What's It Like Being A Contiki Australia Trip Manager?

If you’ve ever been on a Contiki holiday, you’ll know that they’re incredible experiences with buckets of fun. There’s not one passenger that doesn’t credit their Trip Manager for making their experience even better, but what’s it really like being in charge of up to 25 super excited travellers? We put our questions to East Coast Australia Contiki Trip Manager, Mark Heap, to find out.
How long have you been taking travellers up and down the East Coast of Australia with Contiki?
I have been taking people up and down the East Coast for four years with Contiki.
What made you want to be a Contiki Trip Manager?
I travelled with Contiki in Europe and had the time of my life, and I appreciated how much of a positive impact my Trip Manager had made on my holiday. I was talking to him about what he does for a living, and he commented that I would be suited to the job and so I decided to give it a shot and apply.
Where are your favourite places to visit along the East Coast?
I love the relaxed and chilled vibes of Byron Bay. The beaches and islands of the Whitsundays and 27 degree ‘winter’ days are pretty awesome too. Each place has something unique about it.

What locations or activities get the biggest reaction from travellers?
Seeing passengers’ reactions when they “find Nemo” on the Great Barrier Reef or swim with a turtle. The adrenalin rush people experience from skydiving and landing on the beach on the Gold Coast or taking the plunge with a Bungy Jump in Cairns are always priceless to see. Being a proud Sydneysider, I love hearing people say how beautiful the city is and how breath-taking the views are from the top of the Harbour Bridge. I have had passengers cry seeing the Opera House for the first time. Some people have waited all their lives to visit Australia.
Are all locations and activities accessible and available year-round? Do you ever have to make alternate plans?
We run our trips all year round with all activities accessible and available. In the rare cases we do have to make alternate plans due to weather conditions, we are flexible – that is one of the great things about my job: working as a team with our trip drivers to think on your feet and come up with a great plan B!

Where are the best photography spots along the East Coast?
How much time do you have? There are great photography spots at all of our stops: watching whales and dolphins swimming whilst watching a sunrise at Byron Bay; those perfect postcard shots of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House; capturing the turquoise waters and fine white silica sand of Whitehaven Beach; getting a selfie with a kangaroo or koala at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary; taking the GoPro or underwater camera to snap the colourful marine life and coral that will make all your friends and family back home envious. Not to mention the lush scenery experienced as you wander through the Tropical Rainforest.
Where are travellers most likely to see a kangaroo in the wild?
Near our surf camp at Coffs Harbour – we also saw a mob the other day before we boarded our ferry to Fraser Island at a place called River Heads.
What’s the weather like year-round?
The weather is typically great. It’s always sunny enough for one of our Brits on the trip to come back from the beach looking like a lobster. In the tropics we have warm winters if you can even call them that; it gets a bit cooler down south, but passengers from Canada and the UK always laugh at me when I say “it will be a bit cold today, it will be 19 or 20 degrees”. They say that’s like a nice summer’s day back home.

How many people can someone expect to be travelling with on a Contiki trip of the East Coast?
You may go on the trip solo but you will leave it with life-long friends. The great thing about our trips is you can make up to fifty new mates on any given trip from places all over the globe.
What would you suggest people pack for a Contiki trip of the East Coast?
Mostly casual summery clothes: ‘thongs’ or ‘flip flops’, beach gear/towel, a jacket for those cool days, some dressy clothes if you feel like going out at night at some of our destinations. Comfortable walking shoes for our bush walk in the Blue Mountains or for climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Half our passengers are travelling with a suitcase, the other half with backpacks; it is completely your preference. I personally take a suitcase with me on the trips, but with some airlines being quite strict on luggage weights at the moment, you might save extra weight with a lighter backpack.

When would you say is the best time of year to travel along the East Coast?
Anytime is a good time to visit the east coast. Summer is the most popular and obviously the warmest, though currently this winter trip has just experienced temperatures in the mid to high twenties for the last week. And Queensland itself has on average over 300 days of sunshine annually.
What are your favourite or most memorable moments as a Trip Manager on the East Coast?
There are so many! Just recently helping passengers celebrate birthdays, honeymoons – I currently have a couple on a trip on their honeymoon and they are having a ball. I really enjoy showing people local experiences. I am a HUGE South Sydney Rabbitohs Rugby League fan and nothing beats taking my group to a night at the footy and getting them all dressed up in our team colours of red and green and experiencing some good old Aussie sporting culture, just like a local would.
What three words best describe the East Coast for you?
Fun, Memorable, Awesome.

About Contiki

Contiki Holidays Australian trips last from 3-25 days. If you’ve only got a few weeks to travel or if you’re looking to experience Australia and make new friends along the way, definitely consider organised group travel as an option. It’s great to share your experiences with like-minded people, and even better if they’re with you for the ride. Give Contiki a call on 1300-188-635, head to Contiki.com or visit your local travel agent.