Chris Scott - TravelManagers

Chris Scott - TravelManagers With 20+ years of experience in travel, I help turn your dreams into reality. Contact me today! I love working in travel!

From Tuscany's vineyards to the cosmopolitan streets of Paris and everything in between. Hello, I’m Chris, one of TravelManagers Australia's personal travel managers. I’m a corporate travel expert with over 20 years of industry experience. A love of travel was first sparked on a family trip to Thailand as a child and after 8 years working in FMCG (Woolworths), in 2002 I saw a job advert for Flight

Centre, took the chance and the rest is history! I have spent the last 20 years gaining a wealth of industry knowledge with various TMCs working across sectors including mining (resources and oil & gas), marine, finance and engineering. I now run my own business, partnering with TravelManagers Australia, assisting businesses to get the most out of their travel program, and helping travellers plan their dream holidays. Being able to share my knowledge with clients and assist them with what they need, after 20 years in the industry, that feeling of achievement when you get a win for a client never goes away.

🚨 One of the strongest travel promotions I’ve seen in quite a while has just been EXTENDED until 3 June.Inspiring Vacati...
28/05/2026

🚨 One of the strongest travel promotions I’ve seen in quite a while has just been EXTENDED until 3 June.

Inspiring Vacations currently has selected tours discounted by up to 40% — and judging by how quickly some departures are selling, travellers are definitely paying attention.

Now normally, I’m not someone who pushes sales just because there’s a percentage sign attached to it… but there are some genuinely excellent itineraries in this campaign for travellers who value:

✨ immersive experiences
✨ small group journeys
✨ seeing more than just the tourist highlights
✨ good value without sacrificing the experience

There’s a really broad mix of destinations and styles included, from cultural touring through to deeper-dive itineraries for travellers wanting something a little more meaningful and less rushed.

I also really like some of the newer “Japan in Depth” programs, which are designed more for repeat visitors or travellers wanting to go beyond the classic first-time Japan route. Perfect for those who prefer slower, experience-rich travel.

A few tours are already starting to sell out, so if something has been sitting on your “one day” list… this may be the moment to seriously look at it.

If you’d like help narrowing down which itineraries are actually worth considering (and which suit your travel style best), book a consultation with me and I’ll help you sort through the options properly.

📩 Send me a message to chat.

Planning a first trip to Japan is basically a full-time hobby (or job in my case 😁). Even though I know a little bit abo...
25/05/2026

Planning a first trip to Japan is basically a full-time hobby (or job in my case 😁). Even though I know a little bit about Japan, I realised how much I don't know!

One minute you’re researching hotels in Tokyo…

…and suddenly it’s 11:47pm and you’re watching a YouTube video ranking the best egg sandwiches from Japanese convenience stores.

Things I’ve researched this week:

🚅 Which side of the train has the best Mt Fuji views
🍜 The “must-try” ramen chains
🏪 Which convenience store has the best snacks (gluten-free, of course!)
💴 How much cash do you need in Japan
🎌 Japanese train etiquette
🛍️ Vintage shopping in Tokyo (for my daughter)
☕ Best coffee in Kyoto
🦌 Whether the Nara deer are actually friendly (jury still out)

Meanwhile, my browser currently has approximately 437 tabs open (sound familiar?).

Planning Japan feels less like organising a holiday and more like preparing for an expedition.

And honestly?

I’m loving every minute of it.

If you’ve been to Japan before, what’s the ONE thing you think first-timers absolutely need to know?

One thing we absolutely HAD to do while we’re in Japan…Go to the baseball ⚾🇯🇵We’ve just booked tickets to see the Yomiur...
22/05/2026

One thing we absolutely HAD to do while we’re in Japan…

Go to the baseball ⚾🇯🇵

We’ve just booked tickets to see the Yomiuri Giants take on the Chunichi Dragons at the iconic Tokyo Dome.

Neither of us has ever been to a baseball game before (and honestly… I’m still not entirely sure I understand all the rules 😂), but considering how much Japan loves baseball, we figured this was something we couldn’t miss.

My daughter and I already spend plenty of time together watching AFL and ice hockey back home, so we’re excited to experience a completely different sporting atmosphere together in Tokyo.

Apparently, Japanese baseball crowds are next level:
🎺 organised chants
🥁 nonstop cheering
🍺 stadium food and beer
⚾ passionate fans
🎉 incredible atmosphere

Safe to say we’ll be fully embracing the experience… even if we spend half the game trying to work out what just happened.

Honestly, this is one of the things I love most about travel.

Not just seeing famous places… but experiencing the things locals genuinely love.

Now tell me…
What’s the one food we HAVE to try at a Japanese baseball game?



📷Photo by Adrian Rios

Alright Fremantle fans… imagine this.The Dockers make the 2026 AFL Grand Final, and you’re sitting at home trying to fin...
20/05/2026

Alright Fremantle fans… imagine this.

The Dockers make the 2026 AFL Grand Final, and you’re sitting at home trying to find flights, accommodation, and tickets after the entire country has had the exact same idea. 😅

Or…

You’re already sorted.

2026 Toyota AFL Grand Final packages are going on sale from 11am AEST on 21 May, and they include:

🏨 2 nights accommodation in Melbourne
🎟️ Level 1 Reserved Seating to the 2026 AFL Grand Final
🍽️ Exclusive Grand Final Eve Welcome Dinner at Marvel Stadium that includes;
🍷 Premium drinks package
🎤 Live entertainment + football panel
🎁 Merchandise pack

Now yes… we know there’s still a bit of football to be played first.

But if you’re a long-suffering Freo supporter, you also know one thing:

You don’t tempt fate by waiting until September. 😂

If finally becomes reality, Melbourne is going to be chaos.

If you'd like details when packages go live, send me a message and I’ll help get you organised early.

Japan looks small on a map.Until you actually start planning it.I can already see how easy it would be to fall into the ...
20/05/2026

Japan looks small on a map.

Until you actually start planning it.

I can already see how easy it would be to fall into the trap of trying to do:
Tokyo + Kyoto + Osaka + Hiroshima + Hakone + Mt Fuji + Nara + Disneyland + Universal Studios…

…all in 7-10 days.

That might look good on Instagram.

But in reality?

It’s a LOT of:
🚅 packing
🚶 navigating stations
🧳 dragging luggage
😵 decision fatigue

One thing I’ve learnt after 20+ years in travel:
You don’t remember the rushed moments.
You remember how a place made you feel.

So for our first trip to Japan, my daughter and I deliberately planned it slower (or as slow as we could, to be honest, it's still a bit rushed for me!).

✔️ 3 nights in Tokyo
✔️ 2 nights in Nagoya
✔️ 2 nights in Kyoto
✔️ 3 nights in Osaka

Fewer hotel changes.
More time to wander.
More train journeys.
More room for the unexpected.

Because sometimes the best travel moments happen when you’re NOT sprinting between landmarks trying to “tick off” a country.

Japan already feels like the perfect place to slow down properly.

And honestly?
I’m very ready for that.

What’s the most rushed trip you’ve ever done?

One question you may be asking about our Japan trip is:“Why are you catching trains between cities instead of flying?”Ho...
17/05/2026

One question you may be asking about our Japan trip is:

“Why are you catching trains between cities instead of flying?”

Honestly? Because the journey is part of the experience.

We could fly between Tokyo and Nagoya, and/or Tokyo and Osaka… but we’d miss the bit in between.

The stations.
The scenery.
The slower pace.
The feeling of actually travelling through a country instead of jumping over it.

And from a practical point of view, trains in Japan just make sense.

🚄 City centre to city centre
🚄 No airport security queues
🚄 No arriving 2 hours early
🚄 No baggage carousel roulette
🚄 Far less stress

For this trip, I really want us to slow down and experience Japan properly rather than rush through it trying to “see everything”.

That’s something I’ve become a bigger believer in over the years:
Less rushing. More experiencing.

I’m especially looking forward to:
• our first Shinkansen ride
• watching the landscape change between cities (and maybe seeing Fuji-san from the train!)
• arriving directly into the heart of each destination

One thing I’m especially excited about is that some of the trains themselves are part of the experience.

Between Kyoto and Osaka, we’re planning to take the Kyo-Train Garaku, a "designer" sightseeing-style train designed to feel more relaxed and atmospheric than a regular commuter service. Each carriage has its own aesthetic (autumn, winter, spring, summer, Japanese garden, tatami)

And between Osaka and Nara, we’re hoping to ride the Aoniyoshi sightseeing train, which also connects Kyoto and Nara. It has these beautiful lounge-style interiors, with seats that look straight out the window, and feels more like stepping into a boutique hotel on rails than public transport.

That’s the kind of travel I love.

Not just moving between destinations as quickly as possible, but actually enjoying the journey itself.

Travel doesn’t always need to be the fastest option.

Sometimes the best memories happen between Point A and Point B.

Which would you choose? Train or Plane?

35 days to go… and after years of helping clients plan trips to Japan, I’m finally heading there myself 🇯🇵On the 18th Ju...
14/05/2026

35 days to go… and after years of helping clients plan trips to Japan, I’m finally heading there myself 🇯🇵

On the 18th June, my daughter and I fly out from Perth for our very first trip to Japan.

We’ll be travelling through:
📍Tokyo
📍Nagoya
📍Kyoto
📍Osaka

…mostly by train, because if you know me at all, that was always going to happen 🚄

I’m excited for:
• the food
• the energy of Tokyo
• quiet mornings in Kyoto
• train journeys between cities
• wandering side streets with no real plan
• seeing Japan through my daughter’s eyes

I’m also slightly nervous about:
• accidentally offending someone culturally
• getting completely lost in Shinjuku Station
• ordering food with my very limited, or non-existent, Japanese (and coeliac disease!)
• whether we’ve planned too much… or not enough 😅

What I’m most looking forward to though, is slowing down enough to properly experience it. Not just ticking boxes.

Over the next 5 weeks I’ll be sharing bits of the planning process, what we’re booking, what we’re learning, and then plenty from the trip itself once we arrive.

So tell me…

What’s ONE thing we absolutely shouldn’t miss in Japan?

🇪🇸 Europe just became even easier with Singapore Airlines ✈️If Europe is on your travel wish list for 2026 and beyond, t...
11/05/2026

🇪🇸 Europe just became even easier with Singapore Airlines ✈️

If Europe is on your travel wish list for 2026 and beyond, there’s some very good news…

Singapore Airlines is expanding its European network with:

✅ NEW flights to Madrid
✅ More flights to London, Manchester, Munich, Milan & Barcelona
✅ Greater flexibility for European itineraries
✅ More premium seating options across the network

The biggest update?
🇪🇸 Madrid becomes Singapore Airlines’ newest European destination from October 2026, operating via Barcelona.

This is fantastic news for travellers looking at:
• Spain & Portugal itineraries
• European rail holidays
• Multi-country trips
• River cruises
• Fly/cruise combinations
• Slow travel through Europe

There are also increased services to:
🇬🇧 London Gatwick & Manchester
🇩🇪 Munich
🇮🇹 Milan
🇪🇸 Barcelona

And one of the best parts of flying via Singapore?
You can easily turn your transit into a proper stopover.

A few days in Singapore is a holiday in itself:
🍜 Hawker food at Lau Pa Sat and Maxwell Food Centre
🛍 Shopping along Orchard Road
🌶 Exploring Little India
🦁 Visiting Singapore Zoo and Gardens by the Bay
🏝 Relaxing on Sentosa before heading to Europe

It’s one of my favourite ways to break up the long journey to Europe while adding another destination and experience to the trip.

For travellers departing Australia, more flights generally means:
✔ Better connectivity
✔ More flexibility with dates
✔ Improved itinerary options
✔ Potentially better availability during busy periods

If Europe is on your radar for 2026 or 2027, now is a great time to start planning early, especially for premium cabins, school holidays, and popular summer travel dates.

📩 Thinking about Europe? Let’s chat about building an itinerary that’s more than just “seeing places” — and actually experiencing them.

Bangkok is one of those cities that rewards you when you slow down.I think a lot of travellers still see it as simply a ...
08/05/2026

Bangkok is one of those cities that rewards you when you slow down.

I think a lot of travellers still see it as simply a transit city. A quick overnight stop between Europe and home. But after returning for the first time in more than 13 years, I was reminded just how much this city has to offer when you actually give it time.

What surprised me most this visit was how modern and easy Bangkok felt.

The metro system was simple to navigate, we felt safe everywhere we explored, and there’s this fascinating contrast between sleek luxury, old neighbourhoods, hidden laneways, street art, markets, temples, and the constant energy of the city moving around you.

One of my favourite parts of the trip was simply wandering through Chinatown and Talat Noi. No real agenda. Just walking, exploring side streets, discovering murals, markets, hidden cafés, river views, and soaking up the atmosphere.

Bangkok feels alive in a way few cities do.

And the interesting thing is… it can be whatever you want it to be.

Luxury escape.
Food destination.
Shopping weekend.
Cultural city break.
Chaotic adventure.
Relaxing stopover.

The mistake I think many people make is trying to rush it.

Bangkok is enormous, and every area has its own personality. Slow down, stay a couple of nights longer than you think you need, and actually experience the city rather than just passing through it.

For us, it was a reminder of how great Bangkok can be.

If you’re planning a Europe trip, Japan trip, or even just looking for a short luxury escape closer to home, Bangkok deserves far more attention than it gets.

There are luxury hotels… and then there are hotels that genuinely make you feel looked after.My wife and I were fortunat...
07/05/2026

There are luxury hotels… and then there are hotels that genuinely make you feel looked after.

My wife and I were fortunate enough to spend a couple of nights at The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok back in February, and it’s a stay that has really stayed with me.

The design of the hotel is absolutely stunning. Elegant without feeling overdone, calm despite being in the middle of one of Asia’s busiest cities, and with incredible views across Lumpini Park and the Bangkok skyline.

But what truly stood out was the service.

From the moment we arrived, every interaction felt warm, genuine, and incredibly polished. A special mention has to go to the concierge team, who went above and beyond helping us when our luggage was delayed. It’s during moments like that where great hotels separate themselves from simply “nice places to stay”.

Breakfast at Lily’s was another highlight. One of the best buffet breakfasts I’ve experienced in quite some time. Huge variety, beautifully presented, and thoughtfully spread out so it never felt crowded or chaotic.

What I loved most about this property is that it manages to feel luxurious while still feeling comfortable and welcoming. That balance is harder to achieve than most people realise.

A huge thank you to Marriott Luxury Brands for the opportunity to experience this beautiful hotel.

If Bangkok is on your radar and you’re looking for a refined, relaxing stay that still places you right in the heart of the city, this is absolutely one I’d recommend.

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Perth, WA

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