Caroline Peers Noakes

Not Just Travel

A lot of my clients are really finding the benefits of using a Personal Travel Consultant at the moment. Clients who book holidays online are not likely to find a phone number/email address to actually contact someone individually, and even if they do, they’re likely to spend literally hours or days waiting on the phone to speak to someone. I’ve personally called all of my clients who were/are due to travel over the spring and summer twice to make sure they were aware of what was happening in the travel industry and how their holiday was affected, but again to update them with when and how things had changed.

I’ve also monitored flights for, and called and texted clients who were abroad when the FCO issued their advice (to avoid travelling anywhere), just to make sure they got home. As well as this, I’ve offered a travel advice service to people in Tonbridge (local to where I live) in case anyone was unsure about their options.

My services are free, and I get the same prices as going direct, so it makes sense to have someone knowledgeable who can do all of this for holidaymakers. I love working in travel and talking to people about their holidays, which is what makes it all worthwhile!

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Story posted in May 2019

I have a passion for travelling, I love learning about the history and culture of different places, and the languages and geography. I love the feeling of independence it gives me when I go off on my own and manage to circumnavigate the globe.
I spent about 4 years backpacking, starting off with a few months in Greece, Turkey and Israel, then 18 months in Egypt. I also travelled for 10 months in Asia, a year in Australia, and 6 months in South America. I visited Africa and New Zealand and North America, and lots of other different places. I just couldn’t get enough, so I started working in travel.

I spent about 6 years working for various travel companies, from Wexas International, Royal Brunei Airlines, and Thomson Direct, to USIT Campus (which was based on a student market), and in between that I would go off on my own different trips. I kept coming back and saving to go again. It was great fun!

Then when I finally came home, I decided to train as a teacher. It was something I had always wanted to do since I was a child. My degree was in English and I loved the imagination of writing and reading, and inspiring that in young people. But, teaching had become so regimented and so full of grammar that over time I got really disillusioned with it. And then my husband told me that the thing that I speak about with the most passion, is travel! I decided he was right, and that as I turned 50 last year, it was time to do something I was really passionate about.

I bought the travel franchise because the challenge lies in the fact that it’s my own business and I have to make it work. I love the variety of the different products I can offer, which is pretty much everything, from cottages in the UK to trips around the world. I can sell anything – you name it. I love that variety, because that’s very much what I did when I was travelling – exploring everywhere, doing everything and I like being able to offer that to my clients. I love planning Itineraries for people as well: it’s fascinating to learn what they would enjoy, but also to plan it for them when they have no idea where to go or where to avoid.

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About the business

As your Personal Travel Expert, I’m here to make planning your next holiday stress-free and easy. Whether you know exactly what you want or need some travel inspiration, I’ll use my knowledge and expertise to create a bespoke holiday you’ll love. From the whole package to those finishing touches such as car hire and travel insurance, I’ve got you covered!

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