singapore hotel: Why traveling is the best form of education

For Nicholas Lim, regional director of the world’s leading guided holiday company, Trafalgar, the most enjoyable part of his job isn’t just the perk of flying off every fortnight to a new destination around the globe. Rather, it’s the chance to interact with locals from those destinations. “Over a meal, I like learning about different cultures: why people think the way they think and do the things they do. That way you understand them more, you don’t misjudge them,” says Lim, a charming Singaporean in town recently for the 20th Travel Expo 2013 at SM Mall of Asia’s SMX Convention Center. “To this day, it’s the part of my job that I like the best.”

Nicholas Lim, says ‘travel is really about the experience’

Apparently, it’s also the reason why people eagerly pack their bags and head off on a holiday whenever time permits. Three years ago, when the 65-year-old Trafalgar posed a survey to 20,000 of its loyal customers, the overwhelming response to the question “What was the most memorable part of your trip?” wasn’t the classy accommodations or top-notch amenities arranged by the company for its clientele. “People said it was meeting people from different cultures,” says Lim. “Travel is really all about the experience, and when people fly halfway around the world to their chosen destination, we like to make it not just a memorable experience for them, but a local and authentic one as well.”

Specializing in Europe and UK guided holidays (Eastern Mediterranean, North America, South America, Central America, Canada, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand are also available), Trafalgar offers 150 unique itineraries that take you well beyond typical tourist spots. Among them, the “Be My Guest” dining tours in Italy, France, and Scotland, are popular among clients for the warm reception of hosts, informative tours, and yes, the much-awaited food and drink. Imagine being welcomed by locals into private homes, working farms, wineries, and other family-run establishments and getting an exclusive peek into the making of produce like olive oil or wine before settling down to a hearty, home-cooked meal.

Travelers who, as Lim says, “dream of seeing so many places yet have so little time to do it,” appreciate Trafalgar’s endless tour options and packages. Take a lively jaunt around Italy in seven days, or immerse yourself in all of England and Ireland for three whole weeks and at a leisurely pace. Many prefer “snapshots” or a sampling of four-five different countries in a tour, says Lim. “When they come back, that’s when they book themselves in a tour that focuses solely on the country they want to see more of,” he says.

Travel Director

Specializing in Europe and UK guided holidays, Trafalgar offers 150 unique itineraries that take you well beyond typical tourist spots. (In the photo: Alhambra Palace, Spain)

For every holiday, clients are assigned a Travel Director, a well-trained professional who has served more than mere interpreter or knowledgeable tour guide to visitors. “He or she is everything,” says Trafalgar PR and social media specialist Choy Teh. “From a historian to comedy relief to a drinking buddy (after hours!) to even a hero, a Travel Director is your go-to person for anything, your friend on the trip.”

With its painstaking attention to detail, incredible value for money, and commitment to ensuring that each and every client returns from a holiday they’ll never forget, Trafalgar has been a hit among vacationers worldwide, including Filipinos. Lim notes a 40 percent spike in Pinoys booking tours with the company through local partner Pan Pacific Travel Corporation last year. “Filipinos are one of our better clients,” says Lim approvingly. “They’re very adaptable, easygoing, and open to trying new things. These are the types of clients we love because like it or not, travel is a social experience.”

Of the 20 or so countries he’s been to so far, Lim pronounces Greece, particularly its Santorini Island, his favorite.

Boasting a successful career in the travel and tourism industries, Lim seemed destined to see the world—and did so before he was old enough to go to school. At three, he, his brother, and their mom flew every weekend to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where his father was assigned to work at the time. The routine of boarding a plane, being led to his seat, and accepting orange juice and toy from a friendly stewardess so fascinated the young Nicholas, he looked forward to his next chance to fly.

Like many boys in Singapore who take on fun jobs while on Christmas break, Lim was 12 when he donned a tux and opened doors for guests at a Singapore hotel during the holidays. The stint, he recalls, gave him access to the hotel’s different departments—another eye-opening experience for the impressionable boy.

His story

At university, an earnest attempt to follow in his engineer brother’s footsteps was short-lived. Instead, he worked as a bartender in a number of Singapore’s hotels, clubs, and bars before spending two years in the army. Strangely, it was there where he decided that travel would be it for him. After two years of studies in hospitality and tourism in Melbourne, Australia, Lim worked for two tour companies before joining Trafalgar in 2011.

For every holiday, clients are assigned a Travel Director.

As its regional director, Lim is in charge of building the Trafalgar brand, as well as overseeing the company’s operations, marketing, and sales in Asia Pacific. This, of course, requires him to travel—a lot, on occasion, like the time he flew to India to spend one night in Bombay, the next night in Bangalore, the third night in Delhi, the fourth night in Calcutta, and the fifth night in Colombo.

Still, travel has also allowed him to discover new countries in a relaxed pace. Of the 20 or so countries he’s been to so far, Lim pronounces Greece, particularly its Santorini Island, his favorite. “It’s got a little bit of everything,” he swoons. “So much culture and character, you can’t go wrong.” Pointing to a photograph of Santorini in one of Trafalgar’s guided holiday books, a resort-type destination with the bluest of blue skies and waters, Lim says, “you could take a picture of this place with the lousiest cell phone camera and it will still look like this. It’s unbelievable.”

Portugal is a country he’d like to visit soon (“because it appear to be that it might be like Greece!” he explains with a laugh), but now that he’s married and the father of two young kids, this constant traveler will tell you that in this world, there really is no place like home. “I do miss the two ‘troublemakers,’” says this dad with a wistful smile. “I miss my family, too.”

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