What’s the entertainment like at TUI BLUE For Families?

TUI BLUE For Families Entertainer Profile

Name: Ellie Caulton

Age: 22

From: Burton On Trent, UK

UK Job: Entertainment Team Leader, TUI BLUE Baia di Conte, Sardinia

What inspired you to become an Entertainer?

When I was little, my family and I would go on TUI holidays almost every year. I’m an only child, so my parents thought it was important to take me to resorts where there were loads of kids, entertainers and activities going on, and I loved it. I’d be obsessed with the Entertainment Team, following them around the resort and taking part in every single activity. I probably spent more time with the entertainers than with my own family!

When I was 21, I finished my dance degree and started looking for jobs in the entertainment industry. I hadn’t thought about working in a holiday resort until then, but when I saw this job advertised, I knew it was the one for me.

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How did you get the TUI BLUE For Families Entertainer job?

I applied for the role online and was invited to an assessment day. I had to prepare a performance in advance, which was a dance routine, and do some group tasks to see how well I interacted with people. A couple of days later, I got offered the job, and set off to my first resort in Kos, Greece.

Funnily enough, when I first arrived at the resort, my new manager came to collect me from the airport and I immediately thought he seemed familiar. Then, when we started chatting, I realised he’d been my favourite Entertainer from a holiday we’d had when I was seven. I’d even had a photo taken with him that my parents sent over to me – they thought it was hilarious.

How did you find being away from home for the season?

I’m such a homebody, I didn’t even move away from home for university like most people do. So living abroad was a worry for me, but once I was out there, I loved it so much. I use Skype and FaceTime to keep in touch with everyone in the UK, and the season flies by when you’re enjoying it so much. It sounds clichéd, but it’s true.

When I first started working as an TUI BLUE For Families Entertainer, I thought I’d only do one season and that would be it. But, I enjoyed it so much I went back for my second season to Majorca, and now I’m here in Sardinia, and I’ve been promoted to Entertainment Team Leader. I’m really lucky to have built a career out of doing something I love.

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What skills and experience do you need to become an Entertainer?

It’s all about being a people person and interacting with guests. Your job is to help everyone have the best holiday, after all. You have to love being around people all day, entertaining them and keeping them happy – that’s the most important thing. Being able to sing and dance helps for the evening shows, but it’s not essential to the role. And, hosting is a big part of the job, but that’s something you can learn in resort and improve with experience.

Describe a typical day for an Entertainer?

Every day is different, which is what’s great about the job, but we do have set activities throughout the day.

Our first activity is usually a character walk, where I’ll take Bamse or Captain T around the resort and entertain the kids. Then, we’ll do family activities in and out of the pool, like aqua golf, table tennis, skittles, and even parades around the hotel that end up in a big dance-off on stage. It’s not just kids, parents get involved too – I think they secretly love it.

I’ll usually have a bit of downtime mid-afternoon and relax on the beach or catch up with the rest of the team – when you spend so much time together, you become like a family. Then after my break, I’ll start preparing for the evening show. We might have to rehearse new dances, songs or skits, and we perform or host the show from 7pm onwards.

The entertainment at TUI BLUE For Families caters to all ages. So, we start with a show for three-to-five year olds, then move on to entertainment for the older kids, then we have a section for the whole family. I also help to host the show and introduce the different acts.

What do you love most about the job?

The guests. You get to know some of them really well, especially if they’re on holiday for a fortnight. Sometimes they’ll even find out which resort you’re working at and book their next holiday there. It’s amazing to know that you’ve had such a positive impact on people’s holidays and helped them to make memories they’ll treasure forever.

I always look forward to the evening shows, as my background is in dance and performance, so I love the chance to get up on stage. All of the activities throughout the day are fun though – there aren’t many jobs where you get to play around and entertain everyone all day.

It’s also a really great way to travel and see the world. I’ve stayed in some incredible resorts and amazing hotels. Usually when you first arrive in resort, you’ll get a full tour and do some excursions, as you have to know the area well enough to help advise guests on their holiday plans. This time around, I’ve been lucky enough to go wild dolphin spotting on a boat tour in Sardina and to Neptune's Caves, too.
 

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Do you get nervous performing or being on stage?

No, not anymore. Now, it’s not so much nerves but adrenaline really. When I first started I was petrified, especially when it came to the hosting, as I hadn't done it before. But, you learn from experience and get better. You need nerves to perform, as nerves mean you care so you’ll give your best performance. The only tip I can give to overcome the fear is to rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. The more prepared you are, the more confident you’ll feel.

Has anything ever gone wrong while you were on stage?

It’s not often, but occasionally there will be times when things don’t go to plan. But you learn to deal with it and to always have a backup plan – the show must go on, after all. I once had an incident where the audio and lighting wasn’t working for a full 45 minutes, and I was hosting the show with everyone staring at me. But, I managed to carry on and actually ran the dance-off segment without any music. I think people respect you more if you can carry the whole audience and keep the entertainment going even when things go wrong.

What do you think people would find surprising about being an TUI BLUE For Families Entertainer?

Probably the preparation that goes into all the shows and activities – it isn’t just turning up and going on stage. You have to be familiar with a lot of other jobs in resort so you can help with any customer requests, whether it’s giving them advice on excursions, guiding them around the hotel, or helping with any problems.

Not many people know that you can work as an Entertainer in winter, too. TUI run trips to Lapland in December, and if you’re part of the Entertainment Team there, you’ll get to live in Santa’s Grotto for the month. Not many people can say they’ve ticked that off the list.
 

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Do you prefer working in peak or low season?

Peak season, definitely. You get all the holiday excitement when it’s busy, and more people participating and joining in. There’s a really good atmosphere and it gives you that adrenaline. Low season is also great though, as you get to know the individual guests more when there are less people around. It’s nice to get the balance of the two.

What do you love about Sardinia?

We’re staying in Alghero, a beautiful old town with cobbled streets. It’s lovely waking up there every day and getting to spend time in both the hotel and in the town among the locals. At the hotel, there’s also a private beach and the water is so clear and enticing. I love the food as well – I’ve been eating pizza almost every day.

Are there any other perks or benefits of the job?

Meeting so many different Entertainers and guests is not only fun but also great for your career and making contacts around the business. Working for a huge company is beneficial, as everyone knows TUI – it’s such a big brand. You get a really high standard of training and lots of progression opportunities.

Fancy seeing what being a TUI BLUE For Families Entertainer is all about?

Check out our TUI BLUE For Families resorts where you can meet our Entertainers in person, or read up on everything you need to know about TUI BLUE For Families. Looking for a job instead? Head to our recruitment site.

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Author: Selina Akhtar