Founded in 2024 by the husband-and-wife duo, Vetsetters was born from a realisation that the veterinary sector was lacking a dedicated travel service.

"There’s a strong 'by vets, for vets' ethos within the community, whether that’s yoga, support services or other initiatives," Jess tells TTG. "I looked around and realised no-one was doing that for travel – so we thought, why not?"

'We speak their language'

The business has grown quickly, achieving more than 250 bookings ahead of its second anniversary on 12 April. Its founders attribute their success to their ability to "speak the same language" as their clients.

"Jess has worked in the industry for 12 years – she understands it inside out," says James. "That connection came first, and when we realised there was a gap in the market, it was almost a happy coincidence."

The agency serves vets, nurses and practice owners, a group Jess describes as "time-poor" and often working outside traditional hours. As a result, flexibility is central to the business model, with bookings frequently handled by the pair in the evenings and on weekends. 

James believes the homeworking model is "perfect for this", allowing the couple to be available to clients outside the standard nine-to-five working week.

Ethical travel can be a 'minefield'

Unlike the wider leisure market, where price often drives decision-making, Vetsetters’ clients show a clear preference for ethical and sustainable travel. "We get asked a lot about animal welfare and sustainability," Jess reveals. "That’s a huge driver for business."

Demand tends to skew towards adventure and wildlife-led trips, including safaris, jungle trekking in Costa Rica, and itineraries across Sri Lanka, Australia and New Zealand.

Most clients are well-travelled, with Jess and James regularly drawing on their own experiences – from safaris in Kenya to their honeymoon in the Seychelles – to help shape recommendations.

The agency prioritises sustainability through their suppliers, praising Audley Travel, Kuoni, Inside Travel Group and AE Expeditions as trusted partners. Jess highlights how working with established operators helps navigate complex ethical considerations.

"We get a lot of questions, especially around things like elephant interactions in southeast Asia," she explains. "Is it ethical, has it been properly researched? It can be a real minefield, and our suppliers have, thankfully, done a lot of the legwork – we can rely on their expertise."

'Being a vet is brutal – we want to give back'

A notable trend among veterinary travellers is combining leisure trips with professional volunteering.

Common placements include spay-and-neuter programmes, rabies vaccination drives and charity work in destinations such as Sri Lanka and Botswana, with organisations such as Mission Rabies playing a key role in facilitating these initiatives.

Vetsetters often "bookend" these experiences, arranging the leisure element around volunteer placements.

"People might organise the volunteering themselves, then ask us to build a holiday around it," Jess continues. "That’s another gap we’ve been able to fill, and it means their whole trip is protected, too."

The company has also embedded a charitable element into its model, donating a portion of every booking to charity Vetlife, which supports mental health across the profession.

"In the veterinary world, mental health is a huge issue – it's a brutal job," James concedes. "Giving back isn’t a marketing exercise for us. It’s something we’ve always wanted to build into the business."

Fundraising initiatives have included charity auctions at veterinary conferences, with proceeds going to the organisation.

What's next?

Vetsetters operates via Not Just Travel, which provided a route into the industry for the couple, who had no prior travel background.

Jess says the franchise’s supplier network, training and a "money-back challenge" – which allows them to recoup their initial setup fee by hitting sales targets – were key factors in their decision to go with Not Just Travel

Alongside their core business, Jess and James have also invested in building their brand and audience, including launching an email newsletter and a podcast, Destination Vetting.

Looking ahead, the couple plan to launch their own branded group tours, tailored specifically to veterinary professionals. The trips, which will be white-labelled through established operators, aim to capitalise on the profession’s close-knit nature.

"There’s real appetite for travelling with like-minded people," James adds. "With vets, you instantly have that shared connection – there's always something to talk about!"