Cory Payton

From a very young age, Cory loved to travel and explore, either fishing with his dad near the peach farm he grew up in California’s Central Valley or skiing in the Sierras of Lake Tahoe all too close to his alma matter at the University of California, at Davis; travel was always the goal.

After graduating with honors, Cory decided to take the time to grab his trusty backpack and spend three months exploring Europe from Britain to Greece and wherever the next train would take him. He was hooked and decided a career in the industry was a perfect next step.

Yet, there was always time to travel, and Cory thought before settling down professionally, it was time for a yearlong adventure through Australia and New Zealand hitchhiking and working on sheep farms near Christchurch or finding there were actual opals to be had for free in Coober Pedy. It was during this time he coined and continues to live by the motto “The Journey is the Reward”.

Always taught to start in the field, Cory became that trusted tour manager with Contiki Holidays, taking 52 would be explorers across the US, joining on those hikes to the interior of the Grand Canyon or discovering all the jazz that New Orleans had to offer. Showing clients the best of the USA, led to becoming a Contiki Sales Manager and relocating to sunny Florida, getting married (another adventure in and of itself) and begin to visit agencies and getting in-depth experience for his future.

With a love for travel, the industry, and South Pacific experience, it was time to focus, return to Los Angeles, and thus began Cory’s growth as a Regional Sales Professional at Swain Destinations for the next many years. A career was born as National Sales Manager, training consortiums, energizing at Trade Shows, or leading the next FAM, Cory was a natural. It was also time to explore the world, from elephants swimming across the Zambezi, hot air ballooning over Angkor Wat, sharing locally grown tea on a train in Sri Lanka, or recently setting off in Nepal on a trek to stand before the majestic Mt Everest. Cory knows travel and the smiles along the way, truly changes you, and he enjoys sharing those memories in the stories and experience that bring travel to life.

It is so exciting to announce that Cory has now joined Goway as a National Account Manager ready to bring his spirit of kindness, adventure, and professionalism to the industry and to the many clients ready to travel in style on their next Goway journey.