Cassandra Clifford
Flight Centre, Toronto Travel Centre
“Cassandra was actually the first agent I met while starting my role as a sales manager with Trafalgar and Costsaver. Immediately, I was impressed with Cassandra’s demeanour, her passion for travel, and the leadership qualities she exemplified. When she spoke of travel and the Trafalgar and Costsaver product, you could hear the love and passion she has for the industry and for travelling. However, what was really impressive was how that same passion shone through when speaking of her guests and colleagues. Her biggest priority was to make sure the new agents on her team were trained in our product so they could be successful, and they would deliver the right products and recommendations for their clients. Since that first interaction, Cassandra and I have exchanged a few emails and phone calls. In all those encounters, she has been professional, grateful, and maintained her passion to get the best solution for her team and clients. I nominate Cassandra for being an outstanding ambassador for the travel industry and for being an excellent communicator, team player, and agent.”
Mohit Dayaram
Trafalgar and Costsaver Sales Manager for Greater Toronto Area
Meet Cassandra Clifford
Tell us a little bit about yourself, how long you’ve been in the industry and what made you want to become a travel agent?
I’ve been in the industry since September 2018. I’ve been travelling since I was young and love the aspect of learning about different places and cultures in the world. I started helping friends and family with planning their travel, loved doing that, and thought why don’t I make a living out of it?
What’s your favourite part of the job?
Hearing from clients after they travel about their trip. It kind of feels like I went with them and it makes me so happy that I could be a part of it.
How has travel impacted your own life?
It’s been a big part of my relationship with my husband from the beginning. We’ve been lucky to travel the world together and travelling to certain parts of the world are now on our bucket list to do together. It has also opened my eyes to the world and how other cultures live and think. It’s made me love my country even more and I am so thankful for what we can do in Canada.
How are you coping in this crazy COVID-19 world? What are you focusing on right now?
It’s been a very big change for me. My team at Flight Centre are very close and it’s tough being away from them. We video conference every morning and throughout the day to make sure we are on track together. I’m focusing on helping clients get home from all over the world, and helping them re-book their well-earned trips.
Prior to all this, what were some of the big trends you were noticing in travel or that your clients were looking for from a getaway?
I personally had lots of clients looking to go to Asia like Bali, Thailand, Vietnam and Japan. They were looking for unique experiences that you can’t get from a pre-packaged vacation. They actually sparked the inspiration for my trip to Thailand last summer.
Have you had any interesting or strange requests from clients?
Nothing really strange from my clients, but my most interesting and favourite vacations to plan is for the charity Melanie’s Way. It’s kind of like Make-a-Wish but for women in Canada, and it makes me so happy to send these amazing women on the vacation of their dreams.
How many countries have you been to and where would you like to go next when we can travel again?
I’ve been to 20 countries so far and my husband and I really want to go to Scotland next. My heritage is part Scottish and it’s been on my list for years.
What’s a big misconception people have about travel agents?
That we travel for free. We do get some perks with some suppliers but we still have to pay for our travel. We also want to support our suppliers as well. We have ‘familiarize’ trips that we can travel on sometimes, but those trips are learning about a certain location or company. So it’s a bit of work and leisure.
Do you have anything to add?
I’m very thankful to work for a company that puts it’s employees and clients first. COVID-19 has shone a light on the best and worst parts of every company, and it’s incredible to see how far the Flighties are willing to go for their colleagues and clients.
