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Ryan Watson

CATT Alumnus credits Academy with success

Canadian Academy of Travel and Tourism alumnus Ryan Watson is a prime example of how an educational head start can lead to a world of success.

Intrigued by hotels as a teenager, Ryan jumped at the chance to become involved when CATT piloted at his Ottawa high school. During his three years in the program, he studied core high school subjects with an additional tourism component. He joined the advisory board, allowing him to liaise with representatives from the various industries within tourism. These real-life inspirations, along with a co-op placement in the Chateau Laurier’s HR department, piqued his interest even further; upon winning a CATT scholarship at graduation, he studied tourism at Algonquin College.

Throughout his college years, he worked in Banquet Services at a couple major Ottawa hotels, and after graduation became the youngest doorman in the city. Seeing all the business people and working in such a ritzy environment motivated him to succeed so he could come back as one of the people he served.

“I surround myself with people I want to be like,” Ryan explains. “They inspire me to keep pushing, to go to the next step, and to stay positive.”

Wanting a change of scenery, Ryan packed his car and drove as far as it could take him: Vancouver. Inspiration struck again as he worked his way up the ladder at another hotel. He wanted to get away from the city and work at a resort. Upon seeing the cruise ships floating in the harbour, it occurred to him that these were floating resorts. He immediately went for an interview, but as it was only a couple months after 9/11, the reeling tourism industry was not hiring. Patience paid off, and five months later, Ryan was working on his first cruise: a seven-day trip from New York to Bermuda.

“It was a dream come true,” he says. “As Activities Coordinator, my role was to entertain and run activities for adults on the ship. I organised bingo, karaoke, pool games. With the commission I made, I was able to double my salary.”

Ryan was then recruited for an “Art Auctioneer at Sea” position, for which he conducted live auctions on board major cruise lines. Selling everything from up-and-coming artists to signed Picasso works, he was hooked. As a franchisee, he was given access to the art, some marketing information, and then let loose on the ships. Five years later, he was ready to put his feet back on solid land.

“It was a hard decision to make. I had very few living expenses and was making great money. But I wanted to get my feet back onto solid ground,” Ryan explains.

He came back to Canada and began recruiting and training staff for the art gallery he had worked for aboard the cruise ships, eventually moving to the head office in Michigan. After a year as Sales Manager, he decided to head back to Vancouver, whose tourism industry was booming with the upcoming Olympics. With his recruiting experience, he started his own business, True Navigation Recruitment (www.navigationrecruitment.net). As the art gallery’s exclusive hiring partner for Canada, and central and eastern U.S., he finds outgoing, self-motivated candidates to work on cruise ships, selling the world’s best art in the world’s most amazing places.

“I believe that at the end of the day, you have to do what you love,” says Ryan. “This doesn’t feel like work to me – it keeps my blood flowing. Tourism is where I want to be; I love to tell people why they should be in the industry and stay in the industry. It’s exciting to see where the individuals I place end up.”