Kathy Gillies

My expertise

Australia
New Zealand
South Africa
Middle East
Indian Ocean
South East Asia
North America
Europe

I'm based in

Edinburgh

Available for new enquiries

Looking for help with your business travel? Find out how I can help here

It's Nice To Meet You

Hi, I’m Kathy, your personal Travel Counsellor, and I am here to turn your travel dreams into beautifully bespoke holidays, designed entirely around you.

With a truly international background and a lifelong passion for exploring the world, travel is in my DNA. I was born in Argentina, my mother in Peru and my father in South Africa. I have lived in Argentina, Italy, England, Dubai, Florida, Hong Kong and Singapore, before happily calling Edinburgh home.

Before starting my family, I worked in luxury hotels, flew as Cabin Crew for Japan Airlines and was employed by a large tour operator in London. This experience has given me a deep understanding of what five-star service really feels like and how to deliver it consistently and personally for every client.

My own travels have taken me backpacking through South East Asia, cruising the Galapagos Islands and unwinding on some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, from the Caribbean to the Great Barrier Reef. I have driven iconic American road trip routes through dramatic canyons and vibrant cities, and I treasure our family holidays in the Scottish Highlands and Islands. The “Gross National Happiness” of Bhutan and the rich histories of Egypt, Italy and Jordan have completely captivated me, while Australia and New Zealand are destinations I hold especially close to my heart.

Even after visiting over 60 countries, my travel wish list is still wonderfully long. I have an inquisitive mind and love researching both beloved favourites and less familiar destinations.

Whether you are travelling solo, as a couple, with over-energetic little ones, hard-to-please teenagers or young-at-heart grandparents, I will take time to really listen, understand what matters most to you and discuss every detail. From the first conversation to your return home, I will go the extra mile to create memorable, truly personal travel experiences, so that you feel relaxed, safe and excited about your plans, especially in a world that is constantly changing.

I work flexibly around your schedule and I am very happy to arrange a chat over the phone or meet in person at a time that suits you. Diversity is the spice of life, and that is exactly how I see travel: full of colour, culture and connection.

I would love to help with your next travels, whether it is close to home or on the other side of the world. The stress-free start to your journey is only a message or phone call away.

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What my customers say

When the flights don’t go and airline people don’t want to know and let you down . Who comes to the rescue and sorts it out Kathy superstar. I highly recommend using Kathy as your travel counsellor

D M

Isle of Lewis

Every detail is perfect when you’ve booked a holiday with Kathy. She arranges all my family holidays and now can pick destinations/hotels knowing exactly what we would love with little input from me. Thank you Kathy for the memories you’ve given our family.

E M

Edinburgh

Kathy was extremely helpful and very responsive. Going above and beyond to provide me with as many options that matched my needs.

E N

Glasgow

In July , we returned from the most magical family trip to Bali, all thanks to Kathy! From the very start, she took the time to truly understand our needs, preferences, and dreams for this vacation. Every detail she planned was spot on, from the perfectly matched hotels that suited our family’s style to the thoughtful touches that made everything seamless. The accommodations were comfortable, beautiful, and in great locations, making it easy for us to enjoy both relaxation and adventure. Kathy’s professionalism, warmth, and attention to detail made all the difference. We felt taken care of every step of the way, and her recommendations made the trip even more special. Our Bali experience was everything we hoped for and more and we can’t thank her enough for creating such unforgettable memories for our family. Highly recommend Kathy for anyone looking for a perfectly tailored, stress-free, and magical travel experience

Katherine Bailey

London

Kathy was fantastic throughout the process. She was extremely knowledgeable, kept us informed of what was going on, produced a great suggestion for what to do on the trip and managed to accommodate all our preferences. Kathy was always quick to respond to our emails and gave us full confidence we were in safe hands!

D H

Thames Ditton

I have recommended Kathy to three people this week. We came to her, very last minute; we needed help to book a holiday. She was so quick and efficient that I don’t think I’ll consider doing it myself, or using anyone else ever again. Her communication and support means I have total confidence in her and travel counsellors to book my holidays. Kathy has been great at figuring out what we needed and getting it to budget, letting us know flight times and other things we may want to consider. Altogether an outstanding level of customer service that I haven’t received from any company for quite some time. Thank you Kathy!

D Murphy

Edinburgh

Kathy is always super responsive and so on top of things. You know your travel plans are totally safe in her capable hands.

A K

London

Excellent service, even considering the short time frame available. Mrs Gillies has drawn up a fabulous itinerary to accommodate the needs my party of 5 and an 18-month old. Will definitely use her services again and recommend Mrs Gillies to all our friends .

J X

Malta

I feel so supported knowing I have Kathy helping with my travel plans. It gives me confidence to travel internationally again, knowing she will be accessible to help work through any surprises or changes.

M G

Edinburgh

You worked so hard Kathy to find us the right family holiday. We really appreciate your perseverance, and helpful communication to keep us up to date with progress.

H Adamson

Edinburgh

What a service! Solved the trip in an instant! Perfect outcome.

C Smith

Perthshire

I just returned from a magical long weekend away in Iceland on a tour that was organised by Kathy. It was exceptional from start to finish. Kathy arranged some super trips to The Blue Lagoon, a snow mobile tour and a visit to some of Iceland's most impressive geysirs and waterfalls. She also booked dinner for us at some of Rekjavik's best restaurants. Her recommendations were all spot on and it was such a pleasure to have everything arranged for us. I highly recommend Kathy's services as her attention to detail and sense of what will make the trip fun is invaluable. Thanks again Kathy for a fabulous trip!

Cat Preston

London

So friendly, helpful and patient. Responded to every question immediately. When does she sleep? What a good experience. Thank you.

A Srinivasan

Fife

Kathy, as well as being a lovely person to interact with, is a consummate professional. We will definitely use her in the future for our travel needs.

N McNair

Edinburgh

Wonderful - a very friendly, personal service. I would definitely recommend and use Kathy again :)

J McCabe

Edinburgh

Kathy has been amazing and far exceeded my expectations. She sorted two trips out in a day - resolving all the logistical challenges that I’d been struggling with very elegantly and in a way I could never have achieved myself and at a very reasonable price. Highly recommended!

M Paisley

Oxfordshire

On Saturday I decided I wanted to book a holiday. On Sunday I shut my laptop, bamboozled by choice. On Monday I spoke to Kathy. On Tuesday I reviewed my options. On Wednesday I requested some further choices. On Thursday I booked my holiday, secure in the choice that I had booked the best trip at the best price point for my family.

N Armitage

East Lothian

Kathy went out of her way to professionally and quickly offer my travel insurance. She was informative and thorough and I felt completely safe putting my travel in her hands.

B Clearwater

Edinburgh

Kathy was super helpful, patient and thorough which is just what everyone needs in these tricky travel times!

A Kaye

Malta

Kathy was brilliant! She helped me organise my trip to Prague. Kathy researched all my requests and made me feel comfortable with my choices. I have already recommended her to friends and family for their travels. She just takes the stress off it all, particularly with all the rules changing all the time!

A Roulet Magides

London

I booked a very last minute tour, in London via Kathy Gillies (travel counsellor), Kathy was very thorough, checked all of the details and made sure I had all of the meet up and finish information before she booked it. This gave me a lot of confidence as I wouldn’t have felt so secure booking directly with a company I didn’t know. Kathy communicated well, referred me to the app (which is so handy having all your information in one place) and talked me through the plan. She always made sure I knew the costs and does lots of research to ensure you get the right thing with no added cost to you. Very happy with Kathy’s help and the tour was absolutely brilliant! Thanks Kathy I’ll be sure to be a returning customer.

Deborah Murphy

Edinburgh

We are completely blown away by Kathy Gillies care and expertise in organising our holiday. After a chat Kathy pinpointed exactly what we as a family wanted from our break, no easy task when we all had such varying requests. Kathy is a true expert and a very safe pair of hands when booking your holiday.

Kerry Catterson

Edinburgh

Kathy was fabulous. She listened to what we were looking for and found multiple options for us to choose from. She was easy to get hold of and was a delight to chat with. All round fabulous experience and definitely a number and contact stored for future trips. Recommend highly.

E English

Kendal

I just booked a trip to Iceland with my superstar Travel Counsellor rep Kathy Gillies. The whole process was so seamless, every detail taken care of (she even recommended an ideal wardrobe for the trip) and the itinerary looks amazing. I can’t believe I will finally get to see the Northern Lights and swim in The Blue Lagoon. The easiest holiday I have ever organised. I can’t recommend Kathy’s services highly enough.

Cat Preston

Chipping Campden

Kathy - I have found your service extremely useful as you think of all the things that I don’t but which are important to making travel hassle free. You are always one step ahead. And of course I love your passion for the job. X

Kamal Basran OBE

Wilmslow

Having Kathy Gillies’ calm and capable demeanor throughout every single aspect of this trip has not only saved my sanity, but enabled a holiday itinerary that has been seamlessly co-ordinated across many complicated parts. She really has gone above and beyond my expectations. Kathy’s knowledge of the travel industry, its moving parts in the current pandemic and ideas on how to circumnavigate the impossible allowed us to move nimbly through the process. Not only an ardent professional, she was warm and kind as she organised us. An absolute pleasure to work with. THANK YOU KATHY!!

Genevieve Wright

London

Discover the world with me

Five Reasons to Book with Me

Five Reasons to Book with Me

This short video offers five (of the many!) reasons to get in touch if you'd like help planning your next travel adventure. I look forward to hearing from you!

03 Jan 2022

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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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0131 224 0092

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