We talk travel experiences with global traveller Sheena Seah

I’ve personally travelled to around 25 countries and counting – it would have been closer to 30, but thanks to a certain pandemic, that was put on halt.

However, there are a few select people who can actually put something like “traveller” in their bio and really mean it. One of those people is Sheena Seah, who is a Lead Travel Specialist (Worldwide) at Scott Dunn in Singapore. She has travelled around the world, clocking an impressive 60 countries on her passport including North Korea. (Yes, Singaporeans can go to North Korea without a visa)

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Can you share a bit more about your role at Scott Dunn?

At Scott Dunn, I head a strong and passionate team of Travel Specialists. Even with the current travel situation and lack of international leisure travel at the moment, we’re still busy with various initiatives, from educating ourselves on how to navigate the new world out there to exploring local staycation opportunities and keeping engaged with our guests. I am also a Worldwide Specialist, so my team and I have been doing destination training to upgrade our knowledge and be in the know.

I’ve been in the luxury travel industry for over 12 years, and as someone who enjoys exploring, travelling and trying out new things, I’ve enjoyed my career journey so far as no workday is ever the same. Work is hardly repetitive at Scott Dunn, as we strongly believe in creating holidays that are specially tailored to each of our guests.

For me, I find it rewarding when I am able to add that intangible sparkle to a guests’ holiday and hear how delighted they were upon their return. Travel is something that is dear to me and I hope to spread the same excitement and joy to our guests. I’ve helped to arrange secret birthday trips, special access surprises and even wheelchair friendly experiences in the most challenging locations. It’s a very people and detail orientated role, but it’s something I really enjoy as there is always something new and different to do each day.

What was the most memorable trip you’ve ever taken?

I think there’s no where else quite like Iceland. It is a land of stunning contrasts – you’ll see thermal pools next to snow dusted landscapes and volcanoes hidden amongst glaciers. I love how the scenery changes so dramatically depending on the seasons. I also had a chance to go glacier hiking and snorkel at close to freezing temperatures at the Silfra Fissure, which is essentially a little gap between 2 continents (North American and Eurasian tectonic plates) which had super clear waters and amazing visibility!

But my favourite Icelandic experience would be when I got to descend into a 4000 year old volcano. It was such an adventure and a great opportunity to experience the feeling of being at the earth’s core that’s filled with a kaleidoscope of colours. I always thought it would be really dark and gloomy, so I was really surprised when I had the chance to go down. I think there’s so much more to explore and discover in Iceland and I would love to return once we can safely travel again.

What are the challenges or unexpected issues frequent travellers face that most of us may not ever experience?

I think travel in general is never predictable, that’s the whole part of its allure. For me, I think it’s important to pack a sense of humour, keep an open mind and approach the situation as calmly as possible as sometimes situations may crop up when you least expect even when precautions have been taken.

I also think that as travel resumes, we may see a trend where more turn to a travel operator to help them with their holidays instead of DIY-ing it themselves. With how travel has changed (and how it continues to) in the past year, I think travelling with a trusted travel operator or company is crucial as it will give you a better peace of mind since you know you’ll be well looked after and will have someone to turn to for help should things go awry.

We once assisted a guest who was on holiday in Zambia when there was a sudden blanket blackout across town and in the lodge he was staying at, which unfortunately was not equipped with a backup generator then. Due to health reasons, the guest required electricity to power some devices throughout the night, so it was a concerning situation. Our team worked closely with our partners on ground to transport him to a suitable accommodation across the border in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, all within two hours. He was very very happy and thankful that we were able to help to say the least!

Where would you recommend that travellers visit that isn’t on the usual travel brochures or bucket lists for most people?

Iran is and will always be one of my favourite destinations. Being able to travel back in time to witness one of the world’s oldest continued civilisations and how it has progressed to modern day Iran was incredible. I also fell in love with the people. They were so incredibly generous and friendly – they would offer homemade delicacies for me to try and the school kids would come up to me for a hug or photo. I just felt very welcomed there and everyone was so warm. I personally feel it’s quite different from the image you get from mainstream media. So you definitely need to be there in person to truly appreciate the land and its people!

Given the current state of the travel industry, how do you manage to satisfy that ‘travel itch’

Travel is in my blood so I still find myself constantly thinking about future travel plans. I also think it helps to have something to look forward to, especially so during these times, therefore I am currently planning for a trip to the beautiful Canadian Rockies and the Great Bear Rainforest next year to see spot some grizzly bears!

I think staycations are great to get away from the humdrum of daily life for a quick reset and a good opportunity to relax and explore our own little island. Here at Scott Dunn, we have been arranging staycations with wonderfully crafted experiences over at hotels such as Raffles Singapore, Capella, St Regis and the Ritz-Carlton.

Due to our close working relationships with these hotels, we are able to elevate our guests’ stays with complimentary perks at no additional costs. The staycation game has changed too, hotels are now offering different types of activities, experiences and offers. It can be quite confusing or time consuming to compile and compare, so many guests book through us as we are able to suggest the most suitable options depending on what a guest is looking for.

Another perk about being in the industry and working with partners around the world is that occasionally I get to see these destinations live while on work video calls! So it does help with the ‘travel itch’ although I would very much prefer to be visiting these places in person!

What’s next for you?

With how countries are progressing with their Covid-19 management and vaccination efforts, I’m positive that international leisure travel will be back on our radar in the future. I am looking forward to assisting guests with planning their dream holidays for once it is safe to travel again. There is definite pent up demand after not being able to travel for a year and we’re seeing interest pick up as we have guests already planning trips with us to the Maldives and the Middle East.

With all the postponements that have happened last year, we are seeing incredibly tight availability for the next two years at many popular destinations for peak seasons so if you’re keen to tick off a particular destination from your bucket list when travel resumes, it would be good to start planning early.

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I am also looking forward to my Canada trip which I had to postpone from last year. I enjoy being in nature and I can’t wait to go on a grizzly bear adventure and explore the mountains and lakes.

If you have enjoyed our conversation Sheena Seah from Scott Dunn, do drop us a message or leave a comment below to let us know. If you have any recommendations to share with us for travellers, travel destinations or more – let us know as well.