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Travel Counsellors

Let independent Travel Counsellors help you choose a holiday tailored perfectly for you.

With an average 22 years travel experience we have more than 1500 Travel Counsellors worldwide who all take enormous pride in what they do. Their first-hand knowledge and passion for travel means that our customers continually rate us the best travel company in the world for customer service.

Whether you are looking to relax and recuperate, or explore and discover; your Travel Counsellor will give you the very best, hassle free holiday advice.

Personally Tailored To You

Your Travel Counsellor will take the time to get to know you and tailor your perfect holiday.

Expert Advice

A unique network, sharing the destination knowledge and experience of more than 1,500 caring travel professionals.

Your Money's Safe

Every penny of your booking is completely protected by our unique financial protection trust.

Multi Award Winning

Our Travel Counsellors are committed to finding you incredible holidays. Maybe that’s why our trophy cabinet is so jam-packed.

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expert travel planners, who help tailor and book your perfect holiday

VENUS TraffordCity Manchester www.travelcounsellors.co.uk Online service

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Based in Manchester

Catherine Mackey

It's nice to meet you.

I’m Catherine and I’m a Leisure & Corporate Travel Counsellor based in Manchester, providing business travel for small and medium sized companies and consultants who travel internationally, bringing the personal touch back into corporate travel.

For my busy leisure customers I design bespoke travel itineraries, saving them valuable time, and use my expertise to create unique tailor-made trips, perfectly matched with their travel dreams.

For my corporate clients I offer the same concierge style service, offering flexibility, time saving, cost saving, fast response times, attention to detail, and a stress-free travel experience - so they can spend their time doing business, not on sorting out all the arrangements.

As well as Travel Counsellors raft of awards for how look after our clients, and our 5* Trustpilot rating, in 2021 I was delighted to personally be awarded Franchise Business of the Year in Trafford Business and Community Awards, as well as being nominated for overall Business of the Year. I was also nominated for Business Leader in the Community in Trafford International Women's Day Awards.

Travel Counsellors are one of the largest independent travel companies in the UK and are multi-award winning. With 1,900 Travel Counsellors based globally across 7 countries, we have the global buying power to offer the best negotiated rates possible.

I take the hassle out of all aspects of business travel – from an ad hoc trip, frequent flyers, group travel, conferences and events, and setting up company travel policies.

Every company and every traveller are unique, as are their business travel needs. If you would like to discuss your requirements in more detail and find out more about how I can help, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Whatever your business needs I'm here to help you, so please get in touch with me and I can get things started:

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Please send me your travel requirements and I will do my best to help you

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Get to know us: Travel Counsellors

We’re a global travel business with exceptional customer care in our DNA. We empower people with a passion for travel to run their own travel businesses, taking care of the travel arrangements of more than 450,000 customers each year.

Who are Travel Counsellors?

Travel Counsellors is a global travel business committed to providing you with all the tools, technology and support for starting a successful career.

You'll run a home-based travel agency with the freedom to set your own schedule and develop personal relationships with your clients, really understanding their preferences and crafting customised trips just for them. And with a wide network of travel suppliers all in one place on the Phenix in-house booking system, including airlines, hotels, and tour operators, you'll have all the resources you need to create unforgettable itineraries with ease.

In short, we’ll give you all the support and tools you need to make a successful travel business!

We aim high – to be the world’s most caring travel homeworking company.

We put people above all else. You can see that in how we help you constantly learn and grow with training tools and guidance that enhance your business skills and knowledge. We provide everything you need to build flourishing leisure and corporate travel businesses as part of a company that truly cares.

What do we do?

We're a community of people from all walks of life who put ourselves in our customers shoes, curating their perfect trip and making it personal.

How it all began

Travel Counsellors globally

itineraries booked annually

the year we were founded

We care in everything we do

We’re a people-first business, with care at the heart of our culture.

We lead by example

• We live and breathe the values that make us special
• We all take responsibility as role models in our business
• We guide, we don’t instruct, and we foster creativity
• We empower our people to be the best version of themselves

We’re a connected team

• Our clear vision and strategy mean we really know our ‘why’
• We’re united by a clear sense of purpose and a shared set of values
• Our environment is open and honest, and we encourage feedback
• We trust our people, empowering them to make decisions that work for them
• We’re passionate about attracting and developing the best talent to deliver our vision
• We encourage learning and development by providing training courses and expert guidance

We support and celebrate

• Our culture is caring and supportive
• We love celebrating our success and rewarding our people

Our diversity and inclusion ethos at Travel Counsellors

At Travel Counsellors, 'care' is more than a word; it's our way of life. This commitment to care shapes our culture, ensuring everyone feels a deep sense of belonging. We pride ourselves on embracing everyone's unique qualities, whether related to gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, ability, or a kaleidoscope of lived experiences. Our celebration of diversity mirrors our core values: Care, Human connection, and an Entrepreneurial spirit. By valuing everyone’s uniqueness, we cultivate a culture of care and connection, fuelling our drive for innovation and impactful outcomes.

Celebrating diversity is at the heart of what we do. We're dedicated to not just being a diverse and inclusive company but a community that's globally connected. For us, inclusivity is more than a tick box; it's a belief. Every story and voice in our team is crucial, shaping our collective future - a future we build together.

Join us in this journey. We welcome all of you, every part that makes you unique. Together, embracing 'care' and 'humanity', we make a real difference.

We put the trust into travel

It’s important to know you're booking travel with someone you can rely on. We put trust at the centre of everything we do and our business model is built on establishing trusted personal relationships with customers.

We underpin our unique personal service with our own Travel Trust financial protection for customers, as well the reassurance provided by our ATOL and IATA licences. And by working with thousands of hand-picked suppliers and trusted travel providers around the globe, we ensure customers receive the highest levels of protection, care, support, and service wherever and whenever they travel with us.

The world’s our office

“You'll be empowered to work on things you're passionate about. You'll be given autonomy. Your ideas will matter.” Lauren, Technology Service Desk Analyst

300 Members of support staff internationally

60% Repeat booking rate over

“I love caring for my customers and growing my business as a result. Joining Travel Counsellors is the best thing I’ve done.” Lizzie, Travel Counsellor

We’re all about doing the right thing

Watch our short video and hear our CEO, Steve Byrne, explain how Travel Counsellors cares for its customers and the ethos of support that underpins our people-based culture.

Are you ready to work as a Travel Counsellor?

If you are ready to join our award-winning and constantly expanding global team, contact one of our experts today. Our support team will be able to assist with any queries you may have.

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Travel Counsellors   Reviews

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Seeing the world with Leia Morales

Leia has sent us all around the world - Hawaii, Greece, Kenya, Mauritius, India, and a trip to Spain coming up. It’s always a pleasure to deal with her, and I wouldn’t use any other travel agent. Her attention to detail and commitment to doing her very best for her clients at all hours of the night and day is commendable. I’ve recommended her to family & friends, some of whom have also booked with her on multiple occasions. This speaks for itself. If you’re looking for a personalised travel experience of the highest quality, look no further than Leia!

Date of experience : 10 February 2024

Excellent service from Dawn Hilliard

My friend recommended Dawn Hilliard to me, so I decided to give her a call as I was planning a trip to Sorrento. I couldn’t be more happier with the service I’ve received and the holiday was amazing. Every detail was considered from airport transfers and an amazing hotel to trips out. She even printed our boarding passes and wrote the luggage labels!! I have no hesitation in using Dawn Hilliard to plan my next trip. Thanks Dawn!! X

Date of experience : 22 March 2024

I can’t thank Vicky Dyer enough for…

I can’t thank Vicky Dyer enough for helping me find a cottage in Devon suitable for our family group ranging from a toddler to an 86 year old with limited mobility. We are now all booked after lots of emails to a very patient Vicky and we’re very much looking forward to our family break making memories.

Date of experience : 25 March 2024

In recent years...

In recent years, we've has several trips organised by Leia Morales, and they have always been excellent. Our most recent being an Icelandic/Norway Cruise in June '23. Ideal for our needs, with just the right mix of days ashore and days at sea. We highly recommend the Travel Counsellors experience of having a trusted single point of contact, working for themselves, who is committed to their individual clients.

Date of experience : 05 June 2023

A blissful week of sunshine thanks to Karen Thornton

I contacted Karen Thornton when I was struggling to decide on where to go for some sunshine in March. Karen shared 3 options with us, all within our budget, for us to explore. Her recommendation was perfect and we wouldn’t have found our holiday without her help and advice. Booking with Karen couldn’t have been easier - and she supported with special requests, check in and transfers too. Will definitely book our next holiday with Karen and recommend her to others too.

Date of experience : 16 March 2024

Taipei and Tokyo

We had an amazing time yet again, Richard never fails us. Every effort is done to try and come up with an individual and personalized itinerary and not just the status quo. Richard is very attentive and even though I have a 5hr time difference or when I travel where the time difference is greater, he is always reachable if there are any issues or questions no matter how small. Job well done!

Date of experience : 13 March 2024

Karen Thornton was extremely helpful…

Karen Thornton was extremely helpful and had a wealth of knowledge to help us secure on our dream trip to New York. She gave us 3 options which clearly explained what was included in the prices. She was always available to answer any questions. We had the most amazing trip exploring The Big Apple. Our hotel was close to Times Square which was ideal for the excursions we had planned. I will continue to use Karen for future trips and will not hesitate in recommending her to family and friends. Thank you Karen for everything.

Date of experience : 07 March 2024

We wanted a USA trip but to various places and we were recommended Becky from travel counsellors. She has been amazing, she listened to what we wanted, offered advice that made sense through her own experiences and then she checked us in for all the individual flights. She answers messages immediately and I will definitely use her again for future holidays.

Date of experience : 04 March 2024

Want Stress free? Get Karen to organise it.

Karen Thornton organised a last minute escape for us. She came up with a suggestion of the Red Sea. So we decided to be brave and go with it. We stayed at Makadi spa in Makadi Bay near Hurghada. Well, I think it was one of the best suggestions I’ve ever had! Food and room, Was beautiful (Junior suite). Everything was organised for us transfers, flight, hotel, even a late checkout. I listed the requirements (adults only, all inclusive) and she organised it. Will definitely use her again…. And again!! Home to Wet and Windy weather…. Time to book for November I think………KAREN!!!

Another fantastic holiday.

Just returned from another fabulous holiday booked through Steve Fletcher at Travel Counsellors. I know booking this way with the experience that Steve has I can trust his recommendations. The resort was amazing and just the relaxing holiday we were looking for. I will definitely be booking my next holiday through him.

Date of experience : 17 March 2024

Alex was incredibly helpful

Alex was incredibly helpful, from suggesting a few locations to booking a fantastic hotel and some tours. Everything was organised for me, I just had to turn up at the airport, a real treat!

Date of experience : 26 March 2024

We gave Natalie our budget, country we wanted to visit and not much else for our Silver Anniversary. She came up with the most amazing multi centre holiday. We have stayed in gorgeous hotels, in various places around Thailand. She even booked us a trip to an elephant sanctuary that was perfect. Had a few problems with our flights being delayed which meant we missed our connecting flights, Natalie sorted it all out. We will never book from the high street again, the personal touch and her commitment shine through.

Tyler was hands down the best travel…

Tyler was hands down the best travel counsellor I have used. I contacted another local TC before (I didn’t know about Tyler at this point) and they said there was no availability. I went to Tyler and he sorted no problem. The whole booking was seamless and easy to follow. The communication was 10/10 the entire time

Date of experience : 14 March 2024

Fantastic holiday thanks to Laraine!

We recently booked a trip to Vietnam through Laraine Drage and were extremely impressed the efficient and knowledgeable service she offered. In addition to keeping us updated at each stage of the process and helping us get the best price on flights and excursions, Laraine recommended an overnight cruise in Ha Long Bay that surpassed our wildest expectations. Would highly recommend Laraine for any holidays as she's extremely skilled and passionate when it comes to travel!

Date of experience : 01 March 2024

Reykjavik,Iceland

A 3 night stay in Iceland was amazing ..planned and organised by our travel counsellor Michelle Hyland Definitely a trip not to by missed From lava show ..simulater over mountains and waterfalls..blue lagoon in 35degree water..snow mobile on glacier and whale watching and northern lights

Date of experience : 15 March 2024

Amazing Time in Vietnam

Ruth Harper from Travel Counsellors was brilliant and organised our flights and hotels for an amazing 2 week tour of North, Mid and South Vietnam and excursions with Wide Eye Tour company. Fantastic hotels, mini cruise, motorbike and Jeep tours, cooking lessons, boat trips, pick ups and transfers that all ran like clockwork and made the most of our time. Excellent Value and great fun. X

Date of experience : 05 March 2024

Out of this world holidays perfectly planned for your family!

We went to our travel counsellor Nic with a time of year we wanted to go on holiday and some very vague requirements! She gave us some ideas of locations and when we had chosen one (Borneo), she got to work on a number of itineraries for us to choose from. At every step of the way she was incredibly helpful. We are very fussy and she planned the perfect holiday for us. She did ALL the legwork and it was just for us to say yes or no to her suggestions. Every little thing was thought about. The holiday consisted of four sets of accommodation, 6 flights and numerous trips and excursions. Everything ran like clockwork. At every stop there was a driver and/or tour guide to meet us and the accommodation suited us down to the ground. She planned the perfect trip for us. I trusted Nic so much (from previous holidays that she had booked for us) that I didn’t even look up the hotels beforehand!!!! I cannot rate her highly enough and we are already talking about our next adventure.

Date of experience : 11 March 2024

Safari and beach holiday

Our counsellor Michelle listened to our dream and made it a reality. All connections and pick ups ran smoothly and she sent reminders and was on hand if we needed her. This was very reassuring for us. We will be using again and can highly recommend.

Highly recommend Louis Morris! Fantastic service and knowledge!

Booked my 5th holiday with Louis and it gets better each time! Great service, great response time on any enquiries and has a wealth of knowledge. I cannot recommend Louis enough! I will be booking with Louis again Very helpful in pulling trips together and offering advice on things to do and see

Date of experience : 09 March 2024

We wanted a bespoke holiday in Thailand…

We wanted a bespoke holiday in Thailand and that’s exactly what we got, from private cars to collect us to a first class hotel the holiday went like clockwork. We could not fault this company and will certainly use them again in the future.

What Slow Travel Is and Why You Should Try It

A personal perspective: when you do slow travel, your trips become more exciting..

Posted March 25, 2024 | Reviewed by Abigail Fagan

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I always wanted to be like explorers Marco Polo or Ibn Battuta. They traveled the world with wide eyes, curiosity, and a desire to share with others the marvels they discovered. Everything was new, fresh, and surprising, and they were constantly learning and having unexpected experiences.

They had no Internet, guidebooks, social media , blogs, vlogs, reviews, or slideshows. And with so much information available, how can one possibly be like these travel writing pioneers?

The answer may shock you as it did my travel journalism students. I plan nothing in advance except for a place to stay, especially for the first few nights. I just show up in a place and let it reveal itself to me on its own terms. And how does that work out? I have contributed to 130 international publications with articles about what I discovered.

I do not recommend this approach to everyone. But what I do suggest is that you give up your desire to have everything planned in advance. That you stop obsessing about all the trip details and trying to make it a perfect trip. Whether you are traveling with a tour group, friends, family, or solo, leave unstructured time so magic can happen. To me, travel should be transformative. It should lift you out of your daily life and transport you to a place where the food, the language, the customs, the culture may be different from yours. And that’s where the excitement begins.

Many people I know approach travel like a job, and a stressful one at that. They scour the Internet, read what everyone else says, plan a detailed itinerary, and make reservations. They want to make sure they cover all the bases and don’t miss anything. But in my opinion, they are missing a lot if they bring all of their information and expectations to a trip before they’ve even gotten on a plane or into their car. They replicate what others have done before them and check each site off on a list.

So how do you make your trip unique? I call it slow travel. It’s not just about slowing down. When you decelerate, your trips get more exciting. Instead of running from place to place, you look around you, you take your environment in, you notice things that perhaps no one has ever noticed before. And you start talking to people. Random people you meet and talk to are a key element you cannot plan for. They may tell you about places and events that will enrich your trip. They give you local insider tips. They may even accompany you or invite you to join them for an experience. They have enriched every trip I have taken. And the more you talk to people — even if you are shy — the more you develop the self-confidence to do more of it. And then you are really in the present, having an experience that is uniquely yours.

During the pandemic, my husband — a photojournalist — and I couldn’t travel around the globe like we always did, so we regrouped. We decided to travel around New Mexico, where we live. And we would look for special experiences.

We did this for two years. The experiences were artistic, historical, and culinary. We went on special hikes, attended indigenous ceremonies, met healers, naturalists, ecologists, and the manager of a natural wildlife refuge. We picnicked inside an ancient volcano. We saw the tracks of animals who lived tens of millions of years before the dinosaurs. We rode in a lowrider. And the question we always asked was, can other people do this as well?

If the answer was yes, we included the experience in our new book, Slow Travel New Mexico: Unforgettable Personal Experiences in the Land of Enchantment. The name of the book includes New Mexico, but the slow travel lessons are applicable anywhere.

It was a dream of mine to teach readers how to do slow travel. And now it’s a reality.

Once people ditch their over-planned approach to travel, who knows? They may even begin to consider changing their over-planned approach to life.

You don’t have to travel halfway around the world to have an exciting, meaningful trip. It can happen every time you leave your house, even to go to the grocery store, or when you visit the town next to yours. Start with talking to people — really talking with them — and you’re already well on your way.

Judith Fein is an award-winning international travel journalist who has contributed to 130 publications, the author of three books about transformative travel, an inspirational speaker, and an opera librettist.

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