A wealth of travel experience: meet some of our March joiners

There is no single route to becoming a Travel Counsellor. Whatever your background, what matters most is your passion for creating exceptional travel experiences. Our community brings people together from independent agencies, specialist tour operators, homeworking companies, the corporate world, and beyond, united by an understanding of customers and a desire to shape their own future. Sarah Walker, Donna Turner, and Sarah Coles are three of our newest Travel Counsellors, and each show how varied the journey can be.

From the high street to independence

Many Travel Counsellors, like Sarah Walker, have made the transition from high-street agencies to business ownership. “I’ve spent the last 12 years working in a leading independent high-street travel agency, where I progressed to Assistant Manager.” Sarah sought more flexibility, true work–life balance, and freedom to dedicate real time to each customer, and says “Travel Counsellors offered the structure I need to grow while giving me the freedom to build a business that complements my lifestyle.”

With experience across leisure and corporate travel, Sarah valued the opportunity to create tailored holidays with a focus on quality over quantity, “I wanted the freedom to give each client the time and care they deserve.” Becoming a Travel Counsellor is about using years of insight, service, and customer trust as the foundation for an independent, customer-focused business.

From specialist knowledge to building your own business

For experienced specialists like Donna Turner, becoming a Travel Counsellor provided the ideal setting to use her well-honed skills building her own brand. Donna started in travel at 17 and spent almost two decades specialising in luxury, tailor-made escapes.

Her career journey helped her gain deep destination knowledge, developed through personal travel and educational trips, but she wanted true independence alongside robust support, saying “being my own boss was important to me, particularly for the flexibility it gives me and my family.” Most of all, Donna wanted “to get my customers the personal holiday they want, without restrictions.”

Making the leap let her deliver uncompromising white-glove service, while still benefitting from support, community, and technology that supports her vision. She says, “the duty of care you provide to customers is so personal, and that really makes a huge difference.”

From extraordinary journeys to a new chapter

Not every path starts behind a desk. Sarah Coles arrived after a career in hospitality and aviation; her perspective enriched by seeing the travel world from within. Her experience as crew introduced her to destinations and adventures most people only dream of, like expeditions with National Geographic and navigating complex journeys across the globe. “Being crew gave me so many experiences I would never have been able to afford and could only dream about. I visited Costa Rica, Brazil, Chile, Tahiti, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and China.”

After an initial foray with another homeworking company, Sarah joined Travel Counsellors for its supportive framework, frequent training, and cutting-edge technology. She thrives on curating complex itineraries and delivering the human service that high-end travellers demand, saying “people are fed up of not dealing with a human who actually cares and is accountable.” Our approach empowers people like Sarah to translate a lifetime of knowledge into rewarding, meaningful work, backed by the full strength of our team and resources.

Take the next step in your travel career

Explore a new path and learn how far your career could go as a Travel Counsellor by attending one of our Discovery Days.