Welcome to Kaewa Travel
My passion and intrigue for travel started when I was 9 years old during a family trip to the USA. We were driving on the wrong side of the road, their chemists (drug stores) doubled as souvenir shops and the medium coke at McDonalds was about 2 litres! I clearly remember thinking to myself “does this mean that every country in the world does things differently to New Zealand?” Now as an adult travelling with my own kids, I am still as excited as 9 year old me was every time I head to the airport ready to explore somewhere new. Its this excited feeling that has created my love for selling travel - I want every Kiwi to feel it!! The thought of learning about a new culture, the history of a country, hanging out with the locals, experiencing new food, action packed activities, stunning beaches, wild jungles and shopping in pokey markets or humungous malls is enough to get my blood pumping with enthusiasm – but more importantly, being humbled by the struggles and achievements of other countries and the gratitude learnt through travel is priceless!
Leisure travel is an integral part of my business and even after selling travel for over 20 years I still get a thrill out of planning the perfect itinerary for my clients. Whether it’s a single traveler, a couple, a family or a group of friends I take the time to really listen to what my clients want and offer options based on a combination of their needs and my personal experience.
Group travel is something that not all travel consultants enjoy booking – the process is quite different to leisure bookings and can be overwhelming but I love it – booking group travel is absolutely my thing!! A group travel specialist needs to have super efficient processes in place and also knowledge on great ground operators who can help create a seamless experience for their clients. I have this! The biggest kick I get from booking groups though, is that more often than not, someone in the group will be experiencing travel for the first time. Lots of kiwi families just don’t have the means to travel so being given the opportunity to be part of a school group, cultural group or sports team also gives them the opportunity to experience life outside of their local environment. One of my best clients went to Canada as a 16 year old, 14 years ago and after being bitten by the travel bug she has travelled every year since! Its been interesting to see how her need for comfort has changed over the years too 😉
Over the years I have been fortunate to have visited a number of countries around the world including living in Rarotonga with my husband and kids for 12 months. On family trips we often get spoilt staying in fancy hotels and eating at top restaurants. When it comes to my own family trips, like lots of families, we need to save our money and make sacrifices to make it happen. Whether you are a 5 star traveler or get around on a shoestring budget, I’m your girl! I get that travel is a privilege no matter your background and I work hard to give all my clients the best possible experience!