Jane Sedgwick - Travel Counsellor

07/11/2024

Been a bit quiet on here this week. Lots going on, but I've got clients in Andalucia Tenerife, Costa Rica and Dubai right now
Later this month more clients are heading off for an extended trip to Singapore, New Zealand and Fiji, and a couple who live in Spain are off for an adventure in Cambodia.

You're also keeping me busy with family holiday enquiries for next summer, honeymoon to Canada, last minute Xmas break to New Zealand, luxury cruise and stay in the Caribbean, ski holidays, and a corporate travel enquiry has just landed on my desk to travel on Monday!

No chance of being bored at Sedgwick Travel HQ!

Photos attached from Andalucia and Costa Rica
Thanks to Linda and Margaret for sending them ❤️

02/11/2024

Excited to be working with Fiona and Dan from Scotby on their honeymoon to Western Canada in April.

They love the outdoors, they want to have a honeymoon that is filled with as many experiences as possible but don't want the stress of trying to sort it themselves. They've got enough to be thinking about with all the wedding arrangements.

I'll be working with my local agent in Canada to come up with the best possible honeymoon trip for them, and Fiona and Dan can concentrate on just making lots of great memories together.

31/10/2024

I couldn't have put it better myself! Thanks Village Link Carlisle 😊

❄️ As the days grow shorter, it’s the perfect time to escape the winter chill and chase some sunshine!

☀️ Swap the early sunsets and frosty mornings for warm beaches and blue skies. Whether it’s lounging by the pool, exploring new destinations, or simply recharging in the sun, a winter getaway is just what you need to beat the darker days.

☀️ Why not treat yourself to a sunny escape and make the most of the season? Get in touch with Jane and she can take away the stress of booking a getaway!
T: 01697 970001
E: [email protected]

For more information about Jane Sedgwick - Travel Counsellor visit the Village Link Online Directory. (Directory — Travel)

30/10/2024

I'll just leave this here - how many of you are excited to see images like this in your feed?

Got your ski holiday booked yet? 🏂⛷️
If not, what are you waiting for??
Call me ☎️ 01697 970001

Image taken in Banff, Canada

29/10/2024

Some of you may know that I already donate a tree for each person who travels with me. This is done in conjunction with . As my travel business continues to grow (no pun intended), I felt I wanted to give additional support to our local community. I already support Carlisle Youth Zone

Recently I signed an agreement with the lovely Martha Pardoe, so earlier today I took time out to pay a visit to Eden Valley Hospice so they could take my photo! I have pledged to donate £3 per client who travels with me, and earlier this month I donated £90 for my September travellers.

I'm not posting this to get likes or follows, I'm posting this to highlight how much things cost. The £90 that I've recently donated will provide one of the following at the hospice:

Just under 3 hours of specialist nursing care (£33 an hour)
Over an hour and a half of focused bereavement support to support a person who feels lost after the death of their loved one (£54 an hour)
Over 4 days’ worth of nutritious and delicious meals for a patient, made to tempt an appetite (£20 per day)

There are lots of different ways that businesses and individuals can get involved with the hospice, this is my way.

29/10/2024

New Zealand's Top 5 Most Exciting Attractions! 🤩

New Zealand is a land brimming with adventure, dramatic landscapes, and unique experiences. From cinematic movie sets to breathtaking hikes and thrilling jet boat rides, this country offers an array of activities that will leave you spellbound.

Whether you're a nature lover, adrenaline ju**ie, or curious traveller, here are five must-see attractions that capture the excitement and magic of New Zealand.

🧙‍♂️ Hobbiton Movie Set, Matamata – Immerse yourself in the enchanting world of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit with a tour of the picturesque Hobbiton set. A magical experience for movie fans and travellers alike.

🚤 Shotover Jet, Queenstown – Race through the dramatic Shotover River canyons on a thrilling jet boat ride. The high-speed twists and turns make this an iconic Queenstown adventure.

🌌 Waitomo Caves, North Island – Discover the beauty of the glowworm-lit caves on a boat ride or opt for an adventurous black-water rafting experience, floating through the underground caverns.

❄️ Franz Josef Glacier Heli-Hike, West Coast – Take a helicopter flight to Franz Josef Glacier, followed by a guided hike on the ancient ice. This once-in-a-lifetime adventure offers stunning views of the alpine terrain.

⛰️ Tongariro Alpine Crossing, North Island – Known as one of the world’s best day hikes, this 19.4 km trek takes you through active volcanic landscapes, emerald lakes, and dramatic craters. It’s an exciting challenge for adventure enthusiasts.

Get in touch and let me create a bespoke New Zealand adventure for you.

☎️ 01697 970001
📧 [email protected]

26/10/2024

🎿 Celebrate New Year's on the Slopes in Les Deux Alpes! 🎆❄️

Start 2025 with an epic skiing adventure in the beautiful Les Deux Alpes! 🌟 With a large glacier guaranteeing snow all season and over 225 km of slopes, this is the ultimate New Year's escape.

📅 When: 7 nights, leaving 28.12.24
🏨 Stay at Hotel Le Panorama – Perfectly located for easy access to skiing, with full board included and the option to upgrade to all-inclusive for the full experience! 🏔️✨
🏔️ Resort altitude: 1,650m
❄️ Skiing to: 3,568m
🎿 225 km of slopes
🌍 Breathtaking views from the glacier, and a lively après ski scene!

Prices:
✈️ Birmingham – £1,668 pp (Save £150 pp)
✈️ Bristol – £1,768 pp (Save £100 pp)
✈️ Gatwick – £1,638 pp (Save £100 pp)
✈️ Manchester – £1,568 pp (Save £200 pp)

🎉 Whether it’s skiing, snowboarding, or enjoying the nightlife, Les Deux Alpes has it all to ring in the New Year!

✈ Flights and transfers included

☎️ 01697 970001
📧 [email protected]

26/10/2024

Don't forget the clocks go back tonight! Enjoy that extra hour 🕰️💤

As the clocks go back and the days grow shorter, it’s the perfect time to escape the winter chill and chase some sunshine!

Swap the early sunsets and frosty mornings for warm beaches and blue skies. Whether it’s lounging by the pool, exploring new destinations, or simply recharging in the sun, a winter getaway is just what you need to beat the darker days.

Why not treat yourself to a sunny escape and make the most of the season?

25/10/2024

Two things from Sedgwick Travel HQ today.

First - This morning it was my turn to give a presentation to fellow female business entrepreneurs at the Carlisle meeting of . Thanks to Mary Ballard for hosting and for Christine Courtney for running a relaxation session before I took to the floor. I've been a member of Pink Link for a while but my first meeting at Cumbria Wildlife Trust at Gosling S**e at Houghton, nr Carlisle. A great venue for meetings.

Second - and for me personally this is huge. Yesterday evening I reached £3Million in sales since starting my travel business in December 2017. 🍾 I'm seriously happy and proud in equal measure today.

That was from zero client base, no high street travel agency back ground, no sales background. So how? 37 years of experience in the travel industry working on the operations and product side of the business plus passion, enthusiasm and many, many hours of hard work. I couldn't have got here without the help from my team members Hayley, Alex, Kim, Mel & Alexa, nor without the phenomenal support from Travel Counsellors colleagues in Manchester. Nor could I have done this without the ongoing moral support from hubby Pete. I think he feels it just as much as I do when things don't quite go to plan. He claims he is my business advisor, I mostly listen 😊

Most of all, thank you to each of my clients who have put their trust in me to sort your holidays and business travel. Even if you haven't yet booked with me, but referred me, liked and shared my posts, it's all helped get me here. Thank you so much 🙏

On to the next million!

If you want someone with years of experience to sort your next travel arrangements, I'd be delighted to hear from you

☎️ 01697 970001
📧 [email protected]

24/10/2024

I really recommend this winter activity trip to Tromso, I did it a few years ago, and the whole experience is magical.

*Gateway to the Arctic, 4-Night Tromsø Winter Experience*
_4 nights | private tour_

🐋 Enjoy whale watching from a unique perspective by hybrid-electric ship
🐕‍🦺 Meet the Huskies and go on a sled ride into the Arctic Wilderness
🌌 Witness Earth's most magnificent light show, the Aurora Borealis
♨️ Relax under the stars in a private outdoor hot tub experience

*EasyJet flights*
LGW 13 Jan 2025 from £2159 pp
MAN 14 Jan 2025 from £2129 pp

Includes:
4 night's bed & breakfast accommodation
Private airport transfers
Guide for all organised activities
Northern Lights Chase (approx. 7-8hrs)
Dog sledding trip (approx. 4-5hrs)
Silent Whale Watching by hybrid-electric ship (approx. 8-9hrs)
Private 2hr hot tub experience
transfers between hotels and for activities

_*Price from based on 2 adults sharing travelling on 13 Jan from Gatwick or 14 Jan 2025 from Manchester.

Dates can be tailored to suit you

☎️ 01697 970001
📧 [email protected]

24/10/2024

Great feedback just in from my solo traveller who has returned from Morocco

'Jane Sedgwick at Travel Counsellors offers the most amazing, personalised service I have ever encountered. She has a vast wealth of knowledge which she uses to make sure the trip is just right for the individual. She is patient in ascertaining exactly what is wanted and so enables her to tailor the perfect package. She recently used this expertise to design a solo package for me and gave me the confidence to embark on a holiday of a life time. Perhaps as important, she is also there to help when complications hit. When I had to cancel a holiday at very short notice earlier this year her calm confident help smoothed out the administrative issues for me. I would not travel without using Jane at Travel Counsellors and unreservedly recommend her.'

If you want this kind of service when planning your next holiday or business trip, do get in touch

☎️ 01697 970001
📧 [email protected]

22/10/2024

I'm still getting enquiries for Lapland (searching for Santa type pre-Xmas breaks) and to be honest, it's a bit late now for this November/December. There are small pockets of availability but you need to flexible, and it's likely to be over weekdays rather than over a weekend.

Now's a great time to be planning ahead for next winter. Here's what you could be looking forward to:

Stay in a unique, first-class setting in the magical winter wonderland of Finnish Lapland. Visit Father Christmas, and meet the reindeer up close. Take a reindeer safari in the sparkling snow and try snowshoeing, then spend your evenings gazing in awe at the dark sky hoping to see the brilliant colours of the Aurora Borealis. Dogsledding and snowmobiling also possible.

Get in touch if you'd like to get next Xmas sorted and see those little faces light up!

☎️ 01697 970001
📧 [email protected]

22/10/2024

Did you know that I can arrange zoom calls or in person meetings if you prefer?

Clients contact me via any method that suits them. Email, phone call, WhatsApp and LinkedIn or Facebook/Insta messages are great for quick questions and answers, but when clients contact me with a new enquiry, especially one of a complex nature, I like to have a chat to establish what kind of trip they are thinking about. It's all part of building up trust and developing a relationship before I even start working on a quote.

Last night I was on a zoom call with a couple who were making final tweaks to their Canada itinerary. This morning I was meeting new clients in Wetheral at The Posting Pot to discuss their plans for a month long trip to New Zealand which would include some time staying with family in Auckland.

I'll then take my time to come up with what I think will be the best itinerary to suit my clients requirements.

Diana and John who I met this morning have just messaged and said 'So lovely meeting you and I now feel genuinely excited about the trip instead of just anxious and nervous'.

Lovely meeting you too, and the cake (which I brought home for lunch) was great too!

If you're someone who prefers a zoom or a face to face chat about your holiday plans, let me know and I'll see what my diary is looking like.

☎️ 01697 970001
📧 [email protected]

17/10/2024

Following on from my 2 days at the Association of Touring and Adventure Suppliers conference (ATAS) in Leeds, I just wanted to highlight some holidays that clients are currently enjoying

Douro river cruise with pre and post stays in Porto

Small group adventure tour in Brazil including Salvador, the Amazon, Pantanal Iguazu Falls and Rio de Janeiro

Adventure tour of Morocco for solo female traveller visiting Casablanca, Rabat, Meknes, Fes, Volubulis, Chefchaoaen, Sahara Desert, the Atlas Mountains and Marrakech.

You see and experience so much more on a small group adventure tour, as well as ensuring local communities benefit from you being there.

17/10/2024

Heading home after a fabulous time at the ATAS conference in Leeds.

Great to spend time with like minded TCs and suppliers.

Key takeaways:
Adventure and touring holidays are outpacing the rest of the industry especially in the 18-35 and over 50s and solo females

Major challenges: overtourism in certain destinations, Geopolitical situations and climate

Solution: book an adventure or touring holiday where you get off the beaten track, stay in independent hotels, use local transport instead of short flights, and ensure your tourist spend supports local communities. Travel when it's cooler.

We won an award! I didn't win any prizes but still had a great time 😊

15/10/2024

On my way to Leeds for the ATAS 24 conference. Looking forward to it.

14/10/2024

This is just a heads up that I'm away in Leeds from tomorrow lunchtime (Tuesday) until Thursday lunchtime.

I'm attending the which has become an annual fixture on my calendar. This is where I get to find out about all the latest trends in the Adventure Travel and Touring holidays sector, meet with our fabulous supplier partners like Intrepid Travel, G Adventures, Riviera Travel, Travelsphere Holidays & Just You, Silversea Expedition Cruises and many more. I'll be networking with other like minded agents who just love selling this kind of travel, and as an Ambassador for the Adventure and Touring sector within the Travel Counsellor community, it's really important that I'm there.
I'm also hopeful that I might win a prize 😊

Adventure means different things to different people. I've got a couple of solo ladies on adventure trips right now - one in Brazil with Explore, and one in Morocco with Intrepid Travel. It doesn't have to be full on high- octane stuff, but it can be if that's what you want. it can be a gentle exploration of the beautiful Amalfi Coast or an easy cycle ride in a small group through the vineyards of France. The one thing it isn't is lying on a beach, or by a pool in an all inclusive hotel.

I'd love to know what kind of adventure holiday you want to do. Let me know in the comments.

13/10/2024

Ready to skip winter this year? 🏝️ Feel the sand between your toes and the sun on your skin in some of the world's most beautiful destinations. Whether it's relaxing in the Maldives, ziplining through the rainforest in the Caribbean, or exploring Thailand, I can find the perfect winter sun getaway.

Get in touch with me today and you'll soon be chasing the sun! ✈️🌞

☎️ 01697 970001
📧 [email protected]