Explore The World With Us

We are motivated and passionate industry professionals, proud to be running a company that’s  100% Kiwi owned and operated. Travel Connections brokers are located in the North and South Islands.

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FEATURED DEALS

Luxury Mekong River Cruising 2023 / 2024

A superb collection of aware-winning river cruises through the rich and compelling beauty of Southeast Asia.

Emerald Cruises offers a superb collection of river cruises on the newly launched Emerald Harmony with only 84 guests.

Various departures from January to December 2023.

Prices start from: NZD$5,420 per person twin share.

Book an “A Suite” and receive free drinks package worth up to $500

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Experience Ultra-Luxury cruising with three great itineraries on Seabourn

Seabourn welcomes you to all-inclusive, luxury cruising refined to its purest form.

Where hand-selected itineraries take you to places beyond the reach of larger ships. Enjoy all the usual luxuries of small ship Seabourn cruising; including World Class Dining, complimentary Beverages throughout the ship, gratuities plus much more.

Inside Passage & Glacier Bay Alaska – 18 September 2023
Thailand, Vietnam & Malaysia – 23 December 2023
New Zealand & Australia -23 December 2023

Prices start from NZ$11,110.00 pp twin share

Exclusive Bonus up to US$2000 ship board credit

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Slovenia & Croatia Coach & Cruise

A special departure from TCNZ member Project Expeditions, fully escorted by our own Roni Little.

Travel by luxury coach from Venice to Split through Slovenia, the Istrian Peninsula and Northern Croatia before boarding our chartered 15 cabin luxury motor vessel to cruise Croatia’s Adriatic Islands.

Tour Dates: 10-24 September 2024 ex Auckland

Highlights & Inclusions
• Return economy class airfares ex Auckland with Emirates (upgrades available at additional cost, please advise when you enquire)
• Travel by luxury coach from Venice to Split
• Accommodation with daily breakfast from Venice to Split plus selected other meals as per the itinerary
• Visit Slovenia’s Postojna Caves & Predjama Castle, Ljubljana’s baroque Old Town and Pletna boat cruise on the lake and sightseeing in Bled.
• Discover the lesser-known inland area of the Istrian Peninsula as well as the coast that still retains its Venetian heritage.
• Regional wine and food experiences including wine tastings in Croatia’s agricultural heartland and an Istian olive oil tasting.
• Cruise the Croatian Adriatic for 8 days from Split to Dubrovinik on the MS Adriatic Queen, with walking tours and sightseeing to explore Trogir, Hvar, Biševo – Vis – Korčula – Mljet – Šipanska Luka/Slano.

From: NZD$12,500 per person twin share

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* Rates and offers are subject to change and availability at the time of holding an option.

MEET THE TEAM

Rick Wood
Project Expeditions

Auckland

(09) 528 7788 or 021 654 462

www.projectexpeditions.co.nz

Project Expeditions - Rick Wood

Rick is a travel broker with 45 years of travel industry experience, based in Orakei, Auckland. Rick is an expert in all facets of travel, from holiday packages, organised tours, airfares, cruises and corporate travel. Throughout his years in the industry, Rick has gained a huge amount of in-depth knowledge on many destinations including the Pacific Islands, Australia, Asia, South America, Africa and Europe - as well as worldwide cruising, to name but a few.

Rick has a particular interest in soft/eco adventure groups, some of which are branded through his trading name of Project Expeditions Ltd which he formed in 1983. During the last 33 years Rick has sent over 70 successful tours to Asia, Australia, India, Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and South America.

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Tasi Afitu Hill

Auckland

027 490 9199

Tasi Afitu Hill

Tasi has been in the travel industry for more than 25 years, journeyed to over 65 countries, experienced hundreds of beautiful sights, met thousands of interesting personalities, eaten lots of amazing food and is proud and thankful for the fact that her passion and enthusiasm for travel only increases each day. Tasi thrives on providing outstanding customer service and developing a rapport with her clients to ensure their trip is the very best it can be.

Tasi's wanderlust for travel was ignited by the AFS exchange student programme, where at the age of 17 she travelled to Quebec. Not only was she fortunate enough to experience another culture but she met 150 other AFS students from all over the world who were sharing the same experience. A few years later, Tasi spent a year in Turkey working as a tour leader on the Fez Travel Hop-off bus in 1997. Tasi rates the dawn service on ANZAC Day at Gallipoli as one of her most memorable travel experiences. Tasi has a love for languages and is fluent in French, English and Samoan. In 2016 Tasi was voted one of three finalists in the National TAANZ Awards for Best Retail Consultant - it was then that she decided to branch out and become a Travel Broker.

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Roni Little

Nelson / Marlborough

(03) 539 1214 or  021 548 747

Roni Little

Roni has an amazing passion for travel and for life! Roni has over 25 years experience and feels extremely privileged to be part of the incredibly exciting travel industry. She has extremely strong industry relationships with all leading New Zealand tourism suppliers and worldwide operators. They provide Roni access to the very best range of travel products including airlines, cruises, coach, rail, walking and cycling.

From Roni’s Nelson based office, at the top of the south island, she designs bespoke and boutique packages, customised to every need for her clients. She prides herself on her high level of attention to detail. Roni understands that planning and researching is an important part of realising her client's travel dreams and she's extremely committed to ensuring that each trip she plans is special and unique. Roni credits her high repeat business to the fact that she always goes the extra mile for her clients, which sees them returning year after year.

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Sue Ketel

Nelson / Tasman / Marlborough

021 545 799

www.nelsontravelbroker.co.nz

Sue Ketel

I live in Wakefield which is in Tasman (or for those in the North Island the Nelson area). For the last 20 years, I have owned and operated my own travel business and with over 23 years in the travel industry I have many years of worldly experience. Many of my clients have been with me since I started in travel, and many are now life long friends, this is how I like to do business.

Over the course of my travel career, I have travelled to many countries (in excess of 42) and have experienced all facets of travel, from travelling on a shoestring to staying in 5-star resorts and travelling with group tours. I particularly specialise in organising and coordinating personalised travel itineraries, and also cater to a wide range of travel needs. It doesn't matter whether it is a business trip or that long awaited dream holiday, you will always get the right advice and price for your travel, but don’t take my word for it read what my many clients have written on my website.

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Samantha Fowler

Auckland

(09) 972 2030 or 0800 500 180

www.cruiseconnections.nz

Cruise Connections - Auckland

We are a team of Cruise and Travel specialists, passionate about cruising and travel in general.

Between our team of 5 we have well over 50 years of experience, product knowledge and multiple Awards which reflect our performance within the very competitive world of travel.

We live by the simple philosophy of creating a better experience for you before, during and after your holiday than you’ll receive anywhere else.

We would love the opportunity for you to experience our exceptional service!

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Libby Stafford

Auckland

(09) 972 2030 or 0800 500 180

www.cruiseconnections.nz

Cruise Connections - Auckland

We are a team of Cruise and Travel specialists, passionate about cruising and travel in general.

Between our team of 5 we have well over 50 years of experience, product knowledge and multiple Awards which reflect our performance within the very competitive world of travel.

We live by the simple philosophy of creating a better experience for you before, during and after your holiday than you’ll receive anywhere else.

We would love the opportunity for you to experience our exceptional service!

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Amber Gilling

Auckland

(09) 972 2030 or 0800 500 180

www.cruiseconnections.nz

Cruise Connections - Auckland

We are a team of Cruise and Travel specialists, passionate about cruising and travel in general.

Between our team of 5 we have well over 50 years of experience, product knowledge and multiple Awards which reflect our performance within the very competitive world of travel.

We live by the simple philosophy of creating a better experience for you before, during and after your holiday than you’ll receive anywhere else.

We would love the opportunity for you to experience our exceptional service!

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Joanne Pett
Travel Connections
Head office

Auckland

(09) 972 2032

Travel Connections - Auckland

Joanne (Jo) joined the team at Travel Connections in June 2018.

Jo’s role as head office support/admin extraordinaire has enabled Travel Connections to continue to grow at an extraordinary rate.

Jo has been in the travel industry over 20 years and worked in both wholesale and retail environments. She is the very cornerstone of our business model and is always finding ways to help our brokers service their clients above and beyond. From sourcing competitive exchange rates, to implementing our own IATA plate. Everything Jo does supports our brokers and enables them to spend more time with their customers.

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Karen Pocklington
Travel Connections

Auckland

021 818 484

Travel Connections - Auckland

I always think I have the best job in the world because I spend my life completing other people's dreams. I've been in the travel industry for more than 30 years and I am fully committed to using that experience to build very special trips for all my clients. My clients range from very experienced travellers to first-time travellers and are all very different in their own way. To me, being a Travel Expert is all about taking the time with every client; figuring out what each of them needs, so I can genuinely prepare the perfect package to fit them. In one day, I could be sending a client to Queensland for a week of adventure rides with the family, to sending a couple on a bucket list trip around Europe! But you can guarantee, that I will have spent both the time and the effort, to ensure each of these trips brings the client great joy.

To me, it's about making each trip special, by handpicking the very best of products that the global network has on offer. We use the thousands of wholesalers who throw big business at airlines, hotels, tour operators, cruise ships, etc - any adventure you could imagine - to create nothing but the best experience possible, and at the best deal possible. That's why my most experienced travellers don't use the internet to book their travel. They come and talk to me.

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Natasha Sinclair
Crafted Journeys

Otago

03 442 4067
or 021 041 8555

www.craftedjourneys.com

Crafted Journeys - Otago

An India and Africa expert, for more than 16 years, Natasha has been helping travellers experience travel that is unique and meaningful. As well as running a successful travel wholesaler business, she is known for her special-interest tours that she personally escorts under her "Crafted Journeys' brand. By joining Travel Connections with Crafted Journeys, Natasha is pleased to be able to offer those that travel with her a safe and seamless experience in the post-covid travel environment.

Natasha will also be working alongside TCNZ member Rick Wood of Project Expeditions. Rick and Natasha share a love of putting together and leading tours that are immersive, insightful to both familiar destinations and those that are well-off the typical tourist trail.

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Our Model

We aim to develop and grow a market leading travel broker model where individual travel brokers own the business, and as such, share in all the benefits and rewards associated with their collective success. The Travel Connections business model is "the more you put in - the more you get out".

Broker/Shareholder enquiries to Sue Ketel
021 545 799 or

Our People

Entrepreneurial and highly motivated individuals united by a passion for travel and service excellence. Strong philosophy of transparency, trust and teamwork among all members. Customer centric and focused on harnessing the collective strengths of the group to create a competitive edge.

Our Customers

We make them feel special every time they connect with us. We are committed to delivering an unparalleled customer experience by providing relevant and high quality personalised products and services to every customer, every time. 24/7 support - personalised support every step of the way.