When it comes to learning more about the people behind Tourism Tiger, we’re much more than just the photos and names you see on our about us page(opens in a new tab). Going through our blog you can gain insight into our blog team(opens in a new tab), and when you work with us on a project you’ll get to know our content creators and designers better. Then through TigerCare(opens in a new tab), you’ll encounter our technical team.
All that being said, we decided to pull back the metaphorical curtain so you can get to know the team better. So if you ever wanted to learn more about the Tourism Tiger team, now’s your chance! We did a brief survey among our colleagues to share some insight into our day-to-day happenings, our thoughts about our jobs, our customers, and what we think about travel in general.
Here’s a breakdown of the respondents so you can keep track, and also because we have a lot of people whose names start with the letter A!
Andie (Andrea L.): Lead Designer
Andrew: Head of TigerCare
Imogen: Web Coordinator
Andrea: Marketing Manager
Elliot: Designer
Alex: Developer
Gareth: Web Team & Project Manager
Alice: TigerCare Specialist
One of Elliot’s favorite websites from our portfolio is Roam Wild Adventures(opens in a new tab).
1- What is a typical day like for you working at Tourism Tiger?
Andie: Well, there’s no such thing as a typical day for me at TT! Every day is very different, a new project, a new destination, a new design and implementation, and a new challenge! But a cup of hot chocolate in the morning might be the only typical thing about it. When I’m not building and styling websites, I’m traveling through the world with our clients’ photos, selecting and resizing them to fit in our building system. Working side by side with the Project team, I also lead our design department, and I’m always looking for ways to improve our internal processes, our communication with clients, and their satisfaction with our services and products. Typically I’d also speak with our Dev team to perform Q&A tests to perfect and improve our website features and work hand in hand with our Marketing team producing beautiful and attractive content for our potential clients and the development of our brand. Again, no day is ever the same and that’s what I like the most about TT!
Andrew: Start off by checking open tickets and getting responses in as soon as possible to clients. That will also help me plan what tasks I’ll be doing during the day. Then I’ll also try to check the Dev board as early as possible to see any updates on new features or outstanding bugs. On average, I’d say I can usually expect to be talking to a client in some capacity (review call, intro to TC call, backend training, other) at least once a day as well. To fill in gaps, I’m usually working on research (new features, bugs, data for the industry based on our clients), blogs here and there, and manually checking and updating sites, as well as answering any technical questions that people on the team may have.
Imogen: Every day is different! It depends where we are with projects, I can be building, researching, writing, editing, talking to clients. I can also be researching and writing blogs for the TT site.
Andrea: A typical day for me is any combination of the following: business strategizing, research, organizing our social media channels (including the graphics, the captions, and looking up interesting news articles to share), overseeing our internal blog which includes gathering topics for our blog team to write about, coordinating all aspects of guest post submissions, and writing blogs myself. Then there’s also putting together external emails and our weekly newsletter as well as collaborating with our partners in the industry. I am also constantly working with my colleagues in other departments on all sorts of improvements and initiatives. And of course, lots of emails!
Elliot: Putting on my headphones and listening to music or a podcast while I’m styling a site or creating a logo.
Alex: Mostly it’s a dark screen with colored letters, a kind of athletic brain activity, and as a result some new features pop up or some features start working better. Sometimes ideas come quickly, sometimes really slow, but it’s always great to feel victorious when something tricky is completed.
Gareth: A typical day for me here at TT begins with a good trawl through the emails. I’ll then reflect on the to-do list I made the previous day and ensure everyone in the team is good and has a plan/no questions. I do like taking a few minutes away from the screen to make a tea or a mate too, it’s important to give the eyes and head a little break but overall, just ensuring our focus has been set for the day and everyone’s happy.
Alice: A typical day for me varies depending on clients needs and our website build schedule, but it generally consists of responding to and resolving tickets (this could be anything from a simple content change to figuring out why something isn’t working on the site to analyzing site traffic to improve SEO), review calls, writing metadata, and launching sites.
Andie can’t think of a better way to spend a day in Lisbon than taking a tour with Portuguese For a Day(opens in a new tab).
2- What is the biggest misconception about what you do or your role?
Andie: That I know everything!!! Even though I’ve been with TT for 4 years now, I feel like I only know half of the technical aspects of web design and development. I quite often make mistakes that teach me how to do better next time, but embracing failure and not knowing everything means there’s always room for improvement and new things to learn every day. The idea is to never stop trying!
Andrew: The biggest misconception would maybe be that I’m close to a developer. While I do consider myself a little more in-the-know with technical knowledge, most things related to code on the sites are above my head. I’ll likely do some research or just go to our developers if I get any questions like that from clients or the team. In reality, I’m much more focused on customer service. Obviously, I want the sites to operate well and have great UX, but I consider it more important that we (TigerCare) offer pristine customer service. When it comes to the sites, we are tech support, but the service is so much more than that. We are always happy to offer industry advice on anything related to the site and work with clients to make their sites how they want them.
Imogen: That all web coordinators do is write. We spend a lot of time on client relationships and as website building is a big stage in the project, a lot on that too.
Andrea: Probably underestimating that I have my hands in many things at any given moment: social media, emails, blogs, planning and strategizing, data analysis, working on improvements, and any other unplanned things that my colleagues need my help with. Also, people think that working in social media is all for fun, but it’s entirely different than personal use. I’m not just there for entertainment purposes, I’m doing research, looking for trends, and promoting our brand. Plus it’s B2B social media rather than B2C.
Elliot: Sometimes I’m asked about development stuff which is not my area, as my specialty is in design, but this does help generate ideas and notes to pass along to the developers to then develop new things or make improvements.
Alice: I think some people have the idea or hope that we (TigerCare) are experts in everything: SEO, marketing, design, coding, etc. However a lot of my time is spent researching and being the bridge between the client and the developers, designers, booking software, or hosting platform for example. I don’t know the answer to everything right away, so I appreciate it when clients have a bit of patience as we look for a solution.
Alice particularly likes the woodsy touches featured on Running Reindeer Ranch(opens in a new tab).
3- What is one of your favorite websites from our portfolio and why?
Andie: Go West Tours(opens in a new tab) has to be one of my favorite websites of all time! Their whole concept is simply unique, fresh, and new. It’s got all the elements to make an excellent and effective website: Great design and layout, excellent quality images, different types of galleries to display their amazing photos, super intuitive navigation, and structure. Finally and most importantly, they show koalas all over their website.
Andrew: Tough one. I would have to say Insight Cities(opens in a new tab). The custom Rezdy integration was tough to set up, but it turned out really well, and maybe to people who don’t know Rezdy, it’s nothing special, but that widget and cart integration that we made for the site is so special and it just makes the site users’ lives so much easier – which means Bonita (the owner) is happier as well! Apart from that widget, the site is just beautiful overall. Logically, I also love how it operates, the menu is so clean and the search filter is great as well, considering there are so many tours on the site.
Imogen: Loop Tours(opens in a new tab) – I love their hero image – I think their site really reflects the fun, happy message of the company. It’s easy to navigate and the design is beautiful – especially the footer!
Andrea: There truly are so many great and unique sites, but I really appreciate the design of Wemindji Tourism(opens in a new tab). Personal bonus points since it’s in my home province of Quebec, but I love that the styling incorporates a lot of natural elements like stone and rugged divider lines which really fits the brand. Plus it has a more subtle color palette with the splash of color that really pushes the images forward.
Elliot: Roam Wild Adventures(opens in a new tab) has such a nice color palette and cool features that make it stand out.
Alex: They are all like children, sometimes quite disobedient (from a technical standpoint), but lovely.
Gareth: We have created a wonderful variation of websites for many different types of tours and clients but ONE (as I have many) of my favorite sites is Harlem Jazz Boxx(opens in a new tab). I think we captured the client’s professional, jazzy vibe while giving the user a look and feel of how their jazz events will be.
Alice: I like Running Reindeer Ranch(opens in a new tab), it’s a pretty small site but I think some of the details are really cute, like the birch tree divider they have on the homepage. Also it has cute pics of reindeer.
Both Andrea and Alice would both choose to escape and take a tour with Secret Paradise Maldives(opens in a new tab).
4- If you could take any tour from one of our operators, which one would it be and why?
Andie: This has to be the toughest question ever, especially for me having worked with over 200 different tour operators throughout the years!! But I would say one of my favorite tour operators I’ve worked with has to be Portuguese for a Day Tours(opens in a new tab). If I could just magically appear in Portugal and take at least one of their tours, I’d be the happiest woman on the planet! Their dedication and passion for showing people around the best places of Lisbon and its surroundings, treating you like a local, like a close friend, and making your experience unforgettable is simply the best!!! I don’t think there would be a better way to be Portuguese for a day than with them.
Andrew: Another tough one. I’d probably have to go with something from Evolved Traveler(opens in a new tab). From talking with Justin (the owner) I know that he really cares about giving people once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Like real, authentic life-changing stuff. As for which tour, I’m not entirely sure as there are so many amazing itineraries to choose from. I’d probably go for one of the South America or North Africa itineraries though.
Imogen: 15-Day Trans Borneo Bike(opens in a new tab) ride with Paradesa Borneo. I love cycling and have always wanted to visit Borneo. I love how they mix cycling, food, culture, and history – what more could you want!
Andrea: We regularly talk about how we all want to take so many of the tours that our clients offer, so I am split between Secret Paradise Maldives’ Full Day Male City Walking Tour(opens in a new tab), and Loop Tours’ E-Bike Tour(opens in a new tab) but there are definitely more than that.
Elliot: Sequoia Sightseeing Tours!(opens in a new tab) Love the tall trees and I can’t imagine how many photos I’d take out from the place.
Alex: I would love to take any tour in Santiago.
Gareth: So many choices as we have clients based all around the world but I’m siding towards a Flip Flops and Mountains Tops(opens in a new tab) multi-day adventure in Dominica, OR exploring Vietnam with Maika Tours.(opens in a new tab) So many choices!
Alice: I want to take so many tours! But some that have really caught my eye are the Eat Mexico’s Tacos + Mezcal tour(opens in a new tab), snorkeling in the Maldives(opens in a new tab) with Secret Paradise, and the bicycling tours with Paradesa Borneo(opens in a new tab).
Imogen likes Loop Tours’(opens in a new tab) fun aesthetic and Andrea would love to take a bike tour with them.
5- Where would you like to travel to next and why?
Andie: I would like to travel to Europe and Australia as I’ve never been before. There’s something about Europe’s beauty that I just cannot stop thinking about! Same for Australia, there are so many incredible places I’d love to visit, people I’d love to see, and koalas I’d love to hug!!!!
Andrew: I would like to just travel haha. One of the reasons I moved to South America is because it’s easier to go around and experience all the amazing places down here when you are based here! Unfortunately, I moved here right before the damn pandemic so I haven’t been able to really branch out. Bolivia and Colombia are quite high on my list.
Imogen: I would like to travel to Slovenia! The landscapes are pretty spectacular and there are some great hikes through the mountains. I’ve heard the wild swimming is amazing, as it’s still relatively unspoiled.
Andrea: It’s probably the most cliche answer but I would love to travel home to Montreal and spend some long-overdue time with my parents. Then I would love for us to head south to our cottage in Keene, New York. It’s such a special place and the Adirondacks are just always breathtaking. Beyond that, I’d love to go back to Panama because it’s such a diverse country in terms of climates and activities. I went there when I was younger but I feel like it would be a very different experience now that I speak Spanish.
Elliot: Japan, it’s the first bucket list item I’ve had with my best friend since forever and we haven’t gone. We love the culture, the sceneries, the anime shows, and the stores.
Gareth: India as it seems so unique. I’d love to ski in Kashmir, hit the beaches in Goa, and then explore some of the amazing cities.
Alice: I’d love to travel more around Chile since, due to the pandemic, I haven’t had the chance to see Patagonia or any of the southern part of the country yet.
It’s tough to decide but Maika Tours(opens in a new tab) is on Gareth’s shortlist of tours he’d like to take.
6- What is your favorite part of working at Tourism Tiger?
Andie: My favorite part of working at TT has to be being able to travel around the world and learn so much about new cultures and places I would’ve never dreamed of—all from the comfort of my own laptop! But I also love working with such a wonderful team of knowledgeable people who I learn from every single day. It might not be perfect but we work together to make it the best it can be and I love that I get to be a part of it!
Andrew: This is going to sound cliche coming from the Head of Customer Service, but I really enjoy the clients I get to work with. It’s a great combination of learning about different areas around the world and just getting to communicate with different people all the time. I always love when customers leave ratings along the lines of ‘TigerCare is like a member of the team!’ because when I think of working with some of the clients, it’s really like a nice bout of teamwork. Even situations that are more challenging are a great benefit of working with clients. It’s like pushing me to improve the service and improve the sites, and ultimately myself as a part of it.
Imogen: I really love learning about different parts of the world and activities. I’m currently building a site about whale watching in Alaska and it has opened a whole new world of whales to me! We make sites for all around the world and you learn a lot about different cultures. It’s also a great opportunity to discover new places to add to my travel list – Borneo and Uganda are now both high up!
Andrea: Definitely discovering all the interesting places where our operators are from no matter if it’s an interesting country or city. It’s like you get an insider’s point of view into these destinations, and you gain a bit of extra appreciation. Related, I love that our team is made up of people from all over. We often joke about how many different English accents you can hear when we’re all together.
Elliot: Speaking and solving problems with my team, getting to know different parts of the world with each site, and creating beautiful websites.
Alex: The TT team!
Gareth: I enjoy working in our team. We’ve created a fun, easy-going team and balanced it well with our expert knowledge and professionalism. I also like how no two days are the same, and having the opportunity to learn and write about places that I perhaps have never heard of but now really want to go!
Alice: I love that it’s a collaborative and creative environment and I also really enjoy having clients from all over the world and learning about different places.
Alice is ready to take a bite out of Mexico City with Eat Mexico(opens in a new tab) on one of their delicious tours.
So there you have it! When it comes to the Tourism Tiger team the consensus is that it’s extremely hard to pick a favorite website or tour, because there are so many great ones! And more so, our sites are as diverse as the people behind the scenes. That being said, check out our portfolio(opens in a new tab) to see even more fantastic sites from our customers around the globe that offer all types of tours from city tours, to adventure tours, cultural experiences, outdoor activities, and more. And if you’re considering a new site yourself, be sure to get in touch with us today!(opens in a new tab) Plus now in addition to just names and faces, you know a little bit more about us.
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