How to specialise in one area of travel

Q. Why did you decide to focus on accessible travel?

A. As a disabled traveller, I’ve experienced first-hand how inconsistent accessibility can be across the industry. Something as simple as booking a hotel room or confirming accessible transport can quickly become stressful if the right support isn’t in place. Those experiences inspired me to improve things for others. There was a real gap within the industry for honest, knowledgeable and practical advice from somebody who genuinely understands the challenges disabled travellers can face.

 

Q. How do you use your experiences as a disabled traveller to help with your client enquiries?

A. Accessibility means something different to everybody, so I really listen to each individual’s needs. Travelling as a disabled person myself, I know the questions that often get missed. For example, it’s not enough to simply ask if a hotel has an accessible room. I want to know if there is a step into the bathroom, whether the shower is genuinely usable and how far the room is from the facilities. Clients feel reassured they’re speaking to somebody with personal experience and that level of empathy and understanding is important.

 

Q. What considerations go into building an accessible travel itinerary?

A. It’s a very personalised approach, because no two travellers or disabilities are the same. Everything is considered carefully, from airport assistance to hotel layouts and even restaurant accessibility. Communication is key, so I speak directly with suppliers to verify accessibility information. Travel should feel exciting, not intimidating.

 

Q. How is business going for you?

A. Business is going really well. I’m incredibly proud to see accessible travel becoming a much bigger conversation within the industry. I’ve also seen growing engagement from suppliers and tourism partners. It’s rewarding to know the work I do helps people gain confidence to experience destinations they might have thought were out of reach.

 

Suvira Riza and Megan O’Leary

Voyage-Her (Travel Counsellors) 

Specialises in: Female-only and LGBTQ+ travel

Q. Why did you choose female-only and LGBTQ+ travel?

A. Megan: We’re feminists who love empowering women and the travel industry provides no end of amazing women in leadership positions that offer both friendship and inspiration. Being members of the LGBTQ+ community, we have our own experiences of travelling the world, both incognito and in our element.

Suvira: I want to encourage more women to take the steps I was once afraid to. It can be especially daunting for women of colour because it feels like there’s an additional layer of consideration that can hold women like me back. Voyage-Her gives us a platform to acknowledge these concerns, validate them and create a solution for women and LGBTQ+ people who are sick of having an untouched bucket list.

 

Q. What kinds of trips are you booking?

A. Suvira: Off-the-beaten-track itineraries, girls’ trips and solo adventures, which we love. We’ve sold trips to Norway, Dubai, Italy, Spain and city breaks. Our aim is to fill the gap for LGBTQ+ individuals who aren’t interested in the pink cruises and party destinations, but are instead seeking luxury, cultural experiences, as well as a deeper connection both with their partners and locals.

 

Q. How are you using your expertise to empower female and LGBTQ+ travellers to travel?

A. Megan: We refuse to limit gay travel to Canada, Germany and Greece. Instead, our approach is to ask where clients want to go, before posing questions such as ‘are you aware of this?’; ‘how does it make you feel?’ and ‘how can we make this work for you?’. It makes the customer feel seen and validated, without fear-mongering and putting them in a box. I often have other travel counsellors asking for advice regarding their LGBTQ+ clients so they can plan their trips with more confidence.

 

Q. How does Travel Counsellors support you in this sector?

A. Suvira: Travel Counsellors’ booking platform, Phenix, gives us access to the entire world and our supplier partners are fantastic. It empowers us to build a package that works for the customer, rather than a customer that works for a package. We are both part of TC Pride, our in-house affinity group for LGBTQ+ individuals. It’s not just our systems. The head office support team uplifts us and cheers us on, offering advice and resources. Without the Travel Counsellors model, we’d have to navigate all of this alone.

 

Kieran Miller

Magical Traveller 

Specialises in: Disney trips

Q. How did you become a Disney parks and cruise specialist?

A. Many of my friends were asking me how to plan a Disney holiday and they kept suggesting I write a guide. One day, I had the light bulb moment: there must be a way to make money from this. When I found the opportunity to become a home-based travel agent, I jumped in. It wasn’t easy. My co-founder Phil Eccles-Miller and I started the business six months before Covid-19, so we had a bit of a rocky start. However, after that, it went from strength to strength.

 

Q. Disney holiday packages are so popular – how do you stand out from the crowd?

A. Showcasing our own personal holidays and experiences. It helps to bring the product alive, but it also demonstrates to our customers that we’re genuine travellers ourselves. We’re a bit unusual in the fact we’re a couple with no kids, so we tend to attract a very similar market: couples looking to visit Disney. That seems to be our unique angle, rather than focusing purely on the family market.

 

Q. Do you sell any other kinds of holidays?

A. Yes. We are primarily cruise specialists. I’d say 70% of our business is made up of cruise bookings. We tend to specialise in premium travel, including land breaks and touring, so we sell a nice mix of holidays, but we’re very heavily focused on cruise. That’s where our Disney Cruise Line bookings come from, and then we add on land stays for people who perhaps want to do a North America holiday as well. We’ve recently started selling more of Asia, both Disney and cruise holidays.

 

Q. How do you keep up with all the Disney updates?

A. Being a Disney fan means it doesn’t feel like work to keep up to date with the latest changes. I’m in Facebook groups, web forums and newsletters to keep on top of the big news, as well as the small changes, like if trees are being moved in the parks. I genuinely love that kind of update. If I had to give tips to people who maybe aren’t as obsessed, online Disney vloggers are a great place to pick up tips from people who have just visited the parks.

 

Zoe Pope

EBO Travel (Protected Trust Services) 

Specialises in: Adventure and wildlife

 

 

Q. Why adventure and wildlife?

A. Since Covid-19, I’ve noticed a shift in the way people approach travel – they want to try something new, step outside their comfort zones and come home with lasting memories. I enjoy planning adventure-style trips because they allow customers to experience a destination in a deeper and more exciting way. That said, adventure doesn’t have to mean high‑adrenaline activities. I also love creating more relaxed holidays, for example in Greece, where travellers can explore islands, enjoy authentic food and take part in experiences such as cooking classes.

 

Q. How is business going for you?

A. Business is going well. My business partner Greg and I launched the company in November 2025, and I’d allowed myself two years without earning a wage before I might need to re-evaluate! But I’m already taking a wage and have enough bookings to keep me busy. I haven’t received lots of enquiries, but when I am the only agent working for the business, I am happy with a steady flow. It means I can really focus on making sure the standard for every enquiry is the best I can offer.

 

Q. Do you tailor-make all your trips?

A. As an agency we haven’t yet acquired our own Atol licence, but this is something that we will work towards in the future, because I do enjoy creating my own itineraries. For now, I’m choosing to work with a selection of tour operators that I have close connections with and can offer the best value and service for my customers.

 

Q. What kinds of clients do you sell to?

A. I enjoy working with customers who are looking to experience something new. After working for my previous company, which mostly booked family holidays, this is something that I enjoy doing. I feel I have lots of knowledge in the right places to know how to book and the best companies to use.