I booked a couple to Brazil – now they live there!

Some years ago, a couple of regular clients asked me to book a trip outside the period they would usually go on holiday. Knowing how much they liked culture, adventure and a bit of relaxation, I thought immediately of Brazil, and put together an itinerary that included Rio de Janeiro, Iguazu Falls and a beach destination. They were ecstatic, and very quickly decided to book.

A couple of years later, I received a call from them telling me they were selling everything they owned here in the UK and were relocating to Brazil after buying a boutique hotel in Fortaleza. They told me: "You’re the first person we called because that trip you booked for us changed our lives."

Jenny Jackson, Luxury Travel Guru

I fulfilled a terminally ill client's dying wish

Last July, we had a terminally ill client come to us looking to book a surprise holiday for his girlfriend's 50th. We knew him because he'd booked with us a couple of times, but we struggled to recognise him because of the weight he'd lost due to cancer. He told us his girlfriend wanted a "cowboy hat" trip across the US, and decided to book it knowing he would not be able to go with her.

He sadly passed away in November 2024. But, as per his instructions, we went ahead with the reservation and made the booking a few weeks later using the £17,000 he had left for it. We coordinated with his nephew so his girlfriend only learnt about the surprise in late January. Scheduled for early August, the holiday will take place a few weeks after her 50th birthday. She's going with a friend on a 13-day ranching holiday flying business class and visiting the likes of Memphis, Nashville and Denver.

I don’t know how long he had been with her, but it was such a lovely thing to do because when she goes on that trip, she will be thinking of him.

Tanya Pace, The Sussex Travel Company

I helped clients face their fear of travelling alone

We've had bereaved clients, as well as customers who hadn't travelled since Covid and needed a lot of hand-holding. So we directed them to specialist companies we knew would look after them.

And we were right, because these customers eventually came back to us and booked other holidays, telling me they were glad they took that first step.

For example, we had a client who always wanted to see India, but her husband didn't want to go. So when she became widowed, she went and booked a holiday there for herself. It’s all about companies giving customers that confidence [to travel by themselves].

John Dixon, Destinations by John

I created a community of solo female travellers

About four years ago, I spotted a gap in the market and decided to start offering escorted trips for solo female travellers. I called them "Wendy's Wanderers".

For many of these women, it has been life-changing. They've made new friends and social lives, regained their confidence to travel again and explored parts of the world they never thought they would get to see.

We have coffee mornings, social events and themed meals before and after the trips. In the past year alone, we’ve been to India, Kenya, Denmark and Italy, on a Danube river cruise at Christmas and a murder mystery weekender in Derbyshire.

Wendy Haines, Wendy Haines Travel (a member of the Travel Village Group)

I inspired a client to change careers

One of our clients booked a safari with us and ended up loving it so much he changed careers. The customer, a man in his early 30s, initially contacted us because he had a life-long dream of going on safari.

Together, we decided South Africa was the most appropriate destination because he only had a week and the resort we chose had everything – from the Big Five on site to additional activities such as hot air balloon rides, ATV [all-terrain vehicle] trips and horseback safari.

He was buzzing when he got back, telling us the trip had inspired him to take a photography course to hone his skills and grow his Instagram following. His objective is to return to Africa in the winter and travel around for two or three months building and monetising his social media presence before setting up a safari training business.

I don’t know what the business will look like, but he has a strategy and we're in contact with him to see if we can work together.

Ashley Phillips, Travel Chaps