Independent Travel Agent
Hey there.
My name is Melanie and I am an independent travel agent living in Ross-Shire in the beautiful Highlands of Scotland.
I specialise in;
- Touring holidays
- River cruises
- Over 50s solo female travel (including travelling introverts)
- Womens only travel
That said I can help you with any sort of travel!
Here's all you need to know about my role as an independent travel agent and how I can help you find your perfect trip.
What's an Independent Travel Agent?
An independent travel agent is not affiliated to any particular holiday brand or company.
That means I can search all the holiday companies to find the one that best suits you.
Independent Travel Agent
Aren't Travel Agents A Thing of the Past?
You may have thought that the internet killed off travel agents.
Far from it.
Major travel disruptions have helped people to realise the benefit of travel agents.
There is always someone there to help you in the event of any issue.
I do all the hard work searching and planning your trip so you don't have to.
Independent Travel Agent
Benefits of an Independent Travel Agent
Here are the main benefits of using an independent travel agent.
Using a travel agent to book your trip can save you lots of time.
Think about how long it can take to search and plan travel itineraries. You need to find flights that fit your requirements. Then you need to find hotels, how to get there, and things to do while you are away.
If your holiday involves more than one destination then it becomes more complex.
I love the internet for planning travel but it can easily become overwhelming!
That's where I can help.
I can do all that hard work for you. What's great is that you don't pay any more. My fee is covered by the companies I work with.
They pay me - not you.
Here's an example;
A traveller contacted me because they were looking for a holiday in August 2024. They had looked everywhere and not found anything in their budget or where they hadn't travelled before. I found the guest a great river cruise, with no single supplement, including train travel on the Eurostar and TGV, in an upper deck cabin with VIP service. Not only that it was ?500 under her budget.
You wouldn't think of using anyone other than a qualified electrician for doing your wiring, or going somewhere other than a proper hairdresser for a haircut.
Travel is no different - we are the experts because it's what we do every day.
I am a member of Experience it Now Travel.
Exerience it Now is part of the Hays Independence Group.
That gives me access to great suppliers and great deals through the buying power of the largest consortium of independent travel agents in the UK.
Experience It Now Travel are members of ABTA - membership number P7133.
Experience It Now are also members of ATOL - membership number 5534
ABTA and ATOL are really important for holiday protection, in case anything goes wrong or there is major disruption.
Remember, if you buy a flight from one company and a hotel from another they are generally protected.
I am part of a great team and between us we have a wealth of knowledge.
That includes detailed knowledge of travel destinations. It includes knowing great places to stay, fun things to do and all those 'like a local' tips.
No matter how complex your holiday requirements when you book with a travel agent you make one booking, with one point of contact - me!
I can book anything you need from transfers, airport lounges, flights, cruises, rental cars, excursions and more.
If you want to book a touring holiday but want to add a pre or post trip stay, flights and transfers for example - I can do all that for you.
Unexpected things can happen before you travel or while you are travelling. Whatever happens I am there to help you deal with these changes.
If disruption affects your travel I will be there to find a solution and make alternative arrangements for you.
Here's an example;
A couple booked a wonderful trip across Canada, followed by an Alaskan cruise. Not long after booking one of them had an accident at home.
This meant they were unfit to travel. As a result they couldn't get travel insurance before their final payment was due.
I liaised with the holiday companies and found alternative dates for them. This meant their deposit of ?2,000 wasn't lost.
Due to the wonders of the NHS they had a series of medical appointments of Christmas 2024 and were declared fit to travel for April 2025.
I was able to confirm the original booking for them.
Paying for holidays isn't usually fun is it!
However, I can at least make it convenient.
Interest free payment plans mean you can pay a low desposit and monthly payments.
That means there is no big final lump sum to worry about.
My Travel Agent Skills and Qualifications
Independent Travel Agent
Why Book With Me?
Travel is pretty much what I do, and have done for most of my working life.
Actually that's not quite true. It's not just what I do - it's pretty much who I am.
Here's my special areas of expertise.
Independent Travel Agent
Touring Holiday & River Cruise Specialist
Having spent 36 years and taken over 10,000 people on touring holidays and river cruises all over the world I know a little bit about this type of holiday.
That means I can help you find your perfect trip, by combining my knowledge of this type of holiday with your travel needs and requirements.
My understanding of touring holiday itineraries means I can highlight particular areas you might be interested in knowing more about. This might include travel times, excursion details or meal arrangements, activity levels or tour pacing information.
My skills can help you find the perfect touring holiday or river cruise for you.
Read More: My Travel Career and Experience
Solo Female Travel for Women 50+
I fell in love with solo travel a few years ago now.
It's exhilirating and times terrifying - sometimes all at the same time!
I love the sense of accomplishment and I love the freedom of travelling solo.
Now I want to help other women to enjoy this wonderful type of travel.
Women's Only Tours
There are lots of women now travelling, sometimes on their own and sometimes with their friends.
As a result there are now tours and holiday designed specifically for women.
They have female trip leaders and they generally visit female run businesses and organisations during the holiday too.
Independent Travel Agent
Detailed Destination Knowledge
I am lucky to have travelled to some destinations a number of times. This has given me a really good understanding of the destination which can help you when you are planning your visit.
Here are the places I know particularly well;
Australia
I've taken multiple tours to Australia. I've done the 'Best Of' type holidays a number of times, taking in all the main places to visit. I've also done combination tours with New Zealand and more specialised tours such as Wildflowers of Western Australia and an amazing tour that involved driving all the way down the East Cost from Cairns to Sydney.
Australia is an incredible place to visit and I am lucky to have seen so much of this beautiful country.
China
China was the first long haul destination I went to as a Tour Manager, nearly 30 years ago.
I've been lucky enough to visit a number of times. I've done several of the 'Grand Tour' type tours that visit the main destinations. I've also done specialised tours including taking Cambridge University Alumni, a beautiful tour travelling on the waterways of China, and I've done an extended cruise down the Yangtse cruising all the way into Shanghai.
I've taken my guests on the Maglev, to night markets, to local markets and much more besides to help them get a better sense of this fascinating and complex country.
The Azores
When I was first asked to take a tour to this archepelago of islands in the middle of the Atlantic I had no idea where they were!
I've taken around 10 tours to this amazing place, that despite being in Europe and part of Portugal is still a bit undiscovered.
If you want a holiday surrounded by nature, with some of the best whale watching in Europe, that's easy to reach from the UK then the Azores should be on your list.
Shetland
Despite having lived in Scotland for 20 years I had never been to Shetland until 3 years ago. Now I've taken 27 tours there.
Infact, I've taken more tours to Shetland than to any other destination I've visited.
It's been wonderful to see this spectacular place through the year from April to November.
I've really got to know the place and the people which has given me a deep understanding of Shetland.
If you want to experience some of the most stunning scenery, with amazing wildlife, a deep history, fascinating culture and some of the friendliest folk you will meet then Shetland is the place for you.
The Scottish Highlands
I've been visiting the Scottish Highlands for work since before I could even drive, which makes it coming up for 4 decades!
I brought tours up to the Scottish Highlands before I moved here 25 years ago.
The Scottish Highlands continues to amaze and delight me all these years later. It's huge, with every type of scenery you can imagine. It looks different every day and it's full of friendly folk who always have time to say hello.
I've taken guests on all sorts of tours around the Highlands - everything from railway based tours, to extended tours out to the Hebrides and Skye and much more besides.
My Testimonials
I've had some great feedback from guests over the years when I've been a Tour Manager. More recently I have had great feedback from guests on smaller tours that I have done more locally.