A community built for women's success

This Women’s Day, we’re celebrating the women who lead, support and inspire within the Travel Counsellors South Africa community.

Leadership in travel doesn’t look the same for everyone.

Sometimes it is the courage to build your own business. Sometimes it is the willingness to embrace new technology. Sometimes it is the generosity to mentor others. And sometimes it is the work done behind the scenes to help business owners grow with confidence.

Charmaine Higgins, The Pioneer

For Charmaine Higgins, leadership has been built over many years through trust, consistency and exceptional client care. As one of South Africa’s pioneering Travel Counsellors, Charmaine joined Travel Counsellors in its early days locally and quickly found the freedom to run her business on her own terms, backed by the support of a trusted franchise partner. For Charmaine, the true measure of success is the loyalty of clients who have stayed with her for more than 18 years.

"My business is built on referrals, personal relationships, and consistently being there for my clients. I made it a priority to visit clients, understand their needs, and always do my best to ensure their travel arrangements were seamless. That commitment helped me achieve my goal of being both a successful businesswoman and someone who genuinely loves her career."

Melissa Ridley, The Innovator

Melissa Ridley represents leadership through innovation. As an enthusiastic early adopter of AI, Melissa has embraced technology as a way to enhance, not replace, the personal relationships at the heart of travel. She uses AI to personalise client communications, streamline marketing, create complex itineraries and work more efficiently.

"My advise to other Travel Counsellors is not to be scared, use AI because it's phenomenal. It's absolutely amazing".

By sharing her experience and encouraging fellow Travel Counsellors to explore AI with confidence, Melissa is helping others see how technology can strengthen their businesses and improve the customer experience.

Karin Livingstone, The Mentor

For Karin Livingstone, leadership is about lifting others. As a mentor, she believes one of the greatest strengths of the Travel Counsellors community is that no one has to succeed alone. Having experienced the uncertainty of asking for help when she first started, Karin now enjoys helping fellow Travel Counsellors build confidence, make informed decisions and grow their businesses. Her approach is not simply to provide answers, but to guide others through challenges so they can develop the confidence to navigate future situations themselves.

"Having a mentor gives someone a trusted person they can turn to for guidance, reassurance and practical advice. Sometimes it's about finding the answer, and other times it's simply about pointing someone in the right direction. My goal is to give my mentees the confidence to make informed decisions so they can focus on growing their business rather than spending valuable time searching for answers."

Support, the TC way

Behind every successful Travel Counsellor is also a dedicated support team committed to helping business owners thrive.

"As Marketing Manager for Travel Counsellors South Africa, I have the privilege of supporting our business owners with the marketing, tools and guidance they need to help their businesses grow,” says Marinda Ramalheiro.

Marinda says that one of the most rewarding parts of her role is seeing Travel Counsellors, especially those who have never marketed themselves before, begin to embrace marketing with confidence and even enjoy the process. Hearing their success stories and seeing how the right support can help them connect with more clients is incredibly fulfilling.

Together, these stories show what makes Travel Counsellors special. Women in our community are not only building successful travel businesses. They are sharing knowledge, embracing innovation, supporting one another and shaping the future of travel with care, confidence and purpose.

For women who want to build something of their own, Travel Counsellors offers more than a franchise model. It offers a partnership built around independence, support and shared success. With expert Head Office teams, innovative technology, marketing guidance, mentorship and a community that genuinely wants one another to succeed, women are empowered to lead in their own way and build businesses that reflect their ambition, expertise and care.