International Women's Day 2024: Skyscanner Travel Expert Cyndi knows when to take a break

This year’s International Women’s Day 2024 theme is ‘Inspiring Inclusion.’ Yahoo Life Singapore speaks to inspiring women of today who are making a difference and forging a better world.

Travelling, and learning about travels for a living seems like the dream job, but being on the road all the time has its pros and cons. With travel well and truly back, and airlines scrambling to add services to well-travelled route – it's a good time to speak to Cyndi Hui, Skyscanner Travel Expert, of her life on the road.

Yahoo Life Singapore: What is it like to be a woman today in this 21st century?

Women today wear many hats – being career women, mothers, daughters and wives. Balancing all these aspects of life is part and parcel of being a woman today. I know so many women – all multi-faceted, capable and resilient – juggling these roles seamlessly. Empowered like never before, women today embrace the freedom of charting our own paths and making decisions based on what we value in life.

Yet, amid the myriad roles we undertake, we often set high standards for ourselves, striving for perfection. It is therefore very important for us to know how to take care of ourselves by prioritising self-care and well-being. One of the ways I do this is by indulging occasionally in a wellness retreat overseas, which helps me recharge and rejuvenate my mind. Taking a solo trip to destinations of interest can also be a very transformative experience and opportunity for self-discovery.

Name a female personality you'd like to sit down for a meal with and why.

Jacinta Arden, the former Prime Minister of New Zealand. There is a lot for me to learn from her leadership style, which defies traditional stereotypes. She has been questioned about whether she is aggressive or assertive enough for her role, which is a challenge that many women in leadership positions can relate to. Jacinta is known for her authentic, empathetic, and inclusive leadership. To me, she is a perfect role model for how women can lead without compromising on femininity.

Tell us your proudest achievement to date.

In 2020, I made the decision to take a career break – one that was not taken lightly. During this period, I took time to really focus on myself and my community. I kicked off by exploring East Africa for two weeks. Then, I dove into an eMBA and Mandarin classes for personal growth. Baking became my solace – I whipped up macarons, cookies and cakes to share with friends. I also jumped into charity work to support the community, especially during the early days of COVID-19.

Balancing self-care and giving back to my loved ones was incredibly fulfilling. I found myself being able to do things that I was passionate about but found difficult to achieve while working full-time.

What are some of the challenges you face at this point in your life, whether it’s personal or career growth?

During the pandemic, life moved at a simpler pace. With fewer commitments and more personal time, I found myself embracing a quieter, slower lifestyle. However, as the world began to regain its momentum post-pandemic, picking up the pace again was challenging. I needed to re-evaluate my priorities in order to balance life’s demands, while carving out time for personal growth and passions.

What’s your favourite thing about your job role?

I love travelling and exploring the world, so I’m grateful that my job allows me to do just that. One of the most exciting aspects of my work is visiting various countries in the region while meeting with business partners. These trips not only enrich my knowledge about the travel industry, they also broaden my understanding of different cultures. I find immense joy in learning from my business partners.

I empathise with the challenges that Singapore travellers sometimes encounter when it comes to planning their adventures. Despite our strong desire to explore the world, many may find themselves constrained by the rising cost of living, and time crunch due to hectic schedules. What I love about Skyscanner is that we are committed to being travellers first. This means that a large amount of resources goes into ensuring that we have the right tools and user experience to ensure travel is made more accessible for travellers. As a Skyscanner Travel Expert, I enjoy sharing ways Singapore travellers can explore the world without breaking the bank, and tips on how they plan their travels effortlessly and with confidence.

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What kind of improvements do you want/have seen in your industry that will help women?

While not limited to my industry, there is still significant room for improvement in raising awareness and acknowledging the unique contributions women offer across all sectors and leadership teams.

We should cultivate an environment where gender equality transcends being a mere target or metric, where we proactively seek the unique value that women bring and reward them appropriately.

What is your self-care routine like?

I stick to a healthy diet most of the time, I enjoy healthy food such as fruits and vegetables! I have to admit that I am not as disciplined with exercise, although I do make a conscious effort to hit the gym and take regular walks between meetings. What’s also important to me is to completely switch off from digital devices at times – I would schedule meet-ups with friends after work which helps me to leave the office on time. Travel serves as a form of self-care for me, I make it a point to plan short getaways, especially taking advantage of long weekends! It’s a much-needed escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life. On these trips, I like to immerse myself in nature and get an extra boost of vitamin D!

How would you inspire inclusion in your daily life in 2024?

One way I inspire inclusion is to be more comfortable in everyday situations where inclusivity is lacking. I’ve observed that male friends often engage in detailed discussions about investment strategies and wealth accumulation but tend to naturally exclude women in such conversations. While likely unintentional, this could lead to a disparity in financial literacy and knowledge among women.

To inspire inclusion, I commit to taking proactive steps and speaking up more frequently. By openly addressing these observations, we can champion change and foster an environment where all voices are valued and included.

Plug something you're passionate about

As an avid traveller myself, I am passionate about giving practical advice for travellers to help them realise their travel dreams! Some of my friends even call me a travel guru or walking travel agency – I know the tips and tools to make travel planning a really enjoyable experience for every budget and I love helping to make travel accessible for everyone.

What travellers might not know is that there are always affordable deals to take advantage of, and it's all about being savvy and travelling smart. Some tools for smart travelling that I always recommend are from Skyscanner! For example, the Everywhere search is a great tool for travellers looking for inspiration and are keen to explore lesser-known cities. It displays myriad destinations ranked by price, so you can find the destination you want at any budget – this is especially perfect for graduates or students on exchange programmes who want to travel around during their downtimes but are unsure of where to go.

I also really recommend Price Alerts for all those who have specific destinations and travel dates in mind, this helps you to be alerted every time there is a price drop. Travellers can also try the Whole Month search to see the most affordable days to travel in a month, mixing and matching airports to fly in and out of, multi-city search to maximise your trips. There is so much that you can do to optimise your dollar which is a whole ballgame and wonderful in itself!

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