TravelMole Time Traveller: On The Beach’s Alistair Daly
Alistair Daly from On The Beach is this week’s Time Traveller, sponsored by Harp Wallen
What was your first job in travel?
Lastminute.com as interim marketing director. It was supposed to be a six-month project but ended up being nearly 18 months. I got the travel bug
What was the high point of your career?
Co-founding (literally in my spare bedroom) an online book business prior to joining Lastminute.com and within two years selling it to one of our strategic partners. Joining On the Beach has also been a real high point, seeing the business grow and develop into one of the largest online travel players in the UK, being part of that growth story is something I’m very proud of.
What was the low point?
Shortly after joining On the Beach, seeing 30% of our flight supply literally vanish overnight when XL went bust. We still managed to grow that year by 30% but it was panic stations.
Who or what has been the greatest influence on your career?
Probably my late grandfather who founded and ran a very successful clothing business. He started from nothing (a Jewish immigrant born in the East End in the 1920s) who worked his way up the ladder setting his own business up and being very successful along the way.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?
I’ll be living in Andalucia with my wife and kids, working as a non-executive director for a number of online travel retail businesses (non-competing of course). I can dream.
What would you be doing now if you weren’t in travel?
I’d be working for or co-founding an online retail business. This is the future of commerce, there is no other place to be.
Diane
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