way our the way we work has changed. A lot of us are working remotely, we're working from home, online, a lot of that knowledge sharing, that that banter that you get in from being in an office um and just absorbing, um, listening to conversations, hearing your leaders speaking, sitting and we're not we're not getting that as much as we we we used to pre-COVID. Um so I think that's also where the time program is imperative to our industry, the the knowledge and the IP that um those that have been in the industry for 20, 30, 40 years, we don't want to lose that. We you know it's important that it gets passed on to the next generation and to lift them up. And um, yeah, the value of the time program is immense. Um it's it's a real um blessing for the industry, I think.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. And some say like the cream on the cake is uh literally the potcast. Yes.
SPEAKER_02And and the Frenchman and the Deutschman.
SPEAKER_01Probably more than Frenchman than a Deutschman, but okay, we take it. Fine.
SPEAKER_00Take it. The cream never hurts anyone. Um yeah, I I I don't disagree at all with you. Like I can't agree more with what you just said. It's uh yeah, it's essential. Exciting.
SPEAKER_01Well, we have one very important question to
Quickfire Picks And Life Advice
SPEAKER_01ask. Oh, as a as a very regular listener of the podcast, you probably you probably uh have an idea of what is coming up. Um so there's a couple. You look nervous don't be nervous, you'll be fine. Wow. Um no, so very simple. So just share with us, please, something that you have recently, maybe the last six months or so. Um something that you have recently bought for less than a hundred dollars that has significantly positively impacted your life.
SPEAKER_02Um something I've bought, did you say?
SPEAKER_01Yes. Purchases, yes.
SPEAKER_02Purchases, okay. For less than a hundred dollars, that's really um improved.
SPEAKER_00Okay, well it's improved compared to his previous time the previous time he asked the same question because before it used to be $50, but you know, like since there's been a bit of an energy crisis, he had to put the price into $100 because nowadays, with $100, you can probably get the same thing that what you used to pay $50 for, like about three months ago. So that's it, right?
SPEAKER_02Oh, well, I'm a bit of a spender, so and I've got expensive taste, so now I'm trying to think of what I've bought that's under a hundred dollars.
SPEAKER_01Embrace the challenge.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, that's a challenge. What have I got that's under a hundred? That's improved my life. Yes. Um just trying to think. I do have a great new a great new um mobile second screen that I can take with me. Yeah, but my husband bought it for me and I don't know how much it cost. It didn't cost me anything. Yeah, it's it's really nifty. It's um it's it's like it's like a I've got it right here. It's so it's so um slim, and you can just take it traveling um wherever you're going, and just it easily plugs into your laptop and um yeah, then you've got two screens.
SPEAKER_01And one last, last question. So, Emilita today, looking back at Emilita when she was 18, what's your advice for yourself?
SPEAKER_02Um I think ask more questions. You know, when you're afraid of um looking silly or afraid of you know of how you're gonna be perceived, you don't ask enough questions. So definitely ask more questions. Um, and I think look like look for mentors. Look, don't, you know, the time program's amazing, but the industry is full of such good people that want to help others and want to lift others up. If you see someone that you admire or that you think you could learn from, reach out to them, have a cup of coffee. The chances are that they they want to share their knowledge with you too. Um, so I think, yeah, looking for those people in your life to to support you, to help you self-reflect, and um whether it's in an informal or a formal setting, either way, but yeah, look for those mentors in your in your life to guide you. Because we can't you can't know it all, can you?
SPEAKER_00Except if you team up.
SPEAKER_01Wow. See, that's that's the negativity I get all the time.
SPEAKER_00It was a compliment.
SPEAKER_02It's an expression of love.
SPEAKER_00It's an expression of love. I keep reminding him, but obviously he doesn't get my signals, but that's okay.
Canberra Detour And Final Thanks
SPEAKER_01Also, um I'm dog sitting on the weekend. Are you dog sitting as well? Are we doing are we having a dog date?
SPEAKER_00No, because my adoptive dog is uh going to Canberra for the weekend, excuse me.
SPEAKER_01Oh, why does it have to go to Canberra?
SPEAKER_00Canberra is the best place in Australia, Timo. We need to have a conversation about this. Like there's so much to do. It's so good. Canberra. Canberra, it's the best.
SPEAKER_02Yes. That's the first time I've heard anyone say that about Canberra.
SPEAKER_00Okay, let's let's be really brief. Canberra has one of the best art galleries in the world, very well curated, and it is free to go. Culture in this country is actually free. Can you believe it? Do you imagine how much it costs for you to go to the Louvre to see all this like Mona Lisa and um or yeah, whatever? Um, it costs you like at least 20 euros. Australia, free. Um, you have a beautiful like garden city, like Canberra. The food scene is just on par with what you can find in Melbourne or in Sydney. Um, it's always buzzing, there's always something going on. They have a lot of events happening there, and there's virtually no traffic. So you can go from one side to the other side of town within 15 minutes without any single traffic. It's the best.
SPEAKER_02I feel like you're on the payroll, the Canberra. Oh my god.
SPEAKER_00I love it. I go there like at least two or three times a year. And then if you stay for the weekend, for example, you can go like have a nice run around the lake. It's about 5Ks, like you do the loop, one bridge, uh, the other bridge back, five K's. Easy. Um, it's so good.
SPEAKER_02You wouldn't rate it compared to Brisbane, hey.
SPEAKER_00Look, you it's not a weather destination, that's for sure, because at this time of the year it'd be freezing cold. Um, but yeah, it's a it's a it's a really cool time. And then you can do all sorts of stuff like you can do hikes, you like the arboretum is a beautiful place. You can have lunch then and watch the valley. Um, even the Museum of Canberra has always like really great exhibitions. You can go and see the Sydney Lowland uh series of Ned Kelly's paintings. There's like so much things to do in Canberra.
SPEAKER_01Love it.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I'm sure you will. Um I mean, look, that might encourage them to become a sponsor of the Time program. Let's, you know.
SPEAKER_02Well, they've got the money.
SPEAKER_00Yes, yes, yes.
SPEAKER_01Besides the art galleries being for free, see? Exactly. Yes. Anyhow, well, thank you, Arno. That was uh insightful. And um thank you, Amelita. This was actually inspirational.
SPEAKER_02Thank you for sharing your story with our thank you for what you do on behalf of the industry. Um, yeah, and thank you for having me. It's a real pleasure. It's an honor, it's an honor to be with you today.
SPEAKER_00And thank you for what you do for the industry. Because the thing is, I don't think that I'm pretty sure you're the first person that we've had from ATIA actually coming on the podcast. But the work that you do, um, not only you, but Dean and Nina and everyone in the team, like, you know, your advocacy for the travel industry, you know, the broad one, right? Not only the travel consultants, you know, that work for agencies and you know, teams and all that, but also the the other part, you know, all the suppliers, the airlines, you know, the um the cruise companies and so forth. Um, your job is very essential to protect our industry um and to keep it keep it strong and to also like advocate for it, you know, to the broader public, but also to the government and making sure that we survive as in as an industry. So, yeah, really uh thank you very much for your work and congratulations to Dean for recruiting you to be part of his team.
SPEAKER_02Oh, thank you. Yeah, they're they're an awesome team, um, which is why I wanted to work with them. They do so much on on behalf of the industry, more than they're just behind the scenes working tirelessly, really, for the for the um for the best interests of the industry. Um, so yeah, they they do so much that that others aren't aware of. So I've got a lot of you know admiration and respect for them.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. We leave it there, that's a beautiful last word. Oh, thank you.
SPEAKER_02Yes, you too. Thank you so much for having me.
SPEAKER_00Thanks, Emily Tarb.
SPEAKER_02Please see you soon in person.
