Linda Sergeant

Delivering “wow” moments and the power of a human travel advisor.

Ever wonder what exactly a travel advisor does? Arguably, the least important thing a travel advisor does is book your travel. What surrounds the actual booking – the planning, anticipating, troubleshooting, negotiating, communicating, and delivering those special memory making moments, as well as the follow up after a trip – is where you will find the real value. That’s where I come in, creating handcrafted experiences with special touch points to surprise and delight my clients. Throughout the years, I have put together countless experiences for my clients. Here are a few of my favorite wow moments I arranged for clients.

More than a golf trip: For a client’s 50th birthday, I arranged a golf trip for him and 15 of his friends to Scotland to play at St Andrews. St Andrews is a seaside town northeast of Edinburgh, on Scotland’s east coast. It’s known for its many golf courses, including the Old Course, with the landmark Swilcan Bridge at the 18th hole. To make their golf experience even more memorable, I arranged two helicopters to pick them up at the Old Course and take them to Royal Dornoch, a golf club with two 18-hole courses: the Championship Course and the Struie Course. When they arrived in their rooms, I had surprised them with sized kilts waiting in each guest’s room.  The celebration ended with a party at Skibo Castle, home to one of the world’s most prestigious private clubs and one of Scotland’s best-kept secrets.  

Alice in Wonderland scavenger hunt: I curated an adventure through London for a family with four children under the age of 10. I wanted to make their vacation a hands-on experience for all and arranged a trail of clues for the family to solve as they journeyed across the city. The children were able to interact with fully costumed characters including the Queen of Hearts, Rabbit, Tweedle Dee, and Alice herself. The scavenger hunt ended with a traditional late-afternoon tea.  

A foodie night out with teens: One of my most favorite surprises I arranged for a family traveling with teens was a night Vespa ride and foodie experience through the streets if Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. Through the evening, they were able to try a variety of food and drink and sampled the best authentic local specialties. They zoomed past the famous must-see sights of Ho Chi Minh City while in the bustling traffic, with smiles tattooed on their faces.  

Caribbean birthday bash complete with fireworks: Eden Rock – St Barths is located on a rocky promontory surrounded by white sandy beaches, gin-clear sea, and amazing coral reefs full of colorful sea life. A client celebrating her 40th birthday wanted to celebrate this milestone birthday with a bang, and through my relationships and contacts, I was able to arrange a special beachside dinner, complete with fireworks!  

At the heart of travel and why to book human: I had a young guest leave her favorite doll in the sand at a resort, and unfortunately the hotelier was not able to locate this sentimental item. My heart ached for her, so I ordered a new one with travel luggage and sent it to her home with a personal note saying how she had taken an extended vacation and could not wait to come back home.