Gemma Parker

My expertise

Africa
South East Asia
Sri Lanka
Thailand
Adventure Travel
Multi-Destination
Family Adventures
Honeymoons

I'm based in

Tring

Available for new enquiries

It's Nice To Meet You


Hi, I’m Gemma and my role is to match people with places. I'll take the time to thoughtfully create a trip that’s tailored to you, your family and/or friends, leaving you free to concentrate on making memories!

Every trip I plan is different but the highlights include family trips to South-East Asia which is an adventurous, (and good value) alternative to Europe, active trips to Norway (one of my personal top countries to visit), and Sri Lanka because I love sharing the insight I gained from an agent trip there in 2025!

I’ve appreciated the value of travel since my very first job as a receptionist at the YHA on Oxford Street in London, where I loved meeting people who were travelling for every possible reason! Since then, I’ve enjoyed relaxing holidays as a break from corporate life, been lucky enough to experience the luxury of a first class flight to New York whilst working for British Airways, heard the unforgettable roar of lions on safari, and had fun with my 3 children marvelling at the freedom of a resort, the magic of a private swimming pool and the thrill of a zipline through the rainforest in Costa Rica! I'm passionate about travel bringing joy and being a force for good in building connections, seeing new perspectives and even improving cultural understanding. It’s a privilege to help people see the world, find their ‘wow’ moments, and enjoy something special.

Being part of Travel Counsellors gives me the independence to choose what suits you best from hundreds of different destinations, hotels and experiences, provided by trusted suppliers, and gives you financial security and 24-hour support if anything should not go to plan whilst you are away.

My style is professional and friendly and I work in partnership with clients. I understand how it is important it is for you to make the most of your precious time and resources and I'm here to help find the holiday that's right for you.

I look forward to hearing from you.

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Explore my guides and blogs

Sri Lanka: Culture, wildlife and tea all on one tropical island!

Sri Lanka: Culture, wildlife and tea all on one tropical island!

I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect before I went to Sri Lanka – similar to India, but perhaps without so many people? Lots to explore, hopefully with some relaxation? Elephants, and maybe some other wildlife? History, and a lot of tea?! In fact, my experience of travelling around the island for eight days was all this and so much more! My adventure started with an overnight flight from Heathr

21 Oct 2025 5   min read

'Will we be free'? - why resorts work well for children!

'Will we be free'? - why resorts work well for children!

‘Will we be free’ is the common cry of our children, whenever we announce that we are off on holiday. When I initially heard this, I was baffled, it’s not that we keep them under lock and key, ‘um well, you won’t be in the same room as us’ was the best response I could think of. As usual, it was our youngest child who decoded the hidden meaning for us – ‘will we be able to walk around without you’

27 Sept 2024 5   min read

Family fun in Las Vegas

Family fun in Las Vegas

Although the ‘Sin City’ reputation of Las Vegas means it might not be the first place you think of for a family holiday, there’s nowhere else like it and it does have lots to offer! Forget gambling, and think huge pools, every conceivable restaurant, family shows , and other-worldly desert scenery. It’s a great place to add to your Californian adventure. This is exactly what we did the first time

27 Sept 2024 5   min read

Olhao, Portugal - perfect destination for a short trip

Olhao, Portugal - perfect destination for a short trip

Sometimes, you just need, and only have time for, a few days of sun. In September Portugal was a perfect choice, with a relatively short flight, no time difference (so no losing an hour), and a short 15 minute transfer time to the town on Olhao, near Faro. This time I was with girlfriends, so no need to worry about activities, big swimming pools or buffets! We just wanted to eat and drink well, so

27 Sept 2024 5   min read

Norway - a good place for a first skiing holiday

Norway - a good place for a first skiing holiday

I confess, it wasn’t my first skiing holiday, we had been to Austria before (where there are some excellent family-run luxurious hotels that cater perfectly for families), but I had opted out of the skiing. Feeling too nervous to actually don any skis, I headed up the mountain anyway and opted to sit in the glorious sunshine reading a novel (Ian McEwan’s ‘Lessons’, since you ask) occasionally stop

27 Sept 2024 5   min read

What my customers say

Gemma booked the perfect honeymoon for us in Sri Lanka. We would definitely recommend her services, everything was so easy and smooth for us and all of the recommendations were just what we asked for, making for an incredible trip. We’d never booked a holiday this way before but would absolutely do it again.

Martha Warner Smith

Berkhamsted

We thoroughly recommend Gemma. From our first conversations, when we merely had a vague idea of visiting Tuscany, she astutely and professionally developed a holiday for us. She involved us throughout, presenting an array of ideas. Her attention to detail is exemplary. She was in regular contact, refining all aspects of our trip. We really appreciated her suggestions for activities. She checked with us while we were away to make sure all was running smoothly. We had a delightful holiday and we shall, without hesitation, use Gemma's services again.

Elisabeth and Ian Maddy

La Clisse France

Asking Gemma to book my wife's 50th long weekend warm-winter get-away was the best decision I've made all year. Great options, great holiday, and magical little touches. Thank you!

Ross Butler

Great Bookham

What can I say…. Gemma doesn’t build you a holiday, she builds experiences and wonderful lifetime family memories. This was our first ever long haul family trip where we would be visiting many places in Thailand. At not one point was anything too much for Gemma. The hotels we stayed in were fabulous, all our transfers were brilliant - on time and efficient, and the experiences we had were amazing Thank you Gemma this will live with me and my family forever. If you want someone to care about your trip, to alleviate your worries and just be amazing - Gemma is that person. From the bottom of my heart Gemma thank you, you booked a surprise trip for my husband’s 50th and I genuinely could not have done it without you.

Amy Angus

Burnley

Gemma at Travel Counsellors was absolutely exceptional in planning our 3-week honeymoon to Australia. From start to finish, everything was seamless, and that’s no small feat given the complexity of our trip — 9 different hotels, 3 internal flights and 2 rental cars. What really stood out was Gemma’s customer service. She was always available to chat, quick to respond and incredibly patient in making sure every detail was just right. The itinerary flowed effortlessly, which meant we could properly enjoy the experience without worrying about logistics. She managed to fit everything we wanted to see into a relatively tight timeframe including navigating the challenges of being in Sydney over New Year’s Eve and it all worked perfectly. Gemma also went above and beyond in looking after us personally. I have a nut allergy and she liaised directly with the airline to ensure this was properly noted and managed, which gave us real peace of mind. We were so impressed that we’ve already recommended her to both my sister and a friend — and my sister has since used her as well. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Gemma to anyone looking for a truly stress-free, well-planned trip with outstanding service.

Matthew Brown

St Albans

Gemma was amazing to work with from start to finish, she listens to exactly what you want from your trip and delivers it perfectly. She planned our 3 week trip to Thailand, and it was perfect from start to finish. Couldn’t recommend her enough and already thinking of the next trip she can plan/ book for us!

Sophie Brown

Hertfordshire

Gemma gave us a huge variety of ideas and accommodation/tour options for our family holiday to Thailand this summer. She was very patient and understanding of our constantly evolving travel itinery, complicated by various family and friends joining us along the way. The hotel she found and booked for us in Bangkok was perfect in everyway and the Temple and Riverboat excursion was a very good way to experience the city which can be quite overwhelming on arrival. The highlight for us was the ethical Elephant Camp near Chiang Mai which we would strongly recommend. We were extremely happy with Gemma's service, she was knowledgable, helpful, sent out all information by email and followed up on our many questions! She also helpfully reminded us about visa's and we had the security of knowing there was a dedicated 24/7 helpline in case of any issue. We wouldn't hesitate to use her agian and recommend her as a travel consultant as it is evident that she is very passionate about finding the best holiday for your needs.

Emma Anderson

Tring

Gemma made my dream come true! In just 48hours she managed to secure me flights and a gorgeous historic B&B in Basel so I could go an see England win the Euros (back to back!). Gemma took all of the stress out of having to figure out the various variations of how I was going to beat all the other travelling fans to Basel and I will be forever grateful. I wasn't too bothered where I stayed, but true to form she found a lovely little guest house that had a beautiful local character and charm to it. Thank you Gemma you deserve a trophy yourself for arranging this for me. Lisa x

Lisa Parfitt

London

Gemma organised our family ski holiday. She provided excellent recommendations and had really thought about what would work for our family. We had a brilliant holiday and I would recommend using Gemma for all types of holidays.

Rachel Clark

Tring

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Let’s talk through your ideas, no pressure.

01442 540023

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Finding your match...

Every unforgettable journey starts with the right person by your side.