What’s your typical week?
It can involve anything from visits to three different countries to trade shows, fam trips, training or conferences. On average I usually cover 500 miles on the road across three weekdays, with two days working from home.

How big is your sales team?
We have a sales team of four, with myself and my colleague Danielle Radford on the road. I cover Scotland, Northern Ireland and the north-east and Danielle covers from Yorkshire down to Bristol.

What’s in your car?
Always my phone charger – there’s nothing worse than being in middle of nowhere with a flat phone battery. There will also be brochures, flyers, pens or other kinds of giveaway product for our agents.
Oh, and a packet of Percy Pigs, obviously!

And what’s on the radio?
Heart FM – it’s always good to turn up the feel-good factor on the road. My favourite show is the Time Tunnel every morning – the cheesier, the better.

What fast food outlet keeps you going on the road?
I have McDonald’s breakfasts to blame for my expanding waistline!

What’s the silliest thing you’ve ever done as part of a sales visit?
Visiting travel agents dressed in Bulgarian national dress – I got a few funny looks in Sunderland that day! We did this as part of a Macmillan coffee morning in September a few years back.

Who would be your ideal driving companion on a long journey?
Any of the Hibernian FC Scottish Cup winning team of May 21, 2016 – they are my absolute heroes who ended 116 years of torture for every Hibs fan.

What’s your favourite alcoholic drink, and why?
Vodka – especially now I can get a litre bottle for around £5 on my work trips to Bulgaria.

What’s the best question a travel agent has ever asked you?
I got a phone call on a Saturday afternoon when I was at a football match asking if I could get someone’s mobile phone sent back from a hotel in resort, which was tricky to negotiate in a football stadium.

What’s the most lost you have ever got?
It was my first year in the job and I was driving back up the A1 from Newcastle to Edinburgh. Part of the A1 at the border was closed due to fog and I was sent on a diverted route into the middle of nowhere by someone.

The satnav got confused, I had no phone signal, and I was starting to think I would never see home again.

Which is your favourite destination that your company sells and why?
I love all the Balkan countries we fly to, however Bulgaria is brilliant – it doesn’t have the euro so it’s great value for money, has fabulous beaches and offers great options for eating out and nightlife.

Most people who have never been change their opinion of the country once they have given it a try. I love seeing it with agents on fam trips every year.

What key messages do you try to convey on visits?
Our unique selling points, discounts and incentives. Most importantly, I love to catch up on the travel trade gossip – hopefully with a cuppa.

What’s your advice for agents who don’t sell your product but are keen?
If you aren’t selling Balkan Holidays, you’re missing out. Don’t wait for your customers to ask for our destinations – recommend them as an alternative.

Bulgaria, Croatia and our other Balkan destinations are a fabulous alternative to the more expensive western Mediterranean. If you need any training support, I’ll be only too happy to help.

Get in touch: email j.kemp@balkanholidays.com