TravelMole Time Traveller: Hotline Travel Services Ziva Werber
This week’s Time Traveller, sponsored by Harp Wallen, is MD of Hotline Travel Services Ziva Werber.
What was your first job in travel?
In the 1970s I worked for TWA, Trans World Airlines, the American international airline now defunct (I promise I had nothing to do with that!) where I received amazing training.
What car did you drive then, and which car now?
Then I was driving a remolded Fiat 500 – now a Mercedes Model B
What was the high point of your career?
Signing a major marketing contract with the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas 13 years ago.
What was the low point?
I was sleeping in an aircraft cockpit (when you could still do such things as the company I worked for then chartered the flights) and the Captain was shaking me awake urgently. He was telling me that there was a fuel leak and we would have an emergency landing at a German airport which was closed. We landed at the farthest point of the runway. I had light summer clothes on and it was something like minus 10 degrees outside. A kind gentleman let me have his jacket as I was fast turning blue. There were elderly nuns on the flight who were running from the craft like young gazelles! We stayed at the airport, which remained closed all night, without food, water or toilets – a totally miserable experience.
Who has had the biggest influence on your career?
Bruce Lyons, the former owner of Twickers World, for whom I used to work. He taught me a lot about the travel industry and especially advertising and PR.
What would you be doing now if you weren’t in travel?
I would probably have taken up the legal profession as – like many people in sales – I tend to talk too much!
What was the first album you bought, and which was the last?
The first album I ever bought was by Simon and Garfunkel, and I have just downloaded them again to my iPod…so I’m not very original!
Where was your last holiday, and where would you like to go next?
After going to PowWow in the States for Grand Canyon West/Hualapai Tourism, I took a brief break at Laguna Beach in California which was gorgeous. My next holiday will be staying at a friend’s villa in Tuscany for the Puccini Opera festival – magnifico!
Wednesday June 20th 2012
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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