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The Faces of Kigo: Meet Romain Andre

Not to be biased or anything…but the Kigo team is a fascinating group. They’ve lived in multiple cities, jet-setted globally and share a distinctive common bond: travel passion. This passion is what drives Kigo employees to provide an outstanding experience for every single client, and makes them the lifeblood of the business. We created the Faces of Kigo series to showcase these unique individuals.

Meet Romain Andre, a Key Account Manager based in our Barcelona office. Romain hails from the beautiful city of Lyon, France. In 2008, he packed a suitcase and headed to Barcelona in search of a new life, eventually landing a job with a car rental company. He became a vacation rental booking agent in 2011, and in 2013 joined the Kigo team. In his spare time, he spends time with his family, cycles, listens to music and enjoys exploring the amazing city of Barcelona.

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Learn more about Romain.

Why did you choose to work at Kigo, and what do you love about your job?

I have a very rewarding job: helping our clients achieve success, making their lives better and helping grow their businesses. I’ve seen clients start with us who were managing a few dozen properties grow to where they are managing a thousand and are the big players in their markets. That’s a lot of fun to be part of. Some are just beginning, others are already well established – so the challenges vary and my work is never monotonous. There’s also the variety that comes from our business being international, so I’m talking to people all over the world. I should also mention that the folks here are like family: we all support and enjoy working with one another.

How do you approach finding places to stay when you travel?

At one time I wasn’t too particular about where I stayed; a bed and shower were enough, because I was traveling for the sights, not a fancy place to stay. These days, however, I’m a parent, and I have begun to scrutinize the details more closely in order to be sure the amenities are in place to make life easier while on the road with kids.

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What do you look for in a vacation rental? What do you avoid?

Though I am sensitive to price, I want to be sure there’s a certain base level of quality at the property. In other words, I don’t want to find it dirty, or with broken furniture. Transparency of the charges is a big thing with me as well; I don’t want any surprises. And I value direct contact with the property manager, as they can give you tips about the area.

I avoid places with bad vacation rental reviews. I really pay attention to the comments. These days, they’re becoming more important than the price. People want to be relaxed while traveling, not stressed out from arguing with a property manager.

How can property owners make their vacation rentals more appealing to travelers like yourself?

The most important element is high quality photos (without overuse of a wide objective lens!). Of course the description should be carefully written so people feel it would be the perfect place for them, while also being accurate. Simple extras, such as towels or a welcome kit, can make a real difference as well.

As we continue to explore the Faces of Kigo, you will meet more members of our global team working every day to create the best products in travel. Stay tuned!

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