My name is Giada, I am 27 years old and I have moved to Scotland from Italy to study back in 2011.
I have graduated in Tourism Management with Languages (First Class Honours with Programme Medal and ATHE award 2015) from Napier University back in 2015 and have, after a project-based research job into the role of Area Tourism Partnerships at the same university, been working within the tourism industry in various roles.
I have firstly had a customer facing role with the Royal Collection Trust at the Palace of Holyroodhouse and have now been working within a tour operator dealing with inbound travel to the UK and Ireland, for a few years. My current role deals in particular with luxury and VIP FIT (independent) travellers.
Towards the last year of my undergraduate degree in tourism, I have also developed a keen interest in heritage conservation and its tight relationship with tourism and heritage tourism in particular. This has brought me to undertake a Postgraduate Diploma in Building Conservation whilst working full time in the tour operating business.
I have now completed this Postgraduate Diploma and will be officially receiving my degree this coming June.
I have been able to combine my tourism career with my language skills and am able to employ my fluency in Italian, English, German and Spanish to my everyday tasks.
After gaining experience in different ambits of the tourism industry, I would now really like to move towards a more consultancy type of role.