Nicolas Martin is the new SWISS Explorer. Nicolas, who is from Germany, will take up his post this autumn, and will spend the next six months flying all over the globe and offering tips and insights into the “must-sees” and “must-dos” wherever his travels take him. And, as he’s doing so, he’ll also be trying out SWISS’s various air travel products and services.
As he uses various media – text, photos and video – to report on his adventures, Nicolas’s blogging skills and his previous experience of travelling the world should stand him in good stead. A 28-year-old native of Theilheim in Germany, Nicolas has already been around the globe twice on his own, and has spent over a thousand days of his life to date exploring 23 different countries.
With his open manner and inquisitive nature, Nicolas finds it easy to make new friends and acquaintances wherever he goes. And it’s these same natural talents that help him discover new and unknown corners of any destination. He’s also adept at chronicling his experiences – not least through his flair for photography – and his lively and entertaining accounts help others share in his adventures, too.
A multi-phase selection process
All in all, SWISS received over 1,400 applications from all over the world for its new SWISS Explorer position after it was initially advertised on 5 May. Many of these were from Switzerland and neighbouring countries, but applications were also received from Brazil, Canada, Australia, China and elsewhere. The quality of the applications was very high, and the judging panel had a truly tough time selecting seven candidates for the semi-final “assessment centre” round. Three further semi-finalists were chosen by the social media community.
The ten semi-final candidates were then whittled down to three, who were each given a final-round task: to fly to a SWISS destination on SWISS’s behalf and compile a live report from it. You will find their creations here on www.theswissexplorer.com. And the final choice of who should become the new SWISS Explorer was then entrusted to the social media community.
Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is Switzerland’s national airline, serving 84 destinations in 40 countries from Zurich, Basel and Geneva and carrying some 16 million passengers a year with its 90-aircraft fleet. The company’s Swiss WorldCargo division provides a comprehensive range of airport-to-airport airfreight services for high-value and care-intensive consignments to around 120 destinations in over 80 countries.
As the airline of Switzerland, SWISS embodies the country’s traditional values, and is committed to delivering the highest product and service quality. With its workforce of 8,250 personnel, SWISS generated total operating income of some CHF 5.17 billion in 2013. SWISS is part of the Lufthansa Group, and is also a member of Star Alliance, the world’s biggest airline network.
