A new year message from Rachelle Matheson, Managing Director of Jigsaw Travel and Mogul Ski World
With a new year now upon us, there remains a lot of uncertainty of when we will be able to travel freely again. As we look ahead to how we will navigate this brand-new world, the only certainty is that travel is going to be a very different experience to what it once was. As such, the work an expert travel advisor offers is going to be more valuable than ever before – personally managing and tailoring holidays, working through the new requirements and processes brought on by the pandemic, and providing peace of mind through their flexibility and agility in working through changing situations.
As an incredibly passionate traveller, I have made this my life’s work. I love the thrill of discovering new and exciting destinations and am always on the lookout for new hotels and experiences that I can share with others. I thoroughly enjoy building relationships and getting to know my clients, figuring out what personally drives them to travel, and planning itineraries that deliver wonderful experiences and long-lasting memories.
A professional travel advisor can be trusted to save time, add value, impart knowledge and industry insights, tailor travel experiences and most importantly, be there for our clients with personalised service through every step of your journey.
Acting as your personal travel concierge, we design tailor-made holidays, not the ‘fast food’ travel packages that are bookable through overseas platforms like Expedia. Our team is a passionate group of trained destination and product experts, who know how to sort through the myriad of information available to deliver the best advice and recommendations, before pulling everything together into a detailed and comprehensive itinerary. We often say to our clients that they can throw us their travel wishes and let us create their dream adventure. We manage ALL bookings, confirmations and visas, meaning our clients can literally just pick up their bags and go. This is just something that cannot be achieved via a ‘book now’ button on a website.
Just as important as our client relationships are the global professional networks and strong relationships we hold with our travel industry partners. I am a firm believer in firsthand knowledge when it comes to travel advice, and ensure all our advisors have the opportunity to meet suppliers, visit hotels and resorts, and test out tours and experiences.
Our relationships and memberships with numerous invitation-only travel industry groups and global luxury hotel groups entitle us to offer our clients a VIP travel experience all over the world. Exclusive access and amenities including room upgrades, spa and dining credits, rare experiences, VIP surprises and early check in / late check outs are just some of the added benefits our relationships can unlock for our clients.
Our knowledge, experience and connections also mean we are well equipped to work swiftly through any unforeseen challenges or problems, acting as our clients’ personal travel advocate. If a flight is delayed or cancelled, if something needs to be rescheduled, if a supplier ceases to trade, or a natural disaster or personal accident occurs, we can work through the problem in a timely manner, removing hassles or unforeseen stress.
While last year was unexpected and incredibly challenging for our team, we took the opportunity presented by the down time to look at where we wanted to be as a brand and a business. We banded together, updating our product knowledge, attending virtual conferences to stay educated on what the future of travel will bring, we put our energy into launching our new website for Jigsaw Travel, updated our booking platform for Mogul Ski World and as always, made sure to keep our clients inspired with regular communications, travel trends and holiday wish lists for future planning.
If you haven’t previously had the pleasure of working with a dedicated, professional travel advisor who genuinely cares about you, your family and the travel experiences they create, I hope we can provide that for you this year.
May 2021 bring us all joy in new discoveries, the thrill of adventure, a deeper love and appreciation of travel, and most importantly, health and happiness for the world.
Best wishes,
Rachelle