Describe yourself in 3-5 words: Energetic, hospitable, intellectual and responsible.
Describe your travel style in 3-5 words: Adventurous, organized, culinary, transformational.
Why did you choose to study travel & tourism? In my younger years, I had always travelled from Toronto to Batangas, Philippines with my family where I learned more about my culture. From then, I had been exposed to travelling and was curious to learn and see new things. I grew a passion to travel around the world and find a career that would encourage or allow this lifestyle which is where I learned more about travel and tourism education.
What is your greatest professional strength? My greatest professional strength would be my emotional intelligence (EQ). I have learned many skills throughout the years, however, I have found that being able to understand and empathize with others on an emotional level builds a stronger relationship and allows me to effectively communicate with others.
I see myself working within the tourism industry, holding an executive position focusing on events and/or sales. Additionally, I aspire to establish a business that hosts themed pop-up experiences throughout the city. I also hope to see myself as an active alumna who gives back and supports the hospitality, tourism and sales community at Toronto Metropolitan University.
Christine Balaong
What’s your dream travel & tourism job? My dream travel and tourism job would be an events sales role for an incentive travel company. Throughout my post-secondary education at Toronto Metropolitan University, I have found a love for sales and events. I enjoy communicating with clients to find a solution that best suits their needs and drives business for a company. In addition, my passion for event planning stems from the same mindset of creating an experience from start to finish to create long-lasting memories.
In your opinion, what’s the most exciting trend in travel right now and why? A travel trend that I am most excited about right now is wellness-focused travel. In the past, travel had mainly been about seeing new places and new experiences; however, it is exciting to see how people have also been using travel as a way to focus on their mental health and wellbeing. I believe that it is a very powerful and motivating experience that will positively affect people and the tourism industry. This is a trend that I will see myself participating in.
What is one thing you can’t travel without? The one thing that I can’t travel without is a camera. I love being able to capture photos of new places and things I discover, to look back on and share with my friends and family. Pictures hold 1000 words and looking back at the places I’ve been also brings back stories to share.
How many countries have you visited? I have travelled to five countries so far: USA, Mexico, Australia, Philippines and Japan.
Name your favourite travel experience so far: My favourite travel experience so far was when I participated in an exchange program in Australia and spent a weekend at Surf Camp. Learning to surf had been a long standing item on my bucket list, and where better to pick up the skill than in Australia? It was a weekend full of new adventures, laughter and wonderful people. While I can proudly claim I successfully learned to surf, I may not be the most skilled surfer. However, I can confidently say I made lifelong friends that I remain connected to today.
What’s on your travel bucket list? My current travel bucket list includes the following destinations: Cappadocia, Turkey, for a sunrise hot air balloon ride; Queensland, Australia, to explore the Great Barrier Reef and enjoy a weekend on a boat exploring Whitsunday Island; and The Himalayas, Nepal, to skydive with views of one of the highest mountains in the world.
Name your greatest achievement so far: My greatest achievement so far would be my student leadership at Ted Rogers School of Management. This past year, I was a member of the competitive Ted Rogers Undergraduate Sales Team (TRUST) which competed at the Northeast Intercollegiate Sales Competition (NISC) and won the title of Overall University Champion. Additionally, I actively engaged in the Sales Leadership Program to learn sales skills and advocated for sales education and led the Ted Rogers Sales Club where I created events for students interested in sales. Lastly, I competed with my team at the Hospitality and Tourism Case Competition and placed fourth overall. This past year of my undergraduate education as a student leader has been the most memorable and rewarding marking my greatest achievement thus far.
What’s the best OR worst piece of travel advice you’ve received? The best piece of travel advice I’ve ever received is to just have fun. Sometimes when travelling, not everything will go the way you expected, however if you keep an open mind you can create a whole new experience and a story to look back at.
