Your team of expert Advisors
What gives us an added dimension is the hundreds of priceless years of travel experience of our Leisure Advisors.
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Jamie Strickland, General ManagerJamie is dedicated and proven leader that is results driven and people focused. With over 23 years in experience in the travel industry, Jamie’s passion for travel and innovation are key drivers of his success. Jstrickland@conciergetraveller.com.au. |
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Erika Affolter, Advisor Erika has many years of experience designing personalised travel programs for her clients. Born in Switzerland she speaks German, Swiss German, French and English. Naturally she is an advocate for all things Swiss but her knowledge of Europe and the world is extensive. A brief stint as a tour guide added another dimension to he travel talents.When not buried in autobiographies and general non-fictional books, Erika adores a lazy Sunday breakfast in a favourite eatery and the very Sydney appeal of coastal living. By complete contrast Erika in her teenage years had a skier’s racing licence. She is still an accomplished skier who remains enormously enthused about skiing and loves nothing better than a black run. She is the obvious choice of Advisor to consult about inside information on the best European pistes.An indefatigable traveller, Erika has fondest memories of the powerful landscapes and endless horizons of Namibia. The Skeleton Coast there is wild and remote and she remembers travelling for several days in that area without seeing another person. It is a place she would return to in a heartbeat.Greatly differing cultures and scenery will always remain her passion as will realising professionally planned and executed journeys for her myriad of happy clients.Contact Erika at eaffolter@conciergetraveller.com.au |
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John Chekian, Advisor Born in Armenia, raised in Africa, Syria and Lebanon and an immigrant to Australia with his family in 1965, John speaks Armenian, French, Arabic and, of course, English. His knowledge of ancient civilizations and their contemporary faces is incomparable. However, it is a heritage of the rich culture and history of the Armenian people that underpin his values. He is a man whose empathy and gentility are a foil for his passion and dedication as a travel Adviser.History and landscapes equally fuel his enthusiasm for travel and he has forged relationships with professional travel colleagues in some of the unacknowledged but stunning destinations on the planet. He is expert at revealing what is splendidly attractive about little known places, how to get there in the most efficient manner and how to best appreciate a place. He reads compulsively about world history, travel, geo-politics and current affairs.Music, movies, concert DVDs and art are also his passions and John appreciates all the finer things in life.Western Canada and the Rocky Mountains have left the most indelible impression on him in his personal travels but John likes nothing better than being able to inspire repeat and prospective clients no matter where they choose to travel. Making a reality of their dreams is his life’s passion.If charming and efficient politesse is what you seek in a travel professional, John fits the bill.Contact John at jchekian@conciergetraveller.com.au |
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Elisabeth Greider, Advisor Elisabeth has spent more than 30 years in the travel industry and is one of Concierge Traveller’s most experienced and savvy consultants. Her enormous entourage of repeat clients is unswervingly loyal and they accept her suggestions and advice without question in most instances. Her professional approach to dealing with clients, established or new, is a given and she has an enormous volume of long-standing, loyal clients.Switzerland is where she was born so she speaks French, German, English, Italian and Spanish and she knows the best aspects and secret corners of almost every Swiss city, recommended places to stay, to eat, the most interesting sights, where to shop, and if necessary, the best private guides in the travel business.Contact Elisabeth at egrieder@conciergetraveller.com.au |
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Julie Richards, Advisor Julie is one of our vastly experienced and well-travelled Cruise Masters. Born is Sydney but with a childhood spent in Vanuatu, she speaks French and has worked, inter alia, for the chairman of a wool and pastoral firm before dipping her toes completely into the travel ocean.As avid a reader as she is a traveller, Julie loves to take a leaf as well as a leap from the pages of what she reads into the real world. What she has devoured in biographies, novels and non-fiction tomes has taken her to the most fascinating places on the planet.In the recent past she has travelled in Oman (to her great delight) and taken a train ride from Russia to Mongolia that left her with an abiding passion for wild, vast and very different landscapes.On a more intimate scale, she also takes great pleasure in walking through the most well-loved and famous streets across the world, whether famous through history, legend, film or television. She adores being able to appreciate first hand the buildings and ambience of places long dreamed of. Her next trip will be to Italy, to southern Italy and Sicily.Julie also enjoys the process of carefully making great travel plans for her clients and into this process she transfers all her own expertise and imagination.Whilst her least favourite aspect of travel is airport check-ins (and don’t we all understand that?) it will be no surprise to hear that she never leaves home without a great book to read.Contact Julie at jrichards@conciergetraveller.com.au |
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Mary Ann San Roman, Advisor Naturally, as Mary Ann was born in Lima in Peru, her Spanish skills are perfect! Her whole professional life has been dedicated to travel and making great ideas become a successful reality.It has always been Machu Picchu that has remained her once-in-a-lifetime, favourite place to visit. If time and money permit, she always encourages clients to make the effort to go there. Mary Ann is easily able to relate its many visual rewards, its place in history and its stimulating cultural aspects.Outside the office, Mary Ann is an avid walker. She also loves cooking (Peruvian cuisine of course) and having a coffee with friends, most often to hear about their latest travel pursuits. And whilst the talk is of food, one of her most memorable meals of all time came to pass in San Sebastian northern Spain. There, at the Arzak Restaurant, a dégustation meal had her waxing lyrical and now longing to return.Mary Ann’s most admired figure in history is the little talked about Flora Trsitan who was born in 1803 in Paris of Peruvian and French parents. She was an activist, a prolific traveller and the grandmother of Paul Gaugin. Her diaries reveal a woman of great character and a fan of organisation and of travel. In these qualities we see what makes Mary Ann tick. She loves to travel to new places and meet as wide a variety of people as possible, but her most engaging strength is the pleasure she takes in organising trips that will mean lasting pleasure for her clients.Where will Mary Ann travel next? – no surprises there – to Peru for the wonderful food!Contact Mary Ann at msanroman@conciergetraveller.com.au |
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Kerry Thornthwaite - Advisor Kerry has a strong history having worked in the business travel sector for more than 18 years. Kerry enjoys the challenges presented to her in this varied role. Kerry’s focus is on delivering a Concierge service to our clients, whatever it takes.Contact Kerry at kThornthwaite@conciergetraveller.com.au |
