Meet the team

Oliver is head of our Americas team, which encompasses everywhere from Canada and Alaska in the north all the way down to the tip of Patagonia, and has been part of the team for over eight years. He has been recognised for multiple consecutive years as a Conde Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist for Mexico, Colombia and Chile, but his knowledge extends across all of Latin America. Mexico is where Oliver’s heart really lies, so much so that he married a Mexican and has visited over 20 times. His travels in the region include a backpacking adventure across South America in the early 2000s and a more recent sabbatical across Central America. For Oliver, the love of the region comes from the feeling you get as soon as you step off the plane – you can feel the samba and salsa in the air and the people are warm, friendly and fun. It helps that the continent is as diverse as they come – whether you want mountains, sea, history, wildlife or culture, Latin America has it all.

Jacqui has worked in the travel industry for nearly 15 years, with a decade of that spent at Original Travel. During her time here, she has forged strong relationships with amazing guides, hoteliers and experience providers. She now heads up our Asia & Australasia team, as well as the dive team over at Original Diving. For several years running, Jacqui has been included as a Conde Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist for Indonesia, Malaysian Borneo and New Zealand, although her expertise also spreads to Indochina and Australia. Indonesia is a firm favourite of Jacqui’s, and she has spent months travelling around various islands (by both land and sea), staying everywhere from remote jungle lodges and homestays to boats and some of the world’s best hotels. Food is (quite rightly) a key factor in her travels, and Jacqui firmly believes Southeast Asia has the best street food in the world. The ocean is another huge draw, and conveniently, some of the most biodiverse reefs on the planet are in the Coral Triangle, which connects Indonesia, the Philippines and Papua New Guinea.

Kate is our product manager for Europe and has been at Original Travel for nearly a decade, developing her knowledge of the continent with every passing year. Another Conde Nast Traveler accolade to add to the team, Kate has been named as a Top Travel Specialist for Norway, Greece and Romania for several years running, but boasts expertise spanning the whole of Europe. Kate lived in Norway as a child, and has many happy memories of holidays spent there – from spending summers in a hytte (a small wooden cabin) to skiing in the winter, life was largely spent outdoors. Greece is another firm favourite of Kate’s; from the mainland to the islands, each destination has won her over with its character and history. Before visiting Romania for the first time, Kate didn’t know what to expect, but she was blown away by the history and culture and loved how untouched nature felt. If you want somewhere in Europe that doesn’t ‘feel’ like Europe (and with incredibly friendly people to boot), Romania is Kate’s answer.

Isabel heads up our Africa and Middle East team – which includes a smattering of Indian Ocean islands as well as the mainland – and has been at Original Travel for 18 years, making her one of the longest-serving members of the team. Along with our other region managers, Isabel has been recognised as a Conde Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist for several years running, for her expertise in Morocco, South Africa and Oman. She specialises more generally in sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa and the Middle East, and has travelled extensively throughout the whole region. She loves the variation in each trip she plans, and over the years has organised everything from 50th birthday celebrations and holidays planned around marriage proposals, to multi-generational trips and months-long sabbaticals. A particular favourite of Isabel’s is sending families on their first safaris and adding in lots of special touches to really enhance their experiences, like including personalised gifts for each child. South Africa and Morocco are two of her most beloved countries, and this has even seeped into the decor of her home, which is Moroccan-inspired and adorned with many Berber rugs, cushions and artefacts from her travels.