Encore: Edyta Teper on Escaping Communist Poland and How to Travel to the Edge of Space

Most travel advisors are familiar with Edyta Teper who, over the course of a nearly 30-year-old career in travel, held positions at Jet Set Tours, Carnival Cruise Line, Crystal Cruises, Virtuoso, Virgin Voyages and Travel2. She’s a repeat winner of the TravelAge West WAVE Award for being a favorite sales representative, and now she’s turned her attention to the Last Frontier, joining Space Perspective as head of global sales, trade partnerships. While there’s no doubt that Teper is beloved by the travel advisor community, many may not know her unique backstory. In this episode of Humans of Travel, Teper reflects on a moment that changed her life forever: The day she left her home in communist Poland at age 10 with her then-28-year-old mother and 3-year-old brother, embarking on a multi-country journey that eventually led her family to Austria, where they sought political asylum. Listeners will also hear about Teper’s moves to Australia (for high school and college) and Los Angeles, where she took an internship at Jet Set Tours in a move that kickstarted her travel industry career. Finally, Teper will talk about her latest venture: selling luxury spaceflight experiences with Space Perspective, which brings passengers to the edge of space during a six-hour ride up into the atmosphere in a space balloon. She’ll share some common misconceptions about space travel, and give tips to travel agents who want to sell space tourism to clients. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Space Perspective Get in Touch With Edyta: [email protected] ABOUT YOUR HOST  Emma Weissmann is the Digital Managing Editor of TravelAge West, a print and online magazine for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She is also the co-host of Trade Secrets, a podcast created with sister publication Travel Weekly. TravelAge West also produces national trade publications Explorer and Family Getaways, as well as events including the Future Leaders in Travel Retreat, Global Travel Marketplace West, the WAVE Awards gala and the Napa Valley Leadership Forum.  ABOUT THE SHOW  TravelAge West’s podcast, “Humans of Travel,” features conversations with exceptional people who have compelling stories to tell. Listeners will hear from the travel industry’s notable authorities, high-profile executives, travel advisors and rising stars as they share the experiences — the highs and the lows — that make them human. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.