TravelMole Time Traveller: Tucan Travel’s Matt Gannan
Tucan Travel managing director Matt Gannan is this week's TravelMole Time Traveller, sponsored by Harp Wallen.
What was your first job in travel?
Upon leaving my home country of Australia, I flew to Asia then travelled on an overland trip from Kathmandu to London in 1987 in the back of an old London double decker bus. I loved the concept so much that I rang my boss in Australia to quit, then went to get my coach licence in Reading. After a gruelling training trip, I started driving those old London double decker buses around Europe and further afield to Morocco, Istanbul and behind the Iron Curtain. It was a great fun job and I still meet up with many of my mates from those days for beers and fond memories.
What was the high point of your career?
That has to be winning the Small Tour Operator of the Year for Tucan Travel at the British Travel Awards in 2009. That was mind blowing and I was so excited that I nearly knocked out comedian Jason Manford with the trophy when I went on stage!
What was the low point?
Leading an expedition in South America for my own company Budget Expeditions (before teaming up with Tucan Travel) in the early 90's, believing that going bust was the most likely outcome. This never happened and business boomed after I returned to London to promote sales.
What's your biggest regret?
I guess my biggest regret is not travelling to more countries when I was young and single. My current country count is just over 50 but with a business and two young boys in tow, it is now hard to get away. On the upside, they are getting to the age where they will soon enjoy travelling to exotic locations so I am looking forward to dumping the fly-and-flop and hitting the adventure travel phase.
What would you be doing now if you weren't in travel?
I trained as a diesel mechanic and after my apprenticeship I spent a year at sea running an engine room on a fishing vessel in northern Australia. This is the job I had quit from London and I think I had impressed the boss as he chased me to come back for several years afterwards. They were, and still are, a very large fishing company so I guess I'd probably be running a fleet of fishing boats now instead of a fleet of overland trucks and operating tours around the world.
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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