As a keen traveller who loves exploring new countries, Sarah Sandford says that working at online travel marketplace, TransferTravel.com is ideal for her.

Sarah, aged 27, who grew up in Nanaimo in British Columbia, Canada, joined the company in 2016 and loves the work/life balance that she has found on the island.

Sarah works there as a graphic design and marketing executive

She said: ‘In addition to all of the advantages which the Isle of Man offers, I was attracted by the opportunity to work for a start-up company. When I found out about TransferTravel.com’s unique business idea I knew that it was the right choice.’

TransferTravel.com works by providing a marketplace for anyone to buy or sell unwanted travel bookings – so someone who has booked a holiday, but can’t take it due to unforeseen circumstances, can use the website to turn bad news into good by recouping some of the money they paid, and provide another traveller with a great last minute deal.

‘I’ve always been interested in travel,’ she added. ‘Back home in Canada I worked for Tourism Nanaimo which promotes the visitor economy, and I’ve written a travel blog for several years.

‘Combining that interest with working at a disruptive technology business, in an industry which is always evolving, has been a great career move for me.

‘The nature of the business, and the industry, means that every day is different because things change so quickly.

‘It’s great to be part of a team dedicated to finding more ways to help consumers, and that’s what makes TransferTravel.com such an exciting and interesting place to work.

‘Working here is very different to many other businesses in the industry.

‘It’s all about genuine teamwork, and everyone is encouraged to bring their own unique insight into everything we do. Everyone has a voice, and is encouraged to express their opinion.’

In her free time, Sarah created ‘Foodie Guide Isle of Man’ on Instagram which provides restaurant reviews.

‘Even though this is a personal project,’ she says, ‘I have received encouragement from TransferTravel.com’s founder and CEO, Simon Powell, who also loves great food and eating out.

‘My main motivation for creating the guide was to share my interest in good food, but it also helps me develop a deeper understanding of Instagram and social media in general.

‘It’s great to have such enthusiastic support from my employer. Again, that’s another example of how working here is different to many other businesses.’

Sarah travelled extensively in north and south America when she lived in Canada, but living in the Isle of Man has made it easier for her to explore European destinations, and she has recently visited Germany and Northern Ireland.

TransferTravel.com, which has its HQ in modern offices on Hill Street in the heart of Douglas, employs 10 people here in the island, and the company has offices in London and San Francisco.

As it continues to grow, especially in the USA where there is huge potential with millions of dollars of unused travel bookings every year, it will open up more career opportunities for recruits here on the island and from overseas,