About Me

I said to someone when I was 23 that I just needed to go to the UK and discover my roots, once I do this trip I will be happy and won’t want to travel anymore, well that was 29 years ago and needless to say, the rest is history!

Travelling opened my eyes to the world and I had a fantastic travel agent experience, so it seemed only natural that was what I should do on my return from my first trip. I have been very fortunate to work for some great companies over the years. So not only do I have a retail background I also have extensive experience in the wholesale side of travel. I have escorted trips myself all around the world, so can help you plan a trip with friends or perhaps your special interest group. Some of my favourites were my trip to Cuba and Mexico which was musically inspired as I played the ukulele. The first time I took a music trip was to Hawaii and we performed at the international festival – so much fun 😊

Friends tell me that my passion for travel is contagious, some of my favourites places are Nepal, Egypt, Italy, Malawi, Borneo, Patagonia and Slovenia just to name a few, as I have been to over 50 counties and some more than once.

I particularly like small group travel as a shared experience really is something special. However, it is about variety and sometimes you just want to travel with your own people and I get that as well. Before Covid I travelled with my husband Wade and children Josephine then 11 and Oscar 9 and we did a four-month trip starting in Egypt and then continued travelling around Europe for nearly four months. It was amazing as we did things I would never have done if we travelled on our own. Covid has given me a new reflection on what is important to me in relation to my travels, I have a passion for textiles and the arts, I am excited about my textile workshop and tour to Geelong next year.

So, if you are into Adventure destinations or perhaps just a breakaway to charge your batteries or what to have an experience style holiday, then please come talk to me as I would love to help create your dream holiday.

Live, dream and experience travel – then you will always have something interesting to talk about.

Why Use A Travel Broker?

  1. I have access to a huge range of travel specials and deals.
  2. I’m a one stop shop for all travel. Flights, cruises, tours, rental cars – I can book it all.
  3. I’m your travel troubleshooter. If you run into the unexpected, call me. I’ll get it sorted.
  4. I’ll come to you – I’m happy to meet you at a cafe or after hours to chat about your plans.
  5. I’m a local business, not an anonymous website or company based halfway around the world.

If you have any travel plans, or if you’d like a quote, please get in touch – I’m happy to help!

Affiliations

Joanne Saunderson an independent affiliate of NZ Travel Brokers – A Virtuoso Member.

My Trips

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Testimonials

Jo was very supportive in helping us to plan and book our trip to Europe, even contacting us when she heard there was train strike that may affect us to make sure we were ok. Definitely recommend Jo to get your travel sorted.

Ann

Jo did a wonderful job helping me to plan my 7 week holiday to Canada and the US in 2022. There were a few hurdles, as it was so soon after the borders all opened up, but she was there to talk me through online declarations, lost phone issues, Covid tests etc. Jo always had my back and I am so grateful for her professionalism and expertise.

Helen

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our 6-day Australian cruise that Joanne had planned. Her excellent communication and problem-solving skills ensured it was a fantastic trip. She tailored every aspect of the journey to our preferences, making us feel valued as clients. Joanne's dedication to customer satisfaction was evident as she kept in touch throughout the trip, ensuring everything went perfectly. Highly recommend Joanne for an unforgettable travel experience! Thank you!

Jek

Joanne went the extra mile for us when we missed our flight out of Nepal. Amazing service from her. Best ever. Helped us get full refund on CoverMore insurance. Just brilliant. Highly recommended. Jo is our first choice for repeat travel arrangements business. 😊

Alan

We’ve recently returned from an amazing three and a half weeks in Europe and Egypt. Jo did a fantastic job coordinating our holiday and managed a tricky change when we had to cancel Israel and decided to visit Egypt instead. It gave us peace of mind as she handled all the changes that we would’ve struggled to do on our own. She was super communicative and worked closely with us on every detail. For Egypt Jo and her contacts on the ground put together a bespoke adventure for us. It was very flexible in that we could choose our hotels and preferences, and more importantly we were thoroughly looked after from start to finish. We loved it. Thanks Jo - couldn’t have done this without you. Your expertise and support were invaluable.

Cameron Family

Jo did a great job of booking last minute tickets when my husband had to return to South Africa unexpectedly and at short notice. She really went above and beyond, giving up her precious weekend time to help us get sorted. She's organised, kind, attentive and has a great sense of humour (extra points for that at a difficult time!) Would highly recommend Jo's services - she's an all round good human being!

Brenda

Joanne has always been amazing to deal with. She is very personable and detail oriented.
When booking a holiday with Joanne, she takes care of everything and if anything changes she is onto it and removes the hassle. Will definitely use again. It's worth paying a little extra to get the peace of mind that Joanne gives us.

Joanie & Brett

Joanne was so helpful with organising my recent trip around Europe - I had never really travelled before so I had a lot of questions and she was always quick to answer

Georgia

Joanne was a pleasure to deal with. She was always super accomodating with changes before settling on the final itenary. Even while on leave, she arranged with a colleague for changes to my return date - which I brought forward. I highly recommend Joanne

Neal