Lorraine Grant: BA Hons Travel and Tourism

Lorraine Grant

BA Hons Travel and Tourism, 2000

"I am working as a Contract Co-ordinator for a Japanese travel company"

Lorraine Grant has had to brush up on her Italian and sharpen up her negotiating skills for her career in the travel sector.

She is involved in negotiating new hotel contracts in Venice, Florence and Vienna, in order to provide accommodation for Japanese clients who are taking tours or business trips in Europe.

As she’s working for a Japanese company, called Miki Travel, she’s also learning to speak Japanese. She is based at their London office, with a view of St Paul’s Cathedral from her window.

“I knew I wanted to work in the travel industry but I wasn’t sure what was out there,” said Lorraine. “After graduation I went to a travel recruitment agency to find this job. I have had the opportunity to move round the company since I joined. A lot of background from my degree course really helped.”

“I helped build the company website over 18 months, gathering all the information about our hotels for clients to access, and I worked and travelled alongside our contractor, finding suitable new hotels for our clients.

“Now as contract co-ordinator I am involved with negotiating wholesale rates for new contracts with hotels. I do try to learn the basics of languages in any country we deal with, but thankfully most managers speak English.

“I have also been to Japan to visit our company’s head office and it inspired me to take the opportunity of free Japanese lessons the firm offer employees.”

Interview took place in 2003.