David Ashworth
I'm based in
Liverpool
Looking for help with your business travel? Find out how I can help here
Luxury, tailor‑made holidays designed around you, with every detail taken care of from first idea to safe return.
Looking for a truly personal way to book your next holiday or business trip? I’m David Ashworth, an independent Travel Counsellor based in the Southport, Formby and Liverpool area, offering tailor-made travel planning with a personal touch.
With access to thousands of trusted suppliers and full financial protection on every booking, I create seamless, stress-free travel experiences designed entirely around you. Whether you're dreaming of a luxury cruise, a multi-stop adventure, a corporate travel solution, or a last-minute city break—I’ll handle every detail with care, precision, and a deep passion for travel.
My clients value quick responses (even outside the usual 9 to 5), honest advice, and support every step of the journey. With me, it’s never just about booking a trip—it’s about building a relationship you can rely on, year after year.
​​​​​​​
Let’s plan something amazing together.
Travel guides
Explore my guides and blogs
Planes, Trains, Football and a New City: A Stuttgart Match Weekend
Every now and then, a weekend away manages to combine all the things you love most. For me that is travelling, exploring somewhere new and, of course, football.
10 Aug 2026 5 min read
Tuscan Road Trip: Castles, Hilltop Villages & Coastal Surprises
Tuscany is one of those places that manages to be every bit as magical as you imagine, yet still full of surprises when you see it first‑hand. On my recent trip I combined a family wedding, a few carefully chosen bases and some relaxed driving to explore castles, medieval hill towns, spa villages and even the Tuscan coast. This blog brings together both parts of that journey as a complete road‑tr
12 Jun 2026 8 min read
Copenhagen & Malmö: A Perfect Two Country City Break
First Impressions & A Great Base My journey began with an easy flight into Copenhagen and a short transfer into the city. I based myself at CABINN City, a centrally located hotel that is simple, clean and compact: ideal when the focus of your trip is to be out exploring rather than spending long hours in your room. For many city breaks, a convenient, reliable base like this works very well. From t
18 May 2026 4 min read
Brussels & Brugge
Brussels to Bruges: Four Days, Two Cities, One Perfect Journey If you are looking for a short European break that feels rich, varied and wonderfully easy to navigate, pairing Brussels and Bruges by rail is a fantastic option. In just four days you can experience the buzz and bold architecture of a capital city, then unwind among canals, cobbles and fairy‑tale views in one of Belgium’s most pictur
26 Feb 2026 6 min read
A Short Break in Becici, Montenegro: Adriatic Allure at Hotel Montenegro
Tucked between lush mountains and the shimmering Adriatic, Bečići is where Montenegro’s natural beauty truly takes centre stage. My stay at Hotel Montenegro revealed a world of contrasts: tranquil mornings by the bay, scenic walks into Budva’s historic heart, and afternoons spent lounging poolside as the Mediterranean breeze worked its magic. With every step, Montenegro’s effortless charm invites
16 Dec 2025 2 min read
Florida Family Adventure: Orlando Thrills & Naples Beach Bliss
From the non-stop thrills of Universal Orlando to the sun-kissed relaxation of Naples Beach, our Florida family adventure delivered unforgettable moments and memories. With theme parks, lazy pool days, and epic eats along the way, it’s been the perfect blend of excitement and downtime. Read on for top tips, highlights, and our favourite experiences across two of Florida’s most iconic destinations.
16 Dec 2025 3 min read
Prague – A Journey Through Europe’s Timeless Gem
Discover the Magic of Prague: A City Break to Remember Rich in history and bursting with character, Prague is a destination that delights at every turn. From its cobbled streets lined with architectural wonders to riverside strolls and hearty Czech cuisine, this city is the perfect blend of old-world charm and vibrant energy. Whether you’re a foodie, a history enthusiast, or simply love exploring
16 Dec 2025 4 min read
Marrakesh: Medina Magic & Rooftop Moments
Step into the heart of Marrakesh, where vibrant streets buzz with energy, ancient alleys hide centuries of stories, and every rooftop reveals a new perspective on this captivating city. From captivating chaos outside the airport to serene moments in hidden riads, my adventure in the Red City was a feast for the senses at every turn. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or returning for more, Marrak
16 Dec 2025 4 min read
Barcelona Football Weekend: Markets, Matchday & Festive Magic
Barcelona is a city that serves up football passion, culinary delights, and festive spirit in equal measure. My recent whirlwind weekend was all about soaking up the local atmosphere, discovering what makes this city break unique—especially during the Christmas season. Here’s a taste of what your clients can experience on an expertly planned Barcelona football getaway
15 Dec 2025 3 min read
Culinary delights, wine and incredible scenery in beautiful Alentejo, Portugal
Prior to this trip, my experience of Portugal was visits to the coast and a city break in Lisbon. I had never ventured inland, so I was excited to discover what Alentejo had to offer. The Alentejo region covers an enormous area of more than 31,000 km². It offers stunning coastlines with beautiful beaches and good surf, fields of cork trees, medieval towns and some of the best food you will ever e
02 Jan 2025 4 min read
Vietnam - with Intrepid Travel Part 2
Guided tours of Vietnam with Intrepid Travel For a large proportion of this trip I was part of a guided tour, organised by Intrepid Travel. They know what they’re doing for sure. Our host throughout the trip was first class: a wonderful human being! They got to know everyone personally, always made sure we were comfortable, and was a fountain of knowledge. Humorous is an understatement! We were
27 Nov 2024 3 min read
Vietnam - with Intrepid Travel Part 1
Vietnam: An unforgettable two week experience As a leisure and corporate travel advisor, I spend a lot of time learning about exotic and cultural destinations across the globe. I’m lucky that I get to travel, too. Every so often a destination seems to pique my interest and lure me into really… really… wanting to visit. In 2024, this was Vietnam! In October I was lucky enough to spend two weeks
27 Nov 2024 4 min read
A half term break on the Costa Blanca
For this Costa Blanca experience we based ourselves in Benidorm, a Spanish city that instigates a whole host of preconceptions. Known for its high rise hotels and non-stop nightlife, Benidorm sometimes gets a bad rap. We wanted to experience the more redeeming, traditional features of Benidorm and benefit from its central position on the Costa Blanca coast. On our first evening we wandered around
25 Mar 2024 4 min read
A delicious foodie break in San Sebastian
A delicious foodie break in San Sebastian We decided upon a three night holiday in San Sebastian for our October half term family break. It’s a destination that’s not too far, but far enough for a brief getaway in a better climate than the UK offers in autumn! San Sebastian is a city beach resort on the Bay of Biscay in the mountainous Basque Country, northern Spain. San Sebastian is famous for
27 Feb 2024 5 min read
Holland America's Rotterdam
Having been fortunate enough to be invited to cruise with Holland America to the Norwegian their new Fjords as part of the naming ceremony for their new ship ‘Rotterdam’ I was intrigued to see what she and Holland America offered the luxury cruise market and I’m delighted to say I wasn’t disappointed. She’s a truly stunning vessel, medium sized and very easy to navigate the various entertainment
09 Dec 2022 4 min read
10 REASONS WHY YOU NEED TO VISIT AUSTRALIA
Wow, where do I even start with this one? When most people think of Australia, they probably think of kangaroos and the Great Barrier Reef. That's all fine and well, but really the first thing that you need to know is that Australia is incredibly diverse and pretty huge. How huge, you ask? Australia spans over 2.9 million square miles and comprises of 6 time zones. You're probably not going to b
21 Nov 2022 6 min read
BEST DESTINATIONS TO GO IN NOVEMBER
If you enjoy travelling to less crowded beaches, booking a trip in November will allow you to beat the crowds and experience these amazing destinations in off peak times. While November heralds the arrival of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, it is one of the most pleasant months to travel in the Southern Hemisphere. For this month, my top 5 destinations to visit in November are Tasmania, New Z
04 Nov 2022 3 min read
TOP HOLIDAY DESTINATIONS TO GO IN OCTOBER
TOP HOLIDAY DESTINATIONS TO GO IN OCTOBER Travelling in October has so many advantages. Not only does this month fall in the off-peak season prices, but it's also less crowded as the kids are back at school, the weather is still good and it's the perfect month to escape the daily grind to discover a new extraordinary destination. For this month, my top 5 holiday destinations to visit in October
30 Sept 2022 3 min read
Getting ready for corporate travel as lock down eases - is your travel policy ready to go?
Why now is the perfect time to review your Travel Policy During these strange times its often travel spend that is first on the list of cutbacks. Reducing or limiting travel and adapting to new technologies might and could well be the new normal but nothing will ever beat face to face relationships. One thing you can be sure of is that if you’re not sitting in front of your clients someone will b
16 Jul 2020 2 min read
Ocean Cruise - Best for Luxury
Thinking about making the leap from a mainstream mega-ship to a more intimate luxury vessel? Here's my favourite Luxury Cruise Lines Regent Seven Seas Cruises® offer the MOST inclusive luxury experience. This is cruising as it was meant to be where everything is included; return flights and transfers, unlimited shore excursions, all fine dining and beverages, unlimited Wi-Fi and even gratuities a
21 Nov 2019 5 min read
Ocean Cruise - Best for Families
Ever wondered which cruise operator would be best for your family holiday but never knew where to start - here's my favourites! Royal Caribbean International At Royal Caribbean, family comes first. They've thought of every little detail to give you an unforgettable family holiday, from start to finish. Discover breath-taking family holiday destinations around the world, staying in family-friend
19 Nov 2019 4 min read
Boston By Bike!!
One of the benefits of this job is that I get to visit some amazing places to help me promote, sell and recommend to my clients and earlier this year I was lucky enough to visit Boston. It's a beautiful city and I got to see it from a different angle and one I would recommend - by bicycle with Urban AdvenTours. The Urban AdvenTours Boston City View Bicycle Tour is a classic tour for those looki
18 Apr 2019 2 min read
Beautiful Quebec
The second half of the trip focused on Quebec....... A short distance outside Ottawa is Wakefield Mill Hotel & Spa. Imagine a place so serene, yet so conveniently close to Canada's capital. First built in 1838, the Wakefield Mill Hotel & Spa is now a charming, four-star country boutique hotel surrounded by the splendid Gatineau Park and the picturesque village of Wakefield. It offers 42 unique
27 Nov 2018 5 min read
Wonderful Ontario
I had the opportunity recently to visit Canada, specifically Ontario and Quebec, to experience this amazing country first hand. And it really didn’t disappoint! The itinerary ahead was packed, spending 1 night each in Niagara Falls, Toronto, Ottawa, Gatineau-Ottawa, Vaudreuil-Dorion and Montreal. We were met at Toronto Airport and whisked away for the hour and a half car journey to Niagara Fall
27 Nov 2018 6 min read
Family Fun In The Sun
The flights and hotel have been booked for ages and finally the time is here for our flight to Palermo, Sicily from our local airport (Liverpool). Not a great start as the conveyor belt was broken so after two long queues we finally cleared security and had a brisk 20 minutes to check out duty free before boarding our flight with EasyJet. The flight was great, took off on time and landed 20 min
25 Sept 2018 6 min read
UK Staycation – Family Short Break
With this glorious weather we’ve been having, we decided to take a short break and see some of the beautiful countryside we have here in the UK. We’re normally your traditional Lake District visitors, sticking to the usual hot spots, but we decided to try our hand a little further afield and booked a three-night break with Hoseasons on the border of the Lake District in the Cumbrian Valley wi
16 Jul 2018 2 min read
October Family Break to Cascais
I was looking forward to this trip. After recent back surgery this short break was a chance to re-charge the batteries and put the past few months behind us. Also, it was the first package holiday abroad we took as a family in the Eighties. My parents used to live in the area and they were keen to show off their old haunt. We loved it then, but would my kids love it now? Going back to a place y
28 Jun 2018 4 min read
Regent Seven Seas Customer Cruise Event
This was the first of many events I’ve got planned to interact with you (my clients) to introduce new ideas, destinations and travel providers that will hopefully inspire your future travel plans and achieve those dreams and help make lots of memories. Kelly-Marie from Regent Seven Seas was my first guest speaker and delivered a wonderful presentation to around 30 guests, who as well a lovely g
26 Apr 2018 3 min read
Berlin Family City Break
For our latest adventure, we took a last-minute decision to visit a European city during the May half term school holidays. Available from our local airport Liverpool, we saw Berlin had some great flights to make the most of two nights away. Joanne and I had visited Hamburg in the past to visit the Christmas Markets and I’ve been to Munich, but as family we’d never considered Germany for a break.
15 Jun 2017 4 min read
Abu Dhabi Family Holiday 2017
For our family holiday this year we decided to go back to the Middle East, after visiting Dubai last May we thought we’d try another Emirate resort, Abu Dhabi. We took the opportunity to visit at the end of March beginning of April, the temperatures were perfect for us averaging 35 degrees and not a cloud in sight. Overall, we were away for a week taking advantage of the overnight flights w
06 Apr 2017 4 min read
Dubai
For our family holiday this year we visited Dubai for the first time. Using Emirates Airlines we took the overnight flight on the A380 from Manchester. The service, in flight entertainment and overall comfort were excellent and we arrived refreshed and ready to start our holiday. We stayed in the fantastic Ritz Carlton Jumeirah Beach. With its beachfront location and stunning views of the Pa
11 Nov 2016 1 min read
Abu Dhabi
I was lucky enough to visit the capital of the UAE and it is a land of true contrasts. Over the few days I was there I experienced the cultural highlights of Abu Dhabi City and its islands and beauty of the surrounding desert. Our base for the trip was the luxurious Ritz Carlton situated on the Abu Dhabi Grand Canal, 20 minutes from the airport with stunning views of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosq
11 Nov 2016 2 min read
Oktoberfest - Munich
Oktoberfest is a must do for all stag parties, beer enthusiast's or simply for an alternative city break weekend. We stayed in the Winters Munich City Centre Hotel, a 15 minute walk from the festival location and right opposite the train station which offers a direct rail service to the airport. Oktoberfest can only be described as huge! The site itself is massive, a huge fairground with 10
19 Jun 2013 1 min read
Cala Millor, Majorca
This is a wonderful resort for families. This resort is perfect with it’s lovely long sandy beach with plenty of activities, fun parks and entertainment for the younger children, pubs and restaurants with family entertainment and great offers to suit all tastes. We stayed in the Morito Hotel, set back one block from the main street and two blocks from the beach. The family room was great for ou
19 Jun 2013 1 min read
Disneyland Paris
Disneyland Paris is a fantastic short break for all the family. We drove via the Eurotunnel and stayed at Disney's Davy Crockett Ranch. It's a short five minute drive away from Disneyland and gives you the flexibility of self-catering and the ability to drive to the massive Val d'Europe shopping mall with plenty of restaurants and a huge supermarket. Disneyland Paris at this time of year is
19 Jun 2013 1 min read
LykiaWorld Antalya
The impressive LykiaWorld Antalya is set in a beautiful location overlooking the Mediterranean, with Taurus mountains as its backdrop. It offers a superb range of facilities including waterslides, a vibrant activity pool and a relaxation pool; as well as gourmet cuisine from around the world; plus an extensive spa and wellness centre which provides a haven of relaxation. All this and more ensures
12 Apr 2011 1 min read
Reviews
What my customers say
My favourite offers
See offers I've personally curated
Videos
Discover the world with me
Brussels
Cobbled streets, rich chocolate, cosy cafés and grand squares: Brussels is made for a stylish city escape. Ready to plan your next break?
16 Apr 2026
Vietnam - Mekong Delta
A highlight reel from my trip to Vietnam - This is the Mekong Delta, an overnight trip from Saigon
12 Dec 2024
Alentejo Region Part 1
A short highlight reel from my trip to Alentejo, Portugal. This is day one taking in Tapada dos Coelheiros and Estremoz.
12 Dec 2024
Vietnam - Hoi An
A highlight reel from my trip to Vietnam - this is Hoi An, a short 1 hour flight down from Hanoi and we spent 2 nights here.
12 Dec 2024
Vietnam - Ninh Binh
Highlights from my trip to Vietnam - This is Ninh Binh, an overnight trip from Hanoi.
12 Dec 2024
Vietnam - Hanoi
A short highlight reel of my trip to Vietnam - This is Hanoi (my favourite place)
12 Dec 2024
Alentejo Region Part 2
A short highlight reel from my recent trip to Alentejo, Portugal. This is day two, taking in Marvao, Castelo de Vide & Torre de Palma
12 Dec 2024
Alentejo Region Part 3
A short highlight reel from my recent trip to Alentejo, Portugal. This is day three, taking in Evora, Monsaraz & Herdade do Sobroso.
12 Dec 2024
Alentejo Region Part 4
A short highlight reel from my recent trip to Alentejo, Portugal. This is day four, taking in Herdade do Sobroso & Porto Covo
12 Dec 2024
Vietnam - Saigon
A highlight reel from my trip to Vietnam, this is Saigon a short 1 hour flight down from Hoi An
12 Dec 2024
Vietnam - Ha Long Bay
A short highlight reel from my trip to Vietnam - This is Ha Long Bay an overnight trip from Hanoi.
12 Dec 2024
Here to inspire you.
I have the expertise to make your travel dreams come true.
28 Apr 2023
Scenic Gems of the Danube
Award-winning service, gourmet meals and unforgettable excursions all included, 5-star luxury comes as standard on a Scenic river cruise
14 May 2021
Postcards - A special film from Travel Counsellors
Postcards - A special film from Travel Counsellors
14 Apr 2021
5 Reasons To Trust Me With Your Business Travel Plans
5 Reasons To Trust Me With Your Business Travel Plans
05 Mar 2021
Relationships
From hand-delivering ticket wallets to checking you in at the airport, here at Travel Counsellors, it's about going the extra mile.
26 Nov 2020
Independence
No matter what, I will always go above and beyond to deliver a service that exceeds expectations.
26 Nov 2020
Knowledge
Using my own personal insight and experience, I can provide you with tailored and expert advice when it comes to your dream holiday.
26 Nov 2020
Why You Can Trust Travel Counsellors
With a 24/7 duty office, access to thousands of trusted suppliers and full financial protection, we ensure every holiday is created with care and protection.
23 Nov 2020
Uniworld - River Cruising
Uniworld - Elevating luxury river cruising to an entirely new level
23 Nov 2020
Rocky Mountaineer
What if you could combine the beauty of the wilderness with the ultimate in luxury?
23 Nov 2020
Why Book With Travel Counsellors
The definition of a holiday is different to everyone and that’s why I take the time to get to know you.
23 Nov 2020
Cunard Summer 2022
Escape into a world of possibilities with Cunard's 2022 voyages
23 Nov 2020
MyTC
This is a great little mobile app my clients have access to.....
23 Nov 2020
Additional offers
More destinations to enjoy
Why use a Travel Counsellor
Let's plan your dream trip together
Tailor-made for you
Your holiday isn’t just a trip away. It’s a longed-for escape, time to reconnect with loved ones, or a dream adventure you never thought possible. That’s why I take the time to truly get to know you and understand your hopes and expectations, then use my experience, connections and passion for the destination to create a trip that makes those dreams a reality.
Personalised service. Always
When you plan a holiday with me, you’ll be given my personal mobile number from the very first call. I’ll listen to your thoughts and ideas like I would a friend and arrange accommodation, activities, and flights that are all personalised to you. And I’ll share my personal tips and recommendations, so you can experience the true beauty of each destination.
Stress-free travel, and more time for what matters most
I believe your time away should be stress-free, easy, and seamless from start to finish. So, I take care of all the details for you - from ATOL protection, insurance, and flexible payments to access to the myTC app, which keeps everything in one place.
Support when it matters most
If the unexpected happens, you can rest easy, knowing that I’ll handle any last-minute changes, flight cancellations, or disruptions before you even pick up the phone. So you always feel happy, carefree, and ready to make the most of every moment.
Get in touch
