With more than twenty-six years of experience in the travel industry, Marienne’s love of bespoke travel manifested into launching The Design Travel Group, which focuses on her mission to help clients recharge and reconnect on vacation.

With the belief that luxury is about getting to know her clients and tailoring the perfect itinerary suited to their tastes, Marienne offers the high-touch service people crave in this fast-paced world. Her personal passions for architecture, design, fashion and food perfectly blend with creating memorable, detail-oriented itineraries. No matter where in the world her clients land, her global connections ensure that their arrival is always anticipated and they are looked after with the upmost care.

Having three children of her own, family and multi-generational travel are favourites for Marienne to organise. Her first-hand experiences navigating the nuances of family travel enable her to ensure a hassle-free trip, no matter the ages of her travelers. Additionally, she loves planning couples’ vacations and special getaways for women, enabling them recharge and reconnect with themselves, their partner or their friends.

Why did you become a travel agent?

After working for a larger Australian travel company for several years and feeling a little “hemmed in,” I created Design Travel Group in affiliation with SmartFlyer, a well-respected brand in the luxury travel industry, because I wanted to create bespoke itineraries my way! I absolutely love being able to invest my time creating memorable experiences for my clients. It’s not always about choosing the most expensive options, but rather connecting people to the best possible experience for them at that particular moment in their lives.

Which destination do you go back to again and again? Why?

After living in Vancouver for a few years, my connection to Canada strengthened. So while I feel right at home on a sunny island escape (hello, Maldives!), I’ll always opt for a winter wonderland. There is just something special about fresh mountain air, comfort food, long ski runs and a hot tub after a hard day of skiing that is pretty hard to beat. That being said, I love arranging for ski trips all over the world for my clients; whether it be in Europe, the U.S., Japan or Canada, I’m your girl.