Flight Centre: Luke Wheatley on most exotic destinations he’s visited
This year he’s off to Disney World, Vancouver, Western Australia, Washington, New York and Amsterdam – and that’s just in the first quarter. What’s more, this Brisbane dad-of-two is doing it all in the name of work.
Brisbane News
Don't miss out on the headlines from Brisbane News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
To say Luke Wheatley has the travel bug is a massive understatement.
This year he’s off to Disney World, Vancouver, Western Australia, Washington, New York and Amsterdam – and that’s just in the first quarter alone.
What’s more, the 42-year-old dad-of-two is doing it all in the name of work.
As creative and content manager at Flight Centre, Luke gets to explore some of the world’s most sought-after holiday destinations and report back to the company.
For the past four years he’s been compiling Flight Centre’s annual top 50 travel experiences, a task which involves heading off with a small team to produce video content for social media (see the films here).
It’s a job he’s wanted to do since he was a teenager.
“I’ve always wanted to work for Flight Centre,” he says.
“The funny thing is I went for a job with them as a travel consultant when I was 18 but I wasn’t good enough to qualify.
“Now I get to film incredible places and experience bucket-list moments. It’s very exciting. I get to open up the world for those that want to see.”
The feedback from Flight Centre’s Top 50 Travel Experiences has been “phenomenal”, Luke says.
“I like to have the big idea and then work out how it’s going to make sense to the customer and make sure it resonates with our brand.
“The top 50 is actually about Australian customers, where they’re going, and about showing them an experience.
“Some people may have been to LA many times but we’re like, ‘Hey, did you know you can actually do this and this? You can eat his kind of food or try this activity …’ It’s all about the experience and not necessarily the destination.
“At Yukon in Canada for example, we wanted to show how accessible the Northern Lights are. We hired helicopters and a plane and flew over glaciers. It was incredible. But after five days I discovered it wasn’t about the Northern Lights, it was about the unique and beautiful people, the scenery and the wildlife.”
It’s not surprising Luke likes to get out and about.
When he was nine years old he sailed around the world with his mother and stepfather, who was also an accomplished cinematographer.
“I kind of learned the trade just by osmosis, being there and asking questions – I’m a very curious person by nature,” he says.
After completing a marketing degree, Luke, who grew up in Sydney, landed a job in the marketing department of a film distribution company in Brisbane.
He spent six years learning script writing and producing, before landing a role at his beloved Flight Centre in 2014.
“I always had this love of film in my mind and when I came to Flight Centre they weren’t doing a lot, so I was hired to disrupt the brand a little bit and do something different.”
Although his job takes him away from his Mt Crosby home for up to 40 per cent of the year, Luke tries to take his family – partner Beckie Adams, 35, a freelance producer, and sons Finn, 14, and Augustine, 2, with him when he can.
“I think it’s really important to share the experience with your family and family’s really important to me,” says Luke, whose favourite part of a holiday is “at the airport trying out the free samples in Duty Free”.
“Beckie and I work together a lot, and when we travel together and are doing a job, we are in it together,” he says.
“Sometimes I’ll be looking after Augie, sometimes she will, we’ll swap whatever the role is needed to allow the other to be successful.”
As parents, Luke says they tend not to take the boys on mainstream holidays.
“We like to go somewhere where we can’t speak the language to show our children how other people and their cultures are living and to broaden their horizons.
“We want them to grow up to be functioning members of society but also to understand that life isn’t just about school and Brisbane. We try to challenge ourselves and to learn the language. We’re not fluent in other languages but we try. We’ll go to Mexico City or we’re going to Sri Lanka this year so we like to do things that are different.”
Having converted his family to veganism four years ago (for animal welfare reasons), Luke is also currently filming a documentary on the practice – focusing on chefs around the world who cook with plants – which he hopes to pitch to TV networks and Netflix.
Bursting with ideas, he wants to get Russell Crowe on board.
“I’d love to get Russell and film him going vegan for six weeks to see the health changes that happen,” he says.
“He’s grown up on a farm and is a larger-than-life personality. I think he would be willing to give it a go.”
Meanwhile, Luke is busy juggling work, home and travel, with a few personal projects thrown in – not to mention a super important position on the Gold Coast Film Festival’s board of directors.
How does he fit it all in?
“I have a policy with my team and it’s that family is really important and home life is important, so at 5pm every day we leave the office.
“I pick up Augie from daycare, he goes two days a week, and I’m home by 6pm. I’m very disciplined in how I conduct my life and once Augie is in bed I dedicate half an hour to an hour a night to personal projects that I want to do.
“I like to write screenplays, develop TV show ideas, photoshoots, film, edit, anything I can do that’s creative.
“Funnily enough I also like gardening. We live on two acres so I do a lot of that,” he laughs.
“I’m someone who, if I’m in, then I’m 100 per cent in.”
LUKE’S TOP 5 FOR 2020: Put these spots on your must-visit list
1. Heron Island “What a place to see the Great Barrier Reef. It’s so accessible and teaming with wildlife – sharks, turtles, manta rays, stingrays and all kinds of fish just off the beach.”
2. Yukon, Canada “For its Northern Lights, but also the people are amazing. It’s so accessible and not expensive. It’s hands down my favourite place of last year.”
3 . Disney World , Orlando , Florida“I have a real soft spot for Disney. As an Australian you have no idea how good it is until you go. I always recommend a Disney holiday.”
4. Switzerland by rail
“High on my list. Switzerland is an incredible country and so easy to get around by rail. There is an ‘Excellence Class’ above ‘Gold Class’, for that next step of luxury.”
5. Viking river cruise, France
“The food is amazing and this is an incredible way to see France.”
Double holy s#*t! Brilliant meteor lights up sky over Qld
A meteor was spotting blazing across the sky as weatherman Garry Youngberry began his live cross on Wednesday night – and the TV station wasn’t the only one who captured the spectacle. WATCH THE VIDEO
Watch: Scammers ripping off Brisbane celebrity designer with brazen fakes
A Brisbane fashion designer – whose clients include singer Robbie Williams and a string of A-listers – is fighting back against “shameless scammers”. WATCH THE VIDEO