29 January 2018 – Alex de Waal, Greyhound Australia

Tourism Partners
Congratulations on the 112th year of Greyhound operations in Australia, what are you planning to mark the milestone?

Alex de Waal
When you have been around for 112 years it is easy to take ones’ heritage for granted. Rather than celebrate milestones, Greyhound has sought to bring to life and leverage its strong values foundation every day.

The 6 values that are alive and well and celebrated on a daily basis are;

• Be safe
• Let’s collaborate
• Delight our customers
• Be accountable
• Be empowered
• Enjoy what we do

Tourism Partners
You’ve been on board as CEO for 8 months. What are your priorities for the passenger?

Alex de Waal
Greyhound is a very well-established and significant business. Our customer focus revolves around safe, timely and cost-effective transport solutions. Our priority focus is ensuring business agility and our ability to ensure Greyhound Australia services are also innovative, flexible and recognised as being exceptional.

Tourism Partners
Commuters, charters, mining, freight and tourism are all part of the Greyhound mix. Where does tourism fit in the future?

Alex de Waal
At present Greyhound provides for excellent national network of hop on hop off services for the FIT market. We also provide for a comprehensive portfolio of point to point services.

In April of this year we will be introducing a highly innovative and compelling new product; offering “Travel without limits”. This will be launched at ATE in Adelaide so stay tuned.

We are also exploring opportunities to provide the Tourism industry with an exceptional network of charter services to provide customised unique experiences.

Tourism Partners
With such a large workforce across the country, working 24/7, how do you comminute with employees?

Alex de Waal
We are focused on ensuring that Greyhound is a values-led organisation with empowered people. Communication within this type of organisation is largely decentralised. Major strategic perspectives are communicated via key Executive / CEO roadshows and augmented via various technology facilitated communications.

Tourism Partners
You are about to wrap up a sale that promoted unlimited travel across Australia for 30 days. How did it go and are we likely to see more of these types of deals?

Alex de Waal
Contemporary customers are looking for unrestricted flexibility so any initiative that removes barriers to travel and transaction will generate great support. This initiative met with enthusiastic support and our customers and channel partners can look forward to the sale and consumption of Greyhound services becoming easier and even more beneficial.

Tourism Partners
Looking overseas what innovative things do you see other coach companies doing to improve the experience for the passenger?

Alex de Waal
Customer Coach experiences are primarily being enhanced via the application of new technology. We were the first Coach company to introduce free WiFi and our customers can look forward to some really cool new features coming on line soon!

Tourism Partners
What are your plans for hybrid coaches?

Alex de Waal
We are a major user of coach inventory and as such we maintain a very close relationship with all leading Coach suppliers. Hybrid Coaches are one of the many ways to improve our environmental footprint and GHA is pursuing these options aggressively.

Tourism Partners
Where do travel agents and wholesalers fit in the future for Greyhound Australia?

Alex de Waal
We have significant available capacity across the GHA network and enjoy a highly productive and mutually rewarding commercial relationship with a large portfolio of travel channel partners. We see these relationships continuing and being developed further.

Tourism Partners
When you are not at your stand-up desk what do you like doing?

Alex de Waal
I purchased my stand up desk in Munich 26 years ago, as I had read an article about their physiological benefits. My SU Desk has been a central and much loved and used feature of all of my offices since. Outside of the work environment I continue with the standing theme, on a range of surf boards, primarily on the Tweed Coast. I also love walking and being at one with the natural environment undertaking a variety of activities.

Tourism Partners
You’ve travelled the globe extensively what are your favourite places in Australia and overseas?

Alex de Waal
Some favourites include Casuarina Beach, Heron Island, Lake Eacham, GBR. I also love Salzburg, Munich, Biarritz and British Columbia (Silverstar).

Tourism Partners
When hitting the kitchen what are your hero dishes?

Alex de Waal
Pork Roast with German Dumplings and red cabbage, Secret BBQ Chicken recipe, Home made pasta, deserts of all kinds, crepes etc!

Tourism Partners
Rumour has it you are a ‘petrol head’, if you had $50k in your top draw what would you purchase?

Alex de Waal
You would need to add a zero to include to top of my wish list – Maclaren. I have restored an E-Type Jag, and Triumph Stag. Unfortunately in the prestige classic range $50K does not get you very far!

Tourism Partners
What Australian company(s) do you see leading innovation?

Alex de Waal
Innovation is to me all about the process of introducing new things that add value to a business.
This is something that every growing business does and therefore a plethora of facets of innovation exist. As such I will be specific in terms of the Coach industry, and in this context I would suggest Flix-bus a Munich based Coach operation.

Tourism Partners
Having travelled long haul often what are your tips for beating jet lag?

Alex de Waal
Jet lag is a natural physiological process that can be managed but not eliminated.
Sunshine helps speed up the process of re-adjustment however my tip is to use the adjustment to your advantage. If you wake up at 1 am in the morning don’t fight it….get up and go to work! The next morning you might be leaving for work at 2 am and then so on!

Tourism Partners
The one thing you always pack when travelling?

Alex de Waal
Mobile phone charger and Paw Paw ointment

Tourism Partners
You created the Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. What drove your interest in protecting the Great Barrier Reef?

Alex de Waal
There was a great deal of chatter and negative media / government / environmental agency commentary about the problems the Reef was facing. My motivation was to mobilise people from all parts of the planet to take positive action. To create a platform of understanding and action fuelled by real people.

More about Greyhound Australia and Alex de Waal