While working as a Hays Travel Personal Travel Consultant, Scott Cumming went on a fam trip with Somak Luxury Travel. He loved it so much he recently joined the company as Trade Engagement Manager. Travel Gossip asked Scott to tell us a bit about himself in a quick Q&A.
I never travel without… my GoPro.
The famous person (dead or alive) I’d most like to sit next to on a plane is… Richard Branson. I admire the brands he’s built, especially Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Cruises.
My weakness is… pastel de nata, the Portuguese custard tart.
The next place I’ll visit is… the Norwegian Fjords on Sky Princess.
The worst thing I ate or drank abroad was… raki in Greece.
My bucket-list destination is… Maasai Mara to witness the migration.
Born and brought up in… Aberdeen.
Live in… Haslemere, Surrey.
The best piece of advice I’ve been given is… listen to your elders and learn from them; avoid making the same mistakes they have. It’s simple, practical, and it’s guided both my life and my approach to travel.
If I could eat one thing/meal for the rest of my life it would be… mac and cheese.
The emoji I use most often is… the thumbs up👍
The thing I miss most while travelling is… my partner Louise and our five-year-old, Finley.
The first thing I notice about a person when I meet them is… their eyes.
If I won the Lottery tomorrow, I would… travel the globe with my family.
My first job was… computer programmer on a Youth Training Scheme.
When I left school, I wanted to be… a firefighter.
The thing I’m most proud of is… passing my diving instructor exams with a broken arm.
In my new role, I’ve been… spreading the word about Somak and championing tailor-made travel. I’ve been engaging with agents, listening to their needs, and growing our Somak Agent Only Facebook hub. Moving from life as a travel agent at Hays Travel PTC to tour operations felt natural after a fam trip with Somak where I fell in love with Kenya.
What attracted me to the job was… not just the destinations but the people and the service. Somak’s family-run heritage, operating since 1968, and an expert reservations team convinced me this was a company I could believe in. Customer service and operational excellence aren’t just buzzwords here, they’re how we do things.
