Tell us a bit about your role and how it supports the business?

As a Marketing Assistant for Camp America, I am responsible for the “behind the scenes” and email marketing – where I will look into Google AdWords and our email analytics. Working from a team of five, we are all involved in each other’s job roles, ranging from capturing content for social media to attending university careers and freshers fairs.

What has been your career highlight to date?

Having been at the company for a short time – since January there have been a couple of highlights:

• My first time working at our London Recruitment Fair having placed over 600 applicants to amazing summer camps across America.
• Sharing my summer camp stories and giving all sorts of advice to applicants who are nervous about going abroad by themselves – then a week later see they’ve been placed at a camp. It’s a heart-warming feeling.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?

To take any opportunity that is given to you!

If you were not working in this sector what other industry would you have pursued a career in?

Events. The idea of running an event gives me a feeling of how I have succeeded in my career and how far I have come in life.

What are the emerging trends within your sector and have these changed since Covid-19?

Young and new travellers were not able to work and explore the world for a couple of years and it wasn’t till 2021 they could go out and pursue these travels but with a restricted experience.  The world has slowly opened up and we are putting extra work into getting young adults to take part in this amazing cultural exchange.

What is coming up for your company in the next 12/18 months?

With excitement- we are sending our applicants back out to America! We are preparing them for the day they arrive at the airport and land in the USA. From May-August our applicants will be living their best summers working abroad and making memories with people from all over the world.

The marketing team are aiming to set up an event during the summer to universities, colleges and global opportunities to encourage and provide information to their students to take part in this amazing programme.

Freshers fairs will be back so our marketing team will be travelling across the U.K. from September-October to raise brand awareness and encourage students to take part in season 2023.

As an association what one thing do you think we have done that has made a real difference to our members during the crisis?

BETA have done really well delivering information to their members. They have united all members and reminding them that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Covid-19 has had a huge impact on our industry, what is the one thing that you have learnt personally or professionally during this time?

You have to forget about the past and look forward. As the saying goes “we’re all in the same boat” which we are personally and professionally. Everyone has just had to pause over the last two years and start fresh in this new world.

What are your crystal ball forecasts for the period ahead and how quickly do you think your business can recover from the pandemic?

There are older teenagers and young adults who are ready to travel, work and engage with the world. There are also young adults who attended school during the pandemic and now at university who know nothing about travel because they haven’t been given that opportunity. Our business is positioned to offer this target market the chance to join this programme and give them a great start to their travelling experience. From looking at our applicants, social media and our analytics, this summer will determine if we are on the road to a full recovery – it’s looking very optimistic!

What would you say our biggest challenges and opportunities are as an industry currently?

Travel and opportunities are the biggest challenges we are facing, although countries have eased their restrictions, COVID is still around and there are still rules we have to follow going abroad.

How do you think Covid-19 will change our industry (if at all)?

COVID will be around for a long time yet so businesses will have to change and adapt to the new way of living. We will have to commit and express the exciting opportunities travel can give to young adults with COVID around.

Find out more about BETA member Camp America

Published 01 June 2022