Where it all started…
 

In 1992, my parents decided to take their children on a plane vacation for the first time. The prospect of getting on an aeroplane filled my heart with fear. It took an intervention from my uncle, an experienced traveller who was joining us on the trip, to put me at ease. Who knew that the Air Belgium flight (on behalf of Sunair) on July 10, 1993, between Brussels and Palma would have such an impact on the rest of my life? Many years and about 220 flights later, it is hard for me to imagine that I ever had a fear of flying. A plane trip is now the perfect time for me to read a book or a newspaper in peace. Thanks to onboard Wi-Fi and the fact that I now travel privately with my children (who of course deserve the necessary attention), this fear now merely belongs to a nostalgic past.
 

Make-believe travel agent
 

Like so many other boys my age, I dreamt of becoming an airline pilot. By the time I graduated from high school, my imperfect eyesight, lack of interest in exact sciences (which I did not excel in), and the pilot training's price tag made me put that dream away. However, my fascination with travel never really disappeared. Every time we visited the local travel agency (online booking was not a thing in 1992), I was mesmerized by the colourful brochures that made me dream of exotic destinations. My parents and I always returned from the travel agency carrying a whole stack of travel brochures. At home, I would run a make-believe travel agency from the kitchen table. I forced my parents (and everyone who happened to come over for a visit) to book a trip. I even went to the neighbours' house to sell them a vacation. So, I guess I was a freelance travel consultant before that term even existed. I also used 'real' order forms for my reservations, which I typed up on an old-fashioned typewriter. Fun fact: the travel agency that allowed me to take those stacks of brochures later accepted me as an intern and would eventually become a partner I still often work with professionally.
 

My college years
 

The years passed, and thanks to my parents, I had the opportunity to discover a large part of Europe and the Mediterranean. When I turned 18, it was time to choose a course of study. It was not an easy choice, given my many interests: languages, history, geography and economics. I eventually decided to follow my passion and opted for Tourism and Recreation Management at the Erasmus Brussels University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Brussels. That education catered to all my different fields of interest. In my graduation year, 2007, I became an intern at Reizen De Lathauwer in Aalst (and its sister company tour operator Live To Travel). After my internship, I joined the company on a permanent basis and soon became head of the travel office in Aalst. The company grew, moved to new offices, and to this day I am still closely involved with Reizen De Lathauwer. From the moment I set foot in this exciting sector, I started to travel much more frequently (and to more exotic destinations). Today I can say that I have visited the five continents (some of them several times). Only the sixth continent, Antarctica, is still to be discovered and remains on the top of my bucket list.

  

Going freelance
 

After a few years of working as an employee, the idea gradually took shape to start something on my own — naturally within the tourism sector. The direct motivation was my fascination with the many different aspects of the industry. I’ve never liked limiting myself to just one field: sales, marketing, product management … it all interests me. That’s why, in 2015, I decided to found Krides Tourism Consultancy. This became the vehicle through which I could focus on a variety of projects.
The name ‘Krides’ is a contraction of my name (Kristof De Smet) because the company represents my personal passion for all things tourism and travel.
 

Teaching
 

After I graduated from Erasmus University, I stayed in touch with some of my former teachers. At Reizen De Lathauwer and Live To Travel, we regularly welcomed their interns. So, I kept in close contact with the school. After a few years, they occasionally started inviting me over to share my knowledge. In 2016, I was asked to join the Erasmus University as a lecturer. I am now mainly involved in the practical and theoretical courses that have to do with the ins and outs of running a travel agency and tour operator (legislation, operations, product knowledge, future vision ...). It gives me great joy to share my expertise with the eager young people that will hopefully one day become my colleagues in this fascinating and thriving sector.
 

Rivages du Monde
 

In 2019, I started focusing more on B2B activities. So, when I heard that guided cruise expert All Ways Cruises was looking for a new Sales & Account Manager for Flanders and the Netherlands, I did not hesitate to contact them. We were on the same page immediately, so I acquired them as a client in September 2019. The coronavirus pandemic necessitated that the company adapt, leading to a decision at the end of 2021 to rebrand All Ways Cruises under the name of its French parent company: Rivages Du Monde.

 

In addition to my activities at Rivages du Monde, I also coordinate a few projects for Reizen De Lathauwer. Meanwhile, I continue teaching at Erasmus University in Brussels. Today, I am ready to take on additional clients, and I would love for you to be one of them.
 

Do not hesitate to reach out if you want to work with me to spread our shared passion for travel and tourism!

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