Adam Turtle, Freelance Web Design in Belfast, Northern Ireland

Adam Turtle

Since1986

How I hate the tourism business

Can’t believe it’s April already. It’s really making me realise how little time I have left here in America, and how much I really, really don’t want to go home. As charming as Ireland is, I’d rather leave San Francisco when I decide rather than being forced to leave to go back to university.

In saying that, it’s only April and the rush of tourists booking holidays here has started already. I don’t talk about my job alot, mostly because it’s not very exciting and because I have much more interesting things to talk about besides work (although I reckon my job is probably quite interesting to some people).

The problem with working for a tour company is that it’s a world of opposites. Like when most people get a day off, the tourism industry is at it’s busiest, which means that I can’t look forward to public holidays. For example, my friends get Christmas off because it’s a national holiday so they want have a party or go somewhere – but for our company it’s like a normal day, except our vehicles are full of non-Christian tourists who don’t celebrate the same traditions, and are looking to get away for the day. That boils down to us having to work pretty much every day of the year.

Summer in the city is beautiful. The weather is great and there’s so much to do, but I find myself with things needing done at the office and I end up doing a juggling act between finishing my projects and answering 3 calls at once about tours. I end up staying way later than I’d planned and get home so worn out and feeling that the days are just passing me by. It’s so frustrating when people ask dumb questions and waste your time, or book a stay at the Yosemite Lodge 2 days before without realising it’s sold out practically a year in advance. All this and then the hassles of a regular IT job trying to figure out how javascript works, and just when you think you’ve cracked it – Internet Explorer goes and ruins your day. Sometimes I just wish that Internet Explorer was a myth, and the world used Firefox.

Another reason my industry sucks is that our Yosemite tours start at the unwholesome hour of 6am, and someone has to be there to reassure Mr and Mrs Punctuality that the tour bus is on it’s way. On the opposite end of the scale, it’s lots of fun to impulsively decide to go drink wine all day in Napa and book it late at night last minute – at 10pm the night before. Again, someone (read: me!) has to be there to make that happen for them. I’m actually jealous of regular 9-5ers who at least can leave and have a life after a day at work.

It’s also a nice touch that I get maybe one weekend off every 3 months. That hurts a lot, especially when all your friends are away enjoying themselves at the beach or whatever. Plus, more than half my monthly wages goes on rent. More than half.

I really shouldn’t complain though. I set myself up for it, so I take full responsibility. I just warn others what they may be getting into working for a tour company. And if you are considering going on a tour somewhere, please be kind and think of us poor people that have to deal with your crap. Sorry for the rant.

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