Welcome to “TravMedia's Travel Writer of the Month," where we highlight an active journalist or editor within the TravMedia community. We have so many amazingly talented, successful and inspirational professionals in our midst — let's meet Daisy Melwani.
Q. Where are you based? Sydney, where all the fabulous events are!
Q. What outlet do you write for? Who is your audience? What are your travel specialties?
HM magazine is the leading accommodation trade publication in the region and is distributed to accommodation properties in Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and countries around the South Pacific and Asia Pacific region. It is received by all tiers of hotel management from front office staff to CEOs. Complimenting the bi-monthly print magazine, HM produces a digital newsletter sent twice a week via website, hotelmanagement.com.au, covering exclusive interviews and hotel and accommodation industry news.HM is also a leader in must-attend events including the long-standing HM Awards and AHICE conferences globally.
Q. What are your professional pet peeves? Images that are sent without captions - who or what am I looking at?
Q. In your past professional life, you were … Editor-at-large at Travel Weekly, also Event Director for the title producing Travel DAZE, Women in Travel and The Australian Travel Awards. Prior to that, I was the launch-Editor of KarryOn.
Q. Where would you like to return to? South Africa, so much yet to explore, and I would love to take my kids on a safari.
Q. What's on your bucket list? Italy! I've always wanted it to be my honeymoon, but we ended up in Sri Lanka instead - equally beautiful. But after all my travels, I have yet to visit (and will now have to take the kids too!)
Q. Where do you travel for fun? The UK and Hong Kong to visit family - luckily, both are pretty great.
Q. Your funniest (or most harrowing) travel story is … getting stuck in Singapore after a travel conference because Qantas grounded its fleet due to industrial disputes.
Q. What advice would you give your younger professional self? Accept the look, wear flats more often.
Q. What nugget would you like to add that we haven't touched on? When key details are missing, it slows everyone down. Keep it sharp, keep it useful.
Q. How best should people contact you? Preferably via email, but if it's urgent, WhatsApp or a call.
