Louisa went from working in LA to marketing off-grid tiny cabins in unique WA locations
“Humans go through a variety of different experiences and stages in their life, and I love that tourism and hospitality can be part of the highs for people. And that’s what’s really exciting about my career.”
For some people getting into their dream career can be a straight line, but for many others it can be a winding road of different fields, opportunities and experiences that blend together to arrive at an end point they weren’t expecting…
Louisa Choi is the marketing manager for Heyscape, a growing collection of bespoke tiny cabins around Western Australia, which is about as far away as you can get from her earlier roles managing dance studios and shows overseas!
It’s another fantastic example of a dream career in Western Australia’s tourism and hospitality industry that can start from anywhere – learn more about Louisa’s story below, and head to our Dream Careers Hub to hear from more people like her, and how you could make this lifestyle a reality.
Table of contents:
- How Louisa began her career
- What a typical day looks like
- Who Louisa gets to work with
- Best parts of the job
- Advice for getting into tourism
How’d you get into this career?
Even before the dance shows and studios, Louisa’s journey began while studying fashion and textiles at university, where she first started dabbling in the world of marketing. This led to her time in Los Angeles and the UK “organising and marketing dance classes, workshops and shows,” she tells us on location at Heyscape’s tiny cabin in Serpentine.
From there she moved to Western Australia and landed a role at boutique Northbridge hotel, The Alex Hotel: “I found myself working at a beautiful hotel and that was my first glimpse into the tourism and hospitality industry. It’s just so fun, like when you’re with the right people, especially on the floor in a busy restaurant, it can be a little bit like a dance of the night.”
After an exciting and busy stint helping to launch Doubletree by Hilton in Perth (Boorloo), Louisa was looking for a change of pace and a role that offered flexibility. Keen to stay in the tourism and hospitality industry, Louisa jumped at the opportunity to join Heyscape, which was a unique accommodation start-up at the time.
“We’re almost five years old, so there’s been a lot of opportunity to test and try things, and being part of that has been great for my learning journey,” she says. “When you join at the beginning of a great business, you can see the growth and the potential and it’s exciting to be a part of that future.”
What’s a typical day look like for you?
Like many careers in tourism and hospitality, no two days are the same for Louisa, and while there is a fair share of office work to be done, it’s flexible as to where and when: “Every day is a little bit different because we sometimes work here together in the head office, but then sometimes I’d work in the city in our other office. I’m on the phone chatting to many different people, there’s a lot of computer work for marketing tasks and also scheduling…”
And then there’s the fun stuff – when we catch up with Louisa, she and the team are in the middle of re-styling some of the cabins, one of the many collaborative components that are at the core of Heyscape’s values.
“We’re a strong team and we work together to ultimately make the guest experience better. The collaborative nature of how we work allows everyone to speak up and get involved in things that light their fire. I think everyone who works here is not only fans of the product, but also excited to work with leaders in the field.”
Who else do you get to collaborate with?
With values centred around sustainability and supporting local providers, Louisa tells us how Heyscape is always looking to create new partnerships, like an upcoming collaboration with Fervor, “a key player in the hospitality industry of roaming restaurants.”
Though it would’ve have run by the time you’re reading this, the collaboration with Fervor at a winery near Busselton marks Heyscape’s first foray into the events space, allowing Louisa to flex the skills that she’s transferred from other work experience and her studies.
“The event side definitely brings me back to my foundation. When I first came to Western Australia, I was an events coordinator, so I get to use all those skills again in creating this new event.”
What are the benefits of working in tourism?
For Louisa, being able to work at a company that’s flexible, understanding and compassionate to wherever you’re at in life has been a huge factor in her enjoying her role so far. “Heyscape has been really understanding with me having a child and about to have another one… There’s a lot of support from the team to make things as easy and smooth as possible for each other because we’re all about creating a happy workplace.”
The exploration and travel elements of working in tourism have also been a big plus for Louisa: “I love that it speaks to the traveler inside me, and I get to see all the different cabins and show them to different people, from filmmakers or photographers needing a unique location or someone looking for a special getaway.”
“I also love being able to continue with my passion for storytelling for business purposes,” she adds, “As every day I get to learn about each cabin’s unique location and surroundings and work out a way to convey that story.”
Not to mention the odd sneaky off-grid getaway for her and her family… “We get to stay in the cabins, especially when we launch new ones. We encourage our team to test it out and stay in the cabins because your staff need to be fans of the product to be able to sell it as well!”
Why should Western Australian youth choose a career in tourism and hospitality?
Louisa highlights just how special Western Australian tourism is, and how lucky we are just to live here, let alone potentially work in such an exciting industry.
“In the tourism industry, you get exposed to all these different experiences that you may never have thought you wanted to try out before, like being able to go on a boat tour and see dolphins, it’s just something that you get to know about and often experience as part of your work.”
She adds that it can be a really fulfilling career, being surrounded by passionate people in such a beautiful part of the world. “When you talk about work, it’s a conversation; you bring ideas to the table and then you hear that passion from others and you’re all in it together because you just want to create something really beautiful to share with people.”
Her advice for getting into tourism?
“I would say be open to opportunities,” she states, matter-of-factly. “Just get out there and get involved, because once you meet more and more people in the tourism industry, they kind of light that fire within you.”
Throw in a healthy level of knowing what you’re passionate about and being willing to see where they take you, and you’re on your way: “Follow your interests and your instincts, and if you feel like understanding more about different tours or being part of the accommodation industry, you just put yourself in to that role.”
“Even if you start from the bottom and work your way up and show your skill sets as interest as you go along,” she continues. “But I think one of the most important things is to make sure that you find a group of people that are open to hearing you out and seeing you and your skill sets.”
Keen to start your adventure? Head to westernaustralia.jobs/dreamcareer to explore job opportunities, career inspiration, benefits, pathways, perks, possibilities and much more.