World Journeys was founded back in 2007 to meet the demand for specialist skills in tailor-made travel. Our founding Directors have decades of travel experience under their belts, and work hands on, answering the phones and creating itineraries, alongside our experienced and passionate team of Travel Designers.  A dedicated group of travel specialists, we have spent many years perfecting our craft! Some of the team are very specialised in certain areas of the world, but there will always be someone who will gladly assist you wherever you choose to go.

  • Brett Barclay at Saruni Samburu

    Brett Barclay

    Director

    Brett is an inveterate traveller – 120 countries and counting. Recent travels have seen Brett ramble through Italy, sail the islands of Croatia, cruise the great rivers of Portugal and France, a work sabbatical in Qatar and an indepth tour of Ethiopia. Brett loves to share his many travel experiences and counts seeing the gorillas in Uganda, taking part in the Carnival in Rio and snorkelling in the Galapagos Islands as three of many highlights. He also has a passion for cruising and he recently enjoyed  an Antarctic cruise, getting up close to gentoo penguins and whales!

  • Chris Lyons

    Director

    With decades of experience belying his youthful countenance, Chris has been involved in developing unique travel experiences for New Zealanders for many years. Chris has cheerfully escorted groups all over the world and has recently led a small group journey along the ancient Silk Road, hosted our Grand South American Journey, re-discovered his sense of adventure in West Africa, fell in love with the Atacama Desert, and visited Ethiopia for the first time!

  • Kate in Japan

    Kate Couling

    Director

    Kate travelled by motorbike through the UK, France, Switzerland, Spain and Germany, lived for several years in the Middle East and has spent time in Africa, Asia, Canada and parts of South America. Kate revels in journeys involving Egypt, Israel and Jordan, feeding her passion for ancient civilisations and Middle Eastern cultures. Add to that Easter Island, Peru, Colombia and the Kingdom of Bhutan.  Kate recently explored the Manor Houses of southern Ireland.  Clearly the Blarney Stone has had its effect – just you try and stop her talking about it!

  • Davina Bennetto

    Sales Director

    Davina was born in the Channel Islands, and like many of us, her childhood travels led to a life-long passion for travel, and an impressive 19 year career. Davina lives the ‘been there, done that’ life, having swum in the warm waters of Zanzibar, slept under the stars in the Sahara, cycled the Death Road in Bolivia, travelled through the Canadian Rockies and learned to cook in India. Recently, she explored Vietnam, hosted a trip to Japan, and traversed the plains of Africa through Botswana, Victoria Falls and Mozambique – all experiences she will put to good use in her role with World Journeys!

  • Robyn sailing in Cornwall

    Robyn McCormick

    Sales Executive

    From the age of 16 all she wanted to do was travel! A job in travel secured, Robyn saved up and set off at 18 to begin a lifelong obsession with three years in Europe. Venturing to Southern Africa, there were eight weeks travelling from Zimbabwe to Cape Town by motorbike before finally heading home via South East Asia. A fantastic year exploring South America followed soon after. Robyn has made travel a part of her personal and working life, visiting over 40 countries on five continents and living in Germany, France and the UK. Some favourite spots: Cuba (staying with one of Castro’s personal secretaries), the Scottish Highlands, Cornwall, Bolivia, Crete, Tobago, Vietnam and South Africa.

  • Robin Finney

    Robin Finney

    Director

    Originally from the UK and with a background in various spheres of education, Robin has always been a keen traveller and has spent time in Europe, France being his first love. He has also enjoyed Canada, an action-packed small-ship cruise in Alaska, the many iconic sights of South America, and Africa – most recently enjoying an epic two-week journey from Cape Town to Dar es Salaam aboard Rovos Rail. Some of you may know Robin from his hosting of World Journeys tours to both Southern and Eastern Africa, Cuba and Japan. Most recently, Robin enjoyed hosting the 2023 ‘Best of the Med’ and ‘Petra to the Pyramids’ journeys.

  • Sue Hague

    Operations Manager

    I was struck by the travel bug when my older brother won a family trip to Miami Beach at a young age! I have worked in the industry across the UK, Australia and NZ for many years, including working on films, TV and radio, and with music bands as well as corporate and retail travel. I love sharing my passion! I have travelled to all 7 continents and always find it difficult to pick my highlights, but being on safari in Africa and traversing the Antarctic are my absolute favourites. In my experience, the more you travel, the more there is to see and do, and there are always amazing people to meet and share adventures with!

  • Blair Letal in the Falkland Islands

    Blair Letal

    Product & Database Manager

    For a self-confessed city boy, Blair sure has broken the mould, travelling to the remote Falkland Islands, the wilds of southern Africa and many hidden corners of southeast Asia! Born and raised in Canada, he caught the travel bug at the early age of 13 after enjoying a two month long family holiday across Canada. Extensive personal travels, and over 25 years of travel industry experience later, Blair is the perfect fit for his role at World Journeys managing the nitty gritty of our travel portfolio. And where does this city boy want to go next? Antarctic of course!

  • Caroline Clegg

    Marketing Manager

    Caroline, our Marketing Manager has covered all continents bar Antarctica! Highlights? An epic year in Africa, trekking the Inca Trail, the Trans Mongolian Railway, cruising the Galapagos and climbing Mt Kilimanjaro on a significant birthday.  More recently, Caroline has enjoyed luxuriating in the Maharajahs palace hotels of India, the delights of Japan in autumn colours, a small-ship cruise in Alaska and a repeat visit to Namibia, but this time in true World Journeys style!

  • Manu Neves

    Sales & Marketing Coordinator

    Manu was born in Brazil and has always loved exploring new places and discovering new cultures. With over 10 years of experience in marketing and communications, Manu has found at World Journeys the opportunity to combine those skills with her passion for story-telling and her love of travel – lucky us!  Having enjoyed time at university in Colombia, then travelling in Canada, the USA, Europe, Southeast Asia and Japan, we have warned Manu that her bucket list will now start filling up again!

  • Dorothy Chambers

    Travel Designer

    Dorothy grew up in California before moving to NZ in 2000 and has already travelled a lot of the world. She has been to all six continents but especially loves Botswana, Namibia, Oman, Iceland, Faroe Islands, and Chilean Patagonia with Japan probably being her favourite (she has been 7 times already). Her passion for travel, still strong as ever, is pulling her towards Mongolia, Sri Lanka and East Africa which are all next on her list. With 15 years in the travel industry, she brings great experience to the World Journeys team.

  • Tony O’Callaghan

    Travel Designer

    The stats say it all – 40 years working in travel, and over 80 countries visited on 6 continents. Tony’s vast knowledge and experience are second-to-none. Africa is a particular passion, with a favourite moment being canoeing on the Zambezi River. Other wow moments have been had sleeping under the stars in Petra and the incredible sunsets at Machu Picchu and the Taj Mahal. While travelling, Tony is most likely to be found exploring on foot, eating like a local, and soaking up the history.  Recent travels have taken him to the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar – and he’s happy to talk to anyone wanting to go.

  • Jane Bittman

    Jane Bittman

    Travel Designer

    Jane was born and raised in Australia, ending up in NZ via a two-year OE in Europe in her early 20’s. Not wanting her travels to come to an end, Jane studied travel and tourism and found her happy place working in wholesale travel which thankfully required regular travels. Now having visited more than 40 countries, it’s hard to pin her down to favourites, but hot-air ballooning over Cappadocia, and haggling in the souks of Morocco are up there! Talk to Jane about her specialist areas of Asia, the Middle East, Europe and more. Welcome back to travel Jane!

  • Eve Pope

    Eve Pope

    Travel Designer

    We can officially call Eve a Kiwi as she’s lived here for nearly 20 years! Of the 50-plus countries she’s travelled to, stand out experiences include trekking in Nepal, singing on stage in Oaxaca with a Bee Gees tribute act, spotting wildlife on safari in Botswana, dining with a local family in Oman, and visiting the Taj Mahal – which never fails to amaze even after many visits!  Eve’s 25-year travel career has seen her work in wholesale, retail and corporate roles, but we are now delighted to have her breadth of experience (and karaoke skills) here at World Journeys.

  • Zoe Clarke

    Travel Designer

    Zoe brings with her an ambitious “to do” list including Antarctica and Iceland! Having worked and lived abroad in Canada, America and England, Zoe has also explored some the world’s more exotic destinations. Memorable experiences include hiking up to Machu Picchu, cycling the “Death Road” in Bolivia, leading a scout troop along the Appalachian Trail, and luxuriating on a kettuvallum in Kerala, southern India. Very World Journeys!  More recent travels have included exotic Sri Lanka and a memorable trip to Japan where she got engaged.

  • James Blankley

    Travel Designer & Cruise Expert

    James joins World Journeys with a wealth of travel experience under his belt, having specialised in leisure travel at some of New Zealand’s leading travel agencies.  Reflecting his love of spectacular landscapes, James is based in beautiful Queenstown, and considers Scandinavia, Italy, France, Greece and the Med’ in general as his ‘other’ happy places.  With an eye for a more discerning style of travel, and in-depth knowledge of luxury cruising, do get in touch if you need personal recommendations!

  • Jackie Bristow

    Finals Team

    Jackie started her first job with an Australian travel wholesaler more years ago than she cares to remember. She has experience with inbound and outbound travel, cruising, niche product and much more besides. Jackie is particularly passionate about Canada and Alaska but is more than capable to turn her hand to just about anything.

  • Sarah Wilkinson

    Sarah Wilkinson

    Finals Team

    Our resident fashionista, Sarah adds colour and flair to all she does – which includes the gorgeous itineraries our clients travel with! With over 20 years experience in travel, Sarah is also kept busy by three kids, and dabbles in touch rugby and netball when time allows.

World Journeys – Awarded ‘Best Niche Wholesaler’ at the 2018 & 2019 TAANZ Awards