Travels With Thea - Travel Counsellors

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Travels With Thea - Travel Counsellors

I’m Thea, a Bristol & Bath based Travel Counsellor creating tailor-made holidays worldwide.

From honeymoons and family adventures to cruises, safaris and bucket-list escapes, I make travel feel seamless, personal and stress-free.

12/06/2026

I am so thrilled to share that I have been selected as a finalist for Touring & Adventure Expert of the Year at The Travel Industry Awards 2026.

Another finalist badge, and honestly, I never take these moments for granted!!

Touring and adventure travel is such a huge part of what I love to do, from small group journeys and wildlife trips to road trips, rail adventures and itineraries that help clients experience a destination in a much deeper way.

To be recognised in this category really does mean a lot.

And with just one week to go until the South West & Wales Awards, it is all feeling very exciting at the moment.

TTG results are not until September, so for now I am simply going to enjoy being shortlisted alongside so many brilliant people in the industry.

Thank you as always to my lovely clients, suppliers, colleagues and everyone who continues to support my business ✨

10/06/2026

My favourite city in the Eastern USA might surprise you…

Pittsburgh.

I visited four years ago and it completely won me over.

Not the obvious USA city break, but that is exactly why I loved it.

Watch to see why it deserves a place on your list.

09/06/2026

I hate to break it to you, but your cabin can make or break your cruise.

And I am not just talking about inside vs balcony.

The same ship can offer a completely different experience depending on where your cabin is, what is above and below it, how close you are to busy areas and whether the upgrade cost is genuinely worth it.

After years of cruising, ship inspections and supplier training, I know cabin choice is not just a small detail. It can affect how relaxed, comfortable and well-positioned your whole cruise feels.

Sometimes the cheapest cabin is perfectly fine. Sometimes it is cheap for a reason.

This is one of the main reasons clients come to me before booking a cruise. I help take the guesswork out of choosing the right cabin, so you can feel confident you are booking the right ship, the right itinerary and the right cabin for how you actually travel.

Planning a cruise? SAVE this before you book, or send it to someone who is tempted to just pick the cheapest cabin.

08/06/2026

SAVE this for planning your next trip to Cyprus 🇨🇾🍇🍷

I have a real soft spot for Cyprus.

Having visited multiple times, explored different parts of the island and spent time properly looking at numerous hotels, this is how I tend to match clients to the right area depending on the kind of trip they want.

📍 Paphos
Choose Paphos if you want easy access to history, ancient sites and harbour life.

🌊 Protaras
Choose Protaras if you want some of the best beaches on the island, clear water and a more relaxed coastal feel.

🍸 Limassol
Choose Limassol if you want chic hotels, great restaurants, marina life and a polished city-by-the-sea feel.

🎶 Ayia Napa
Choose Ayia Napa if you want nightlife, beach clubs and a livelier holiday atmosphere.

🍷 Troodos Mountains
Look towards the Troodos Mountains if you want traditional village charm, wine, scenery and a slower pace away from the coast.

It is why I always say Cyprus is not a one-size-fits-all destination.

So before you book the first lovely-looking hotel you find online, make sure it is in the part of Cyprus that actually suits the trip you want.

Message me if you would like help finding the right version of Cyprus for you ☀️

05/06/2026

One worn passport. A lot of useful lessons.

I was pulling together some of my favourite passport stamps and it reminded me how much my own travel experience shapes the way I work with clients.

Not in a “I have been everywhere” way. More in the sense that every trip teaches you something useful.

What makes a hotel stand out.
How much difference a good guide can make.
When a route feels seamless.
When a destination needs more time than people expect.
When the most obvious option is not actually the best fit.

That is the kind of knowledge that helps when planning for clients. Because two people can ask for the same country and need completely different trips.

The right pace, hotel style, location, route and experience all depend on who is travelling and what they actually want from the holiday.

So yes, these are some of my favourite passport stamps — but they are also a reminder of why first-hand experience is still so valuable when planning travel properly.

Save this for inspiration, or send it to someone starting to think about their next trip.

04/06/2026

Jordan is back on the table for UK travellers, and I am so happy about it.

I travelled through Jordan with G Adventures and have helped clients experience it through both small group and private adventure styles.

Petra, Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea, warm hospitality and a relatively short flight from the UK — it is such a brilliant winter or shoulder season option.

Watch the reel, save for inspiration, and message me if Jordan is on your list ✨

03/06/2026

📌 TL;DR: before you book your holiday directly online, it is always worth asking me to quote it too. You may get the same price, but with a lot more guidance, reassurance and support behind it.

For those who do not mind reading a slightly longer honest post…

Half term has been all over my feed this week, and I already know summer is going to be exactly the same.

Airport selfies, holiday countdowns, pool photos, “finally here” posts… and honestly, I love seeing people making memories.

And yes, sometimes those trips have not been booked through me.

And that is okay.

If you have booked through another travel agent, amazing. I am not here to pinch business, and I will always champion this industry.

But I am going to gently put this out there…

Before you book directly online, it is always worth asking me to quote it too.

Not because everyone has to book with me. They absolutely do not. I completely understand that some people love being fully in control of the planning, comparing every option and booking everything themselves.

But if you are planning a trip and would like the benefit of support, guidance and someone experienced sense-checking the details, I would genuinely love the opportunity to help.

Often, booking with me is no more expensive than booking online, but you get the added benefit of a real person behind the trip. Someone to talk through the options, make sure the price and package make sense, check the details, look at the room types, flight times and location, and help if something changes before or during travel.

With just shy of 13 years in travel and around 75% of my business coming from repeat clients, I like to think I must be doing something right.

Sometimes it is not about finding something wildly different.

Sometimes it is about making sure what you book is the right fit, the right value, and comes with the right support behind it.

So if you are looking at summer, half term, a city break, a cruise, a family holiday or something bigger, send it over.

I would love to help you plan it properly.

You may get the same price, but with a lot more service behind it ✨

01/06/2026

It’s my birthday today ✨

I’m attempting to have a more laid-back working day… let’s see how well that goes.

So today’s social media post is very advanced - one picture 🤣

Grateful for another year of adventures, lovely clients, passport stamps, and getting to call this my job 🌍

29/05/2026

📸 Client Postcards from the Algarve 📸

This lovely group of ladies finally got the girls’ trip out of the group chat and into the sunshine.

The brief was a relaxed escape with good food, plenty of space, a lovely resort feel and the option to get out and about locally.

The logistics needed a little extra thought, as two of the ladies were flying from Scotland and two from Bristol. We also wanted to make the timings work as smoothly as possible, including a Friday evening flight so they did not need to take an extra day off work before the trip had even started.

In the end, we booked them into Cascade Wellness Resort in Lagos, now managed by Domes, staying in a two-bedroom apartment which gave them far more space than standard hotel rooms.

And from their feedback, it sounds like it was exactly the right fit — they loved the spacious apartment and commented on how good the food was at the resort.

Behind the scenes, there was also a wonderful 'little' Ryanair schedule change that decided to throw the original plan off course. Because they had booked a Travel Counsellors package, I was able to get them rebooked onto a Jet2 flight, adjust their transfers free of charge and make sure the disruption was handled as smoothly as possible.

Which is exactly what you want when you are trying to get four people from different parts of the UK to the same place for a stress-free girls’ trip.

Sunshine, good food, plenty of space and the group chat finally made it to the Algarve. If your group chat has been saying “we really need to book something”, consider this your sign 🌍

Huge thank you to the ladies for sharing these beautiful pictures!!

Address

Opening Hours

Monday

09:00 - 18:00

Telephone

+441173270073

Website

https://www.travelcounsellors.co.uk/thea.gillingham/

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