Staff Interview with  Ashley Lucas-Spain - Sales Manager

What inspired you to join the team at Australian Surf Tours (AST)?

Growing up in NZ with my father taking me surfing every weekend! It wasn’t an easy transition to be backpacking in the western Australia desert, so after five months of this I needed to get back near the ocean and on my board. This is when I met Sam, my boss. There is nothing cooler than being able to go to work each day, laugh, tell stupid jokes, and skive off for a lunch surf session with your boss and the team. I only intended to stay for one season when I first became part of the AST team, it says it all that I am still here 5 years later!

Can you tell us about your role as the Sales Manager?

I oversea our domestic and international sales. One of the biggest highlights of my roles is being able to travel the world to meet our international partners and attend trade events in different locations each year.

The other really great thing here at AST is that we have many job roles within our job roles so there is always a lot to do and a lot of variations. I am also a Surf instructor, a bus driver, a professional BBQer, and more which makes every day at work exciting!

How do you use your professional backpacking experiences in your current role?

Having traveled around the world, I’ve learned so much about cultural differences and how amazing the planet and different countries are. I try to apply these lessons and experiences to all of my interactions with our surfers, as well as within my job role of meeting agents from all different countries. It’s also been very helpful when it comes to providing travel advice and tips to our surfers on a weekly basis at our travel talks!

What makes Australia an incredible place to travel and surf?

Australia is a HUGE island surrounded by beautiful coastline. The coolest thing about Australia is that it varies so much from rain-forest to dry desert and the big red rock, to rough and rigid coastline in south Australia, to the pristine coast along the East part of the country. It really has something for everyone and when you are talking about surfing—perfect for beginner, intermediate, and advanced surfers!

How long have you been surfing? Do you have any advice to share with beginners?

I am extremely lucky to have a dad who had me on the front of his long board as a toddler and was up and riding my own surfboards by the age of 7. The best advice I can give to all beginners is have FUN. Whether you are getting up to your feet for the first time or falling on your face, the most important thing is enjoy the ocean and have fun!

What makes Australian Surf Tours unique?

Australian Surf tours is unique for many reason but I will just give you a few of the ones I am grateful for most being part of the team here. We are a smaller boutique styled surf camp, which means we really get to know our surfers while they are with us at our camps and they become our friends and part of the AST family.

I’ve worked for other surf camps prior to working here at AST and there is nothing worse than not getting to know the people who are coming through your doors because there are so many of them!

Secondly, we strive to be far “more than just a Surf Camp.” We achieve this by providing beautiful accommodation (no smelly dorm rooms with bunk beds), immersing our surfers into the lifestyle and community with us, providing the best surf teachers and equipment, and overall making sure people have the best time of their lives while with us at AST.

What can travelers and surfers expect when participating in Australian Surf Tour programs?

Surfers can expect the best surf instructors, qualified through surfing Australia with loads of knowledge and experience. Top quality equipment. Beautiful accommodation and facilities, amazing healthy food, and a really fun and memorable environment and experience.

Why do you think it’s important for people to travel and find ways of reconnecting with nature (i.e. surfing)?

Nature to me is perfect. I think it’s important for everyone to have at least one connection to this planet—whether it be to the forest and trees, to the ocean or the lakes, to the mountains and the snow, or just to the planet and what it gives to us. I think by traveling you make these connections and meet so many different people and places that our minds become more open to the importance of this!

What hopes do you have for the future of Australian Surf Tour programs?

My hope is to continue our journey in what we provide for a very long time and to keep enjoying every minute of it!