Sent by S Martin
Reading 24/03/2022
Excellent service. Couldn’t have been more helpful even after we’d booked our trip
Based In Hitchin
Johno Poole
Available for new enquiries
Looking for help with your business travel? Find out how I can help here
It's Nice To Meet You
🌍 Welcome to my Travel Counsellors page!
I’m Johno, based in Letchworth, and I’m delighted to be your personal travel advisor. With over 30 years in the travel industry, I’m passionate about creating holidays that are as unique as you are – designed around your needs, your preferences, and your dreams.
My career has taken me from European resorts as a holiday rep to working as a Product Manager for leading tour operators. Along the way, I’ve built up extensive knowledge of destinations both near and far, giving me the insight to help you plan anything from a short European escape to a long-haul adventure.
Travel isn’t just my profession – it’s my passion. Florida is my all-time favourite, and I always recommend experiencing the magic of Disneyland and Universal Studios at least once. I also have a love for the Caribbean, particularly Cancun and Riviera Maya, the Dominican Republic (where I was lucky enough to live for a year), Barbados, and St Lucia. For unforgettable city breaks, my go-to favourites are Paris, Rome, and Barcelona in Europe, and New York and Las Vegas further afield. And as a keen skier, with nine winter seasons under my belt across Europe, I can help find the perfect resort to suit every budget and style.
Whether you’re dreaming of a relaxing beach getaway, a complex multi-centre trip across the USA, a romantic wedding in Antigua, or a weekend escape to Venice, I can take care of every detail. With the full support of Travel Counsellors, I’ll make sure everything is seamless, stress-free, and tailored just for you.
Thank you for stopping by and getting to know me. If you’d like some advice or just a friendly chat about your next adventure, I’d love to hear from you. And, in true holiday rep style, I’ll leave you with a line that never grows old:
✨ “Your sun tan will fade, but your memories will last a lifetime.”
My customer stories
Sent by J Armin
Barnsley 24/03/2022
Johno booked us a recent trip to Tenerife which was fantastic. Nothing is too much trouble for him, a very personal service. His expertise in travel is obvious with his detail to planning. He researched every element of our holiday and discussed every detail with us to ensure that it was our holiday He advised us all about covid restrictions and links to completing locator forms.
We were so impressed with Johno’s professionalism that we booked a short break to Krakow with him within two days of returning from Tenerife. Again searching to ensure that all our needs were covered. Flights, hotel choice, transfers and daily itinerary. Looking forward to working with Johno and Travel Counsellors again soon. Thank you so much.
Sent by A Tochet
Dublin 24/03/2022
Johno is so helpful and efficient. Nothing is too much trouble. Every question you have is answered so quickly and he remains constantly patient, no matter how many times travel plans are changed! Thanks Johno.
Sent by R Copsey
Walton 24/03/2022
Johno has been very flexible with our arrangements and helped us find a great deal. He has taken care of additional requests too, such as a travel cot in our room.
Sent by E Murtha
Nottingham 24/03/2022
Couldn’t have asked for more. Will definitely use again.
Sent by Mark & Ally Woodruff
Reading 25/02/2021
Up until now I’ve been a DIY holiday maker and never considered the powers of independent travel advice and support. It was therefore intriguing to have our first 121 as it coincided with plans for a “once in a lifetime” trip – I just didn’t know where to.
Tentatively I thought I’d make an enquiry and throughout working with you I’ve been blown away by just how considerate, experienced, knowledgeable and patient you have been. Every step you’ve taken has been considered with us in mind. It’s a joy to work with you.
We started this with no clue and so travelled to Costa Rica, Thailand, South Africa which all have natural wonders and cultural charm – you did a lot of work providing options for us. The plan is the well-trodden Florida trip but with a few special twists. Yes, Florida is not seeing Sloths in Costa Rican rainforest, but Florida is entirely suitable for our young family right now.
Not only will we be visiting Disney and Universal, but we’ll be staying in a luxury Villa, going to Cape Canaveral, swimming with Manatees, driving the Florida Keys, partying in Miami and even spent three nights aboard a cruise to the Bahamas. This trip has surpassed all expectations and I should add I genuinely don’t know how you’ve managed to achieve it all within our budget – it’s exceptional value for what we’re getting.
Late on in the process, my best mate’s Mum sadly passed away unexpectedly and so Jeff has inherited some money and wanted it to make it a double family holiday. This was all very last minute and I’ve no doubt this caused a bit of extra work for you, but I’d never have known it. You’ve been nothing but kind and generous.
Thank you ever so much – it’s lovely to “have” a travel agent!
Sent by Julie P
Reading 26/11/2020
This year has been incredibly tough, on a professional and personal level. I know I have struggled with remaining positive when others won’t, finding it difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We recently received the long awaited news of potential vaccines being available.
As soon as the announcement came through I reached out to Johno. First of all, I chose to reach out to him for his positivity and deep knowledge of the travel industry . I shared with Johno one of my life long dreams of seeing the Northern Lights with my family. Johno quickly understood my needs and drafted an initial itinerary, and over the last couple of weeks we have been fine tuning what I can only describe as a trip of a life time. It is so encouraging to see how excited he is also getting from this itinerary.
Johno listens, provides constructive feedback and helps me materialise this dream as well as making sure that my potential investment for this trip is completely covered. I can not wait to book this amazing trip. In the meantime, I must thank Johno for helping me build a trip of a lifetime, making it simple and fun – to the point that each time his name appears in my inbox it makes me smile. Thank you Johno.
Based in
My Videos
Norwegian Aqua Balcony Stateroom
25/03/2025
Check out the Norwegian Aqua Balcony Stateroom which I was lucky enough to stay in in March 25 on the inaugural sailing, see my daily blog for more information!
Honeymoon Gift Registry Service
19/01/2024
Watch to see the excellent benefit of booking your honeymoon with Travel Counsellors!
10 Reasons to use a trusted travel advisor
20/06/2022
Here are 10 excellent reasons to use a trusted travel advisor. Personal service and here for you every step of the way.
A Travel Counsellor Poem by Tony Walsh
07/04/2021
Re-live your travel memories with us as you watch our film with the words written and performed by the incredible poet Tony Walsh
Intro to MY TC
26/10/2020
Here is a vlog with everything you need to know about your MYTC account
Saona Island - Dominican Republic
08/10/2020
No holiday to Dominican Republic is complete without a trip to Saona Island. Here is a fast walk through of this beautiful island.
My Blog
I absolutely live and breathe travel and I love to write about my experiences! Please take a look through my posts - you might find your own holiday inspiration.
Day 3 of My Norwegian Aqua Cruise Bruges
02 April 2025
I woke up bright and early and we had docked in Zeebrugge already!—There’s something about being on a cruise that makes you want to seize the day. Headed straight to the Surf Shack for the buffet breakfast, which was the perfect fuel for what was ahead. Today’s adventure? A trip to Bruges! Disembarking the Aqua we opted for an Uber into Bruges, which cost €50 each way. It works out best value i
Day 2 Aboard the NCL Cruise to Bruges: A Packed Day of Insights and Indulgence
01 April 2025
Greetings from the high seas! Let me tell you about Day 2 of a fabulous 3-day cruise from Southampton to Bruges aboard an NCL (Norwegian Cruise Line) ship. We’re en route to Zeebrugge, the port gateway to the charming Belgian city of Bruges, and today has been an exciting mix of professional enrichment, ship exploration, and pure relaxation. Let me take you through the highlights of this jam-pack
A Travel Counsellors Take on Norwegian Aqua Day 1
31 March 2025
A Travel Counsellor’s Take on Norwegian Aqua: My 3-Night Educational Cruise to Zeebrugge and Bruges – Day 1 As a UK-based travel counsellor, I’ve travelled far and wide but never really experienced much of cruising, so when Gary Anslow from Norwegian Cruise Line invited me on a 3-day educational cruise aboard their brand-new Norwegian Aqua, I couldn’t say no. Launched in March 2025 as the first
Epic Universe Overview: The New Frontier in Theme Parks New for Orlando 2025
05 November 2024
Epic Universe Overview: The New Frontier in Theme Parks Set to open in May 2025, Epic Universe will be Universal’s largest theme park to date and a pioneering destination for immersive experiences. This isn’t just a collection of rides; it's designed as an expansive, interactive world where every detail—from the architecture to the food—is tailored to bring unique stories to life. Located within
Costa Rica Special Birthday Holiday
19 July 2023
Some of my lovely customers recently went on a big family holiday to Costa Rica in June and were kind enough to send me a blog about the trip. Below is their story about the once in a lifetime Family trip to Costa Rica: We approached Johno with broad ideas of what we wanted for our families ‘big birthdays holiday’ in 2023. He absolutely smashed it with keeping teens & their old folks happy. W
Top 10 Activities in Venice
30 June 2023
Weekend in Venice? Here are 10 must do activities: 1. Explore the Splendor of St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco): Immerse yourself in the architectural grandeur of St. Mark's Square, the bustling centerpiece of Venice. Marvel at the resplendent St. Mark's Basilica and the venerable Doge's Palace, epitomizing the city's historical and cultural legacy. 2. Embark on a Gondola Excursion: Engage i
Alaskan Adventure
12 October 2020
Back in 2017, the top of my bucket list of places I wanted to visit was Alaska, the largest state in the USA. In my previous life, where I worked as the head of the product department for a tour operator, I was lucky enough to be invited to go on an educational trip with Iceland Air and the Pursuit Collection - I jumped at the chance. The tourist season in Alaska is very short, usually from mid-M
Dominican Republic Winter Sun
11 August 2020
During December 2019, I was lucky enough to be invited on, what we call in the trade, a ‘Fam’ trip to the East coast of the Dominican Republic, sponsored by Playa Hotels and British Airways. These familiarisation trips are where we get to check out the destinations and hotels that we sell, to give us that detailed product knowledge we need to provide the best service to our customers - they are al
Contact Me
Whatever your holiday needs I'm here to help you, so simply give me a call or send me an email with your contact details on and I can get things started for you: