Thea Gillingham

My expertise

Africa
South Africa
Japan
Kenya
South East Asia
Sri Lanka
Thailand
Europe

I'm based in

Bristol

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 Thea. Originally from London, I moved to the South West for university and quickly realised this was where I wanted to put down roots. I’m now based in Keynsham, perfectly placed between Bristol and Bath, and I regularly meet clients across both cities.

My career didn’t begin in travel. I graduated as a neuroscientist, but after spending time in a laboratory I realised it wasn’t where my passion truly lay. In 2013, I swapped brains for boarding passes and retrained in travel and tourism. After gaining experience in high street agencies and specialist tour operators, I launched my own business with the award winning Travel Counsellors in 2019. I haven’t looked back since.

I specialise in luxury tailor made travel, particularly across Asia and Africa, alongside ocean and river cruising, solo travel and bucket list adventures. I have visited over 55 countries and counting, and whether it’s safari in Africa, touring through Europe, exploring India or relaxing in the Caribbean, I still get that same rush every time I step on a plane. Chances are, if you’re planning it, I’ve either done it myself or it’s firmly on my radar.

In recent years, responsible tourism has become a huge focus for me. I became a TTG Sustainable Travel Ambassador and was honoured to be named a finalist for Responsible Luxury Travel Agent of the Year at the TTG Luxury Awards 2026. I care deeply about helping clients travel thoughtfully, proving that luxury and sustainability can go hand in hand.

Being a Travel Counsellor means I’m my own boss, which allows me to offer a genuinely personal service. You deal directly with me from start to finish, including WhatsApp access, and I’m not restricted to traditional office hours. If evenings work better for you, that’s absolutely fine. Prefer to meet in person over coffee? Even better. Behind the scenes, you also have 24/7 global duty office support, full ATOL protection and 100% financial security. I don’t charge service fees as I’m paid by suppliers, and if there is ever an exception, I will always explain why.

From iconic honeymoons and first family holidays to multi centre adventures and special celebration trips, my role is to create memories that last long after you’ve unpacked your suitcase. Whatever you’re dreaming of, big or small, I’d love to help turn your ideas into something truly special.

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Explore my guides and blogs

Is Shamwari Game Reserve Worth It? A Luxury Safari Review in the Eastern Cape

Is Shamwari Game Reserve Worth It? A Luxury Safari Review in the Eastern Cape

There are plenty of excellent safari reserves across South Africa, but Shamwari has long set the benchmark in the Eastern Cape. In March 2026, I spent 24 hours on the reserve. I stayed at Bayethe Tented Lodge and also visited multiple other properties across the reserve to really understand how the overall experience differs from lodge to lodge. During my time, what stood out wasn’t just the lev

16 Apr 2026 5   min read

Amakhala Game Reserve: A Safari Journey into a Conservation Success Story

Amakhala Game Reserve: A Safari Journey into a Conservation Success Story

In March, I spent three unforgettable nights at Amakhala Game Reserve, staying across three completely different lodges and inspecting three more. From a more rustic three star stay through to a polished five star experience, it gave me a clear and well rounded insight into what a safari here can look like. This was actually my third trip to South Africa, but my first time exploring the Eastern

05 Apr 2026 5   min read

Why KZN Might Be South Africa’s Best-Kept Safari Secret

Why KZN Might Be South Africa’s Best-Kept Safari Secret

When people think of a safari in South Africa, their minds usually jump straight to Kruger or perhaps the Eastern Cape along the Garden Route. But after my recent trip, I can confidently say that a KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) safari is one of the most underrated safari experiences in the country. And honestly, it pleasantly surprised even me… a regular safari-goer and, I’ll admit it, a bit of a safari sn

31 Mar 2026 5   min read

Safari Packing List: 10 Essential Things to Pack for an African Safari

Safari Packing List: 10 Essential Things to Pack for an African Safari

As a travel specialist who has arranged numerous safari trips for clients over the years, one of the most common questions I get asked is what should you pack for an African safari. Packing for safari is slightly different to a typical holiday. Early morning game drives can be surprisingly chilly, the midday sun can be intense, and you will often spend several hours out in the wilderness where pop

11 Mar 2026 5   min read

Why You Should Consider a Small Group Tour

Why You Should Consider a Small Group Tour

Over the years, small group touring has become one of my favourite ways to explore the world when I’m travelling independently. From making new friends to having the stress completely taken away, there are so many benefits to this style of travel.

25 Feb 2026 5   min read

Why Tunisia Should Be on Your Radar

Why Tunisia Should Be on Your Radar

For many British travellers, Tunisia hasn’t always felt like the obvious choice. For a long time, it quietly slipped off the radar, shaped by past events and perceptions rather than by what the country actually offers today. But over the last few years, something interesting has happened. Interest in Tunisia has risen dramatically, yet prices have remained refreshingly reasonable. And after hea

13 Jan 2026 5   min read

Why Travelling in the Off-Season Might Be the Best Decision You Make

Why Travelling in the Off-Season Might Be the Best Decision You Make

Most people instinctively look at peak season when planning a holiday. Sunshine guarantees, long days, busy atmospheres and that feeling of going at the “right” time. And while peak season absolutely has its place, it’s not always the only or even the best option...

22 Dec 2025 5   min read

When Things Go Wrong: Why Being Supported Matters When You Travel

When Things Go Wrong: Why Being Supported Matters When You Travel

The very last thing you want when you’re on holiday is for things to go wrong. You plan, you save, you count down the days. A holiday is meant to be the light at the end of the tunnel, time to switch off, reset, and make memories. So when the unexpected happens, especially when you’re far from home, it can feel unsettling very quickly...

12 Dec 2025 5   min read

What my customers say

Thea was great and tried her best to get us an itinerary with everything we wanted within our tight budget. I think the accomodation options look great and same for tours, and communication was very quick. Only reason didn't put a 10 was because when we initially got in touch we mentioned we wanted a trip as budget friendly as possible, through back and forth we managed to get the price down but it would have been nice to receive the best price the first time / know what could be downgraded if we would have wanted to reduce the price i.e the hire car.

Alice McCutcheon

Ely

Fast professional help and tailored advice. Thea gets your need and requirements and help you find locations you would not necessarily have thought of. Can highly recommend her services!

Anna Ulvefjord

Sweden

So quick at responding with really thoughtful recommendations

Katherine Grafton

Keynsham

Thea was great, found us some good choices of trips and I really appreciated that she responded and progressed our trip in the evenings and over the weekend.

Adam Palmer

Abingdon

Thea is great and always finds the perfect holiday. I couldn’t recommend her enough

Hayley Ingram

Bristol

Fabulously helpful and extremely attentive to our needs.

Jeffrey Cochrane

London

Thea has revolutionised the way I travel. I would recommend everyone use her for their travel needs!

James McPhee

Keynsham

Dealing with Thea is an absolute pleasure. This is the 3rd time I have booked a holiday through her & Travel Counsellors. The last two being to India. Not knowing what to expect or where to start Thea was so helpful & came up with a great itinerary, always on hand to answer any questions.

Geraldine Thomas

Feltham

Thea is so approachable and informative on any requests I ask. I appreciate her honest opinions and helpful guidance, also her communication is brilliant

Victoria Brain

Bristol

Have already recommended to friends

Zoe Posner

Worcester

Amazing service

Marco Spennati

London

Thea is extremely friendly and approachable with emails and queries. She’s quick to respond and has so far answered every random question we have thrown at her with the utmost professionalism

Jennifer Thomas

Feltham

Brilliant service couldn’t do enough for us !!

Lisa Hodkinson

Swindon

Great service - Always keeping in touch before and after trip. Would recommend for hassle free travel.

Milton Ramsamy

Bristol

I work in the travel industry, so I know the time and energy required to set up an itinerary, especially for destinations that I'm not familiar with. Thea was brilliant - she really connected with our family's personal preferences and quickly incorporated these into the trip. There's no doubt that we would use her services again and have already recommended her to friends.

Kimberley Phippen

Livingstone

Always recommend Thea . What Thea doesn't know about travel isn't worth knowing..

Victoria James

Keynsham

Thea always organises great holidays even when your requirements are vague. I wouldn’t book a holiday any other way now.

Hayley Ingram

Bristol

Thea is a delight! She is so helpful, friendly and efficient when planning our travels. 10/10 service! Would recommend to anyone looking to plan that holiday of a lifetime.

Daryl Hagan

London

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Thea for the exceptional service she provided in organising a fantastic vacation for my husband and me. Despite being a rather demanding client, she went above and beyond to meet all of my needs, always ready to respond to my messages at any hour, be it morning, evening, or even during the weekend. Everything was flawless, from the arrangements to the documentation, which was precisely as described. The holiday was a complete success, and I will not hesitate to use this company again. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your superb, highly professional approach to each individual client.

Marta Probala

Bristol

We are often fairly non-specific and broad in terms of our requirements, and Thea often sends us what is meant to be a "first cut" in order to see how it works for us and to whittle us down to come up with an optimal proposal, but her first cut is usually so good that we don't need to go much further despite my not saying much more than budget, flight time, month and desired temperature! While I've pretty much loved planning our holidays before we had a child, I can say with a good degree of confidence that the proposals aren't the same kind of generic cookie-cutter type holidays I was expecting when I first used Thea, and I'm glad and wish we'd taken the plunge earlier as this would have saved me so much time and effort!

Dominique Lim

London

I would 100% recommend Thea to others. Thea can take a relatively vague brief and provide you with various options to help you explore and create a great holiday. It helps that she's lovely and incredibly knowledgeable too! We can't wait for our holiday next year

Vanessa Palmer

Keynsham

Thea has been amazing from start to end. She is super knowledgeable and responsive on her work WhatsApp. She has listened to all needs and wants and delivered a fantastic itinerary. We are super excited about the holiday. We will be using her services again for sure. Thank you

Carla Puime Costoya

Keynsham

Thea has been incredible booking all of our travel for the past few years and my family also ask her for assistance too. When we’ve had to cancel last minute she’s been so helpful in providing details for the insurance company. Best still are the amazing upgrades Thea has been able to secure us - thank you to Thea.

Kara Gosden

Keynsham

When booking our holiday to Greece, Thea was able to suggest an amazing trip within our budget & something we would never have thought of! Thank you

Elizabeth Posner

Bristol

We’ve been using Thea for a few years now, and every trip—whether it’s been somewhere closer to home or planning for halfway around the world—has been amazing. Even when we have no idea where we want to go, she always comes up with the perfect plan. Thea just gets what we’re looking for. We've recommended her to lots of friends and will keep doing so. Can’t wait to see what for our next getaway!

Lauren Padfield

Bristol

We often have little ideas of our next adventure and using Thea and her team are usually our next port of call. Thea and her Travel Counsellors certainly offer a great level of support and expertise in finding the exact location and value for money, and this is the third time using them, we wouldn't contemplate going anywhere else. Thank you, Trudy Charles in Thea’s absence, on this occasion

Lee Burns

Keynsham

Always reliable, professional, knowledgeable, helpful and approachable. Prompt and efficient service, I wouldn't use anyone else. Highly recommend Thea and her team.

Nicola Courtney

Bristol

Thea was great we completely changed the timing of the trip after almost being ready to press the button and she took it all in her stride. A very positive experience all round and she really understands what good service means. It is a one off family adventure and we chose to blow the budget so getting it right mattered hugely. Thea showed she understood that and has been more than wiling to accommodate our many requests. I fully expect the trip to live up to expectations.

Louise Brown

London

Thea was already recommended by my family and I would have no issue with recommending her to further friends and family. Very professional and responsive from the start.

Ian Setterfield

Saltburn-By-The-Sea

Thea always delivers! She makes it so easy and always there to help!

Ryan Sullivan

Durham

Thea put together a fairly complicated itinerary so quickly and easily. I now have something totally bespoke that I couldn't have got via a package or managed to organise myself. She is so friendly and easy to work with the whole experience has been excellent. I would highly recommend Thea to anyone looking to travel independently.

Madeline Barratt

Ramsgate

Great working with Thea on our holiday plan and can’t wait for the trip!

Elliott Wiseman

London

Thea has been absolutely fantastic, which is why this is our third time booking a holiday with her. She has planned trips for us as a couple to Cambodia, for my husband as a solo traveler to Egypt, and now for us as a family to the Middle East. Her patience, understanding of our needs and limitations, and creativity in crafting great options have been exceptional. We’ll definitely be relying on her for many more family holidays in the future. Thank you, Thea!

Richa Ellis

London

I would score 100 if possible! Thea is always so quick at responding with any enquiries and questions. Always listens to my wish list and somehow manages to book everything and more.

Cheryl Knowles

Bristol

Thea has always been amazing and has been on the end of the line 24/7 even when we have encountered problems.....totally reliable and always cheerful too.

Charles Perry

London

My TC was very helpful taking into account our budget and the dates… lots of options and very quick with responses and ideas making it easy to understand… also loving the way you view the itinerary in the app then delete the ones you aren’t interested in. Would highly recommend Thea where quick to respond and holiday looks spot on we can’t wait! X

Tamara Rose

Bristol

Speedy ,efficient ,friendly 9/10 - PS I never give a score of 10 ! That's me !

Rob Brown

Keynsham

Excellent as usual

Anthony Husband

Keynsham

Very helpful and responded to all questions really quickly

Wayne Davies

Keynsham

Fantastic quick service as always with great recommendations

Joanne Rance

Bristol

Thea is my 'Travel Person'! I refer to her as such and have recommended her to everyone who would listen! Her understanding of a family's needs on holiday is fantastic and I have never had a single shadow of doubt we will have a great time if I book with Thea. Her expertise is irreplaceable and her kindness and honesty makes her stand out from the sea of Travel Consultants popping up these days. Thank you Thea!

Krisztina Endersz

Bristol

Friendly and professional service would recommend ( and have done) to everyone I know. Many thanks again Thea x

Faye Curnock

Bristol

Easy to communicate with. Fab product knowledge and smooth booking process. Can't wait for the holiday now and looking at what else Thea can research for me. 100% would recommend

Peter Green

London

We love using Thea for our holidays - friendly and reliable service, safe in the knowledge she is always trying to get us the best deal!

Nicholas Clackett

Keynsham

Thea is incredibly helpful, responsive, quick and comes up with amazing suggestions and ideas you'd never even thought of yourself!

Jennifer Tugman

London

My first time using Thea Gillingham and TC having being been recommended by a friend. I would definitely recommend.

Philip Davies

Penzance

Thea is very meticulous to detail, listens carefully to requests and is very quick in organising quotes and booking. She is there for you throughout the process including whilst you are away . Thank you Thea. I would recommend her to all of my family and friends

Heather Johnson

Stevenage

Brilliant service - you say what you want and and Thea sorts it out for you, booking holidays made very easy!! Highly recommend

Anna Norrie

Bristol

I’ve used Thea quite a few times over the years and have always (without exception) found her to be highly knowledgeable, very professional and just exceptional at what she does. With minimal questioning, she is able to decipher exactly what I am after and present multiple options with absolute precision and speed. Super impressed!!

Kris Bryant

Bristol

Thea is fantastic, we have used her services a couple of times now, she has always been really friendly and professional, she makes the process stress free and helps to put any worries at ease. We have recommended her to any friends that are planning holidays as we have always had fantastic experiences through her service

Morgan Cradick

Bristol

Thea is very knowledgeable and can tailor your holiday brilliantly! She is so quick to respond to any questions and requests and makes the whole process stress free. Would recommend to anyone.

Esther Fogerty

Bristol

Fabulous service, none better. Thea is wonderful to deal with

Jeff Cochrane

Uxbridge

Thea has been very helpful!

Jessica Goldsmith

Bristol

Always friendly, reliable, helpful, knowledgeable and professional

Nicola Courtney

Bristol

Thea is always amazing! No matter what I'm booking, a cheap last minute package holiday, luxury cruise or a once in a lifetime bespoke itinerary! She has never failed to deliver!

Ryan Sullivan

Durham

Prompt reply to emails Helpful and quickly finds answers to any special information requested

Caroline Fogerty

Keynsham

We are very pleased with the quote we received. The response from you was quick and professional, great customer service, which you tailored to our needs. We will certainly be using you again in the near future. Many Thanks again, and we look forward to booking with you again.

Trevor Clackett

Kent

Excellent as always

Anthony Husband

Bristol

Another fantastic holiday booked with thea, can’t recommend her enough. we have had the holiday of a lifetime.

Tamsin Stowers

Kent

Already have recommended Thea to friends! Don’t feel anything needs to change, a great variety of contact options to suit all and we love the wild card choices.

Lauren Padfield

Bristol

We were going to do it ourselves to get a good deal and exactly what we wanted. However, a friend recommended Thea and it was so easy. So glad we found her it saved us a lot of time and stress.

Hayley Ingram

Bristol

I've used Thea for a long time now and her help, knowledge and continued support regardless of whether a booking is made is second to none. She can highly recommended to me and I have highly recommended her to others

Jennifer Hoffman

Bristol

Thea has been brilliant - she gave me some great options to consider, taking into account my requirements, and her communication has been first rate. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend!

Frances Carroll

Bristol

Thea was really helpful and came back with some amazing suggestions. She listened to my amends and made them quickly allowing us to compare options & prices. We don't usually use a travel agent/counsellor to book our travel but working with Thea has changes our mind and we would definitely consider her for all of our future trips - particularly as it was so stress free. Thank you!

Liz Posner

Bristol

Thea was very prompt in her reply and listened to what I needed. She was quick to look up alternatives and gave me options to choose from. the paperwork and information she sent me was clear and relevant to my holiday.

Heather Johnson

Baldock

The service and attention to detail provided by Thea is second to none. A stress free, seamless booking experience. Have already recommended Thea to lots of friends!

Bethan Griffiths

Keynsham

It is a comfort to know that I can have someone to rely on especially in this covid times.

Helen Hawkey

Cornwall

Super helpful and very patient with all our questions

Sophie Maskell

London

Efficient service! Answered all questions quickly and efficiently and we're excited about our holiday!

Clare Malone

Bristol

Thea is really helpful and I trust her with our holiday bookings/ choices. We find it simple and stress free to book with Travel Counsellors

Julie Lindsay

Dewsbury

Thea organised the perfect little getaway for us and was an absolute pleasure to deal with throughout the process. Thanks so much for your help and wealth of knowledge!

Emily Penney

Bristol

Thea was incredible from start to finish! We wanted to book a complicated honeymoons to a few places but she made the whole experience really easy and found us the dream holiday that fit everything we wanted. Could not be more grateful and would highly recommend!

Amy-Louise Hudspeth

Keynsham

very good professional but personal service delivered in an understanding and friendly way

John OConnell

Bristol

Great, responsive service. Thea knew exactly the type of holidays we were looking for after a short conversation. I will definitely be using Thea going forward and recommending her to my friends.

Joanne Hewitt-Schembri

Kent

Thea was excellent at listening to what we’re after and was very flexible when we wanted to change the dates.

Abigail Giles

London

Thea is always a joy to work with, a true professional through and through.

Louise Bashall

Bristol

Great service. Really looking forward to our holiday and future bookings

Edward Spear

Bristol

Super fast response and some great holiday house suggestions based on our brief. Booking was also really easy and quick. Thank you Thea!

Kerry Seymour

Bristol

We have had incredible service with Thea. She has the patience of a saint and an incredible eye for detail.

Sophie Venables

Durham

Listens very carefully to the detail of what you want and goes out of her way to find that. Offer advice if it’s not achievable or unrealistic. Will go back and make adjustments where needed and makes a supreme effort to find exactly what you want.

Tamsin Stowers

Kent

I’ve approached Thea a few times now to help me organise holidays and i honestly wouldn’t go anywhere else. She listens to what I want and need and tailors everything perfectly. She’s always happy to go away and come back with other options if something isn’t quite right. Hassle free and outstanding service. Great communication and easy to book and manage booking.

Michelle Keith Howell

Birmingham

I would have scored 15 if it was possible. Thea is simply the best person to book any travel with and if it is not through her I am not going!

Krisztina Endersz

Bristol

I wish I’d used Thea before! Outstanding service.

Rachel Renney

Bristol

great service, saved me a lot of time and hassle. I will definitely be using Thea again

Katharine Simmons

Bristol

Thea's service was outstanding. She was quick, efficient, caring and thorough.

Jane Patterson

Bristol

Thea was super helpful and really professional. It is reassuring to have her help us plan a large trip. Her information and professional quotes where far better than any from the high street travel agents we approached.

Amy Edis

Keynsham

Extremely helpful, made the whole process stress free. Thank you

Julie Lindsay

Dewsbury

Thea was super informative, polite, and made us feel like booking our holiday really meant a great deal to her. Extremely pleasant throughout.

Nick Clackett

Keynsham

Very helpful and patient to ensure we got just what we wanted

Nicola Courtney

Bristol

10/10. I would score higher if I could. Thea is the most dedicated, enthusiastic travel counsellor I have encountered and I have spoken to a LOT of people. Nothing is EVER too much trouble and her personal knowledge is invaluable. I trust her implicitly with every aspect of my travel plans. Without her, I would not be going on the holiday of my dreams next year so THANK YOU Thea!

Wanda Cupik

Manchester

Thea has been amazing helping us to plan and book our trip to Thailand this year. She was very helpful with information, catering to our taste and always prompt and quick to reply. I would definitely recommend her to my friends and family if they are planning a trip abroad.

Jamie Lee Day

Bristol

Thea is totally professional. She was able to answer all my questions due to her great knowledge of the trip I was interested in. Nothing was too much trouble for her. A lovely touch was the notebook she sent me, which will enable me to record my trip and hopefully future ones with Cunard.

Linda Hyam

Sunbury

100% recommend Thea to my friends, family and colleagues!

Edward Haupt

Portishead

Thea has been fantastic on more than one occasion in helping me find and book amazing holidays and more recently my honeymoon which is now booked for May in 2020. Extremely helpful, patient and accommodating. Thank you Thea.

Michelle Howell

Walsall

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Let's plan your dream trip together

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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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