John Diorio on Life Before Virgin Voyages

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John Diorio has spent his entire career in travel, from the tour operator and wholesale space to Hotels.com and, most recently, Virgin Voyages.

Despite this, Diorio – now the vice president of North American sales for the cruise line — said his relationship with travel didn’t start until he enrolled in travel school at age 19; prior to that, his jaunts consisted of yearly family vacations from his hometown in New York to the Jersey Shore.

But after his very first flight (to Dayton, Ohio, in his early 20s), Diorio was hooked, and he hasn’t looked back since.

In this episode of Humans of Travel, Diorio reflects on his professional journey leading up to his role at Virgin Voyages, which included the lessons learned in travel school (which teaches students how to work in every sector of the industry), and some of his favorite memories from his career. He’ll also share his thoughts on mentorship in the travel industry, and what it was like starting with Virgin Voyages three years before the product had officially launched.

Note: This episode is sponsored by Apple Leisure Group Vacations. Humans of Travel will go on a short hiatus; new episodes will return in March 2024.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

Virgin Voyages

First Mates website 

Brilliant for You Online Sales Guide