Digital Agency for the Tourism Industry
Chief Nerd
Home base: Sydney
Years in the travel industry: 14
What does the Chief Nerd of TourismSolved do one might ask? When he’s not building infrastructure and connecting the company up to reservation systems and other content management systems, as an early member of TourismSolved, Jeff is helping get the company up and running, and having some fun while he’s at it. He’s no stranger to these sort of operations: For the last two decades, Jeff has been a founder of Chiizu as well as ZIVO — a company that went on to become a leading digital agency in Australia and New Zealand — before spending his last 13 years at Viator and Tripadvisor as the VP of Engineering and then VP of Technology.
Jeff has traveled the globe solo and with his family, and mentions that Italy and Antarctica are among his favorite places, noting the the latter as the “most unique place I have been.”
When my son took over a bicycle rickshaw in Hanoi and the driver enjoyed the ride in the back (through the worst traffic imaginable).
Guiding people to life changing and memorable experiences.
My love of travel itself.
Small business owners are more passionate than corporate folks!
Managing the creation and global adoption of a real-time Supplier API for tours and attractions. It made internet booking (and especially last minute, in-destination) viable for this sector.
It’s going to be less mainstream and more niche, due to the power of discovery on the internet and need for less crowds due to Covid-19.
Create a personal connection with your travelers. They want to know you care about them and they want to learn about your culture. Start the tour as a guide, end it as a friend.
Sailing on Sydney Harbour or out the heads hunting for whales (with a camera!)
I would like to make artisan furniture one day.