Carole has journeyed to and through more than 60 different countries, gathering first-hand knowledge along the way that she incorporates into each and every itinerary she books. In fact, her single most important travel memory was booking a one-way 12-month trip to Europe.
“I ended up staying for 12 years, working in the travel industry in a variety of roles. This included being a Tour Guide with a number of coach companies for six years. It opened my mind to the world, all the different countries and cultures. I think everyone should get the chance to travel. It is a life changing experience.”
Having lived in Europe for such an extended period, Carole not only counts Venice as her favourite destination in the world, but she also specialises in creating tailor-made holidays throughout the continent. It is her field of expertise and she loves creating holidays for those who want to explore Europe in any way, be it by driving, rail, coaches, river cruising, walking, canal or barge holidays or cycling. From beginners to return visitors, she can recommend an itinerary that surprises and delights.
“Helping to plan the holiday can be half as much fun as the actual holiday itself. To be able to suggest destinations, itineraries, trivia on local areas, places to see and vitas, must-see, eat and taste experiences of local areas and to hear the feedback on how much my clients enjoyed their holiday is like I am visiting them all again. Even if I wasn’t on the holiday.”
It doesn’t matter what your travel style (adventure, luxury, business or something in between) or your experience (beginner or seasoned pro), Carole is all too happy to utilise her extensive experience to help you create a holiday that meets your every expectation.
“I love that as my client’s families grow up, I am now sending the kids out on their first lone adventures to bring back their own stories.”
Carole is based on Canberra, pop her an email, she will be happy to set up an appointment to meet you and look into all your travel needs.
Testimonials
Thank you for all the support and travel advice that you have provided me through my many years of travel. Although you have helped me on so many trips over the years, one that stands out is Antarctica: a lifetime dream in the making and it came true, thanks to you. It's hard to put into words the experience, but suffice to say it would not have been possible without your support, knowledge and expert advice. From start to finish, it was spectacular and the level of support you provided was second to none!
One Exceptional Travel Agent
We first met Carole Parker at a Travel Associates function in 2010, and since then she has been our unwavering travel agent, arranging numerous overseas trips for family groups, friends and others trips that involve both family and friends.
In 2014, for example, Carole arranged flights and car hire for nine of us family & friends to meet in Montreal. This was a very complex trip since most of us were travelling to other countries first. Three members went to Nepal, two went to the US, two went to Canada, one flew direct to Montreal and the last member met us in Boston. After two weeks travelling around the New England region of the USA, we all travelled to Maui for some R&R our way back to Australia. Carole understood our requirements and did an amazing amount of work that ensured all went smoothly. There was only one problem with one flight for a couple where the airline in the US had an issue with their system. Carole was only too happy to be involved in sorting this out.
In 2019, Carole organized a 10-month trip for my husband and myself after we retired. This also included friends joining us in one country and our daughter joining us for the last three months. Unfortunately, COVID-19 pandemic cut this trip short, and we had to return after just four months. Throughout this ordeal, Carole was brilliant, working tirelessly to secure any refunds we were entitled to.
We are looking forward to our next overseas trip later this year, with the knowledge that Carole has everything arranged for us.
Carole is incredibly friendly, super-efficient, and always goes above and beyond to ensure our travel experiences are exceptional. We cannot recommend her highly enough.
For the past twenty years, Carole Parker from Travel Associates has been our go-to travel agent, meticulously organizing every aspect of our many trips with patience, skill and incredible attention to detail. Her extensive personal knowledge of Europe, Asia, and the cruise industry has been invaluable, ensuring that every trip she plans runs seamlessly.
Carole has arranged approximately 15 overseas holidays for my wife and me, all of which have gone off without a hitch. Two of the most memorable were our back-to-back Mediterranean cruises with Regent Seven Seas, which she designed to include not only the Mediterranean but also an unforgettable voyage through the Dardanelles to Istanbul, back up the Adriatic to Venice. From there she planned our scenic drive through Italy and the Dolomites to Salzburg. In Salzburg, Carole arranged day trips to stunning locations like Hallstatt, and a personal highlight for me, a visit to Hitler's Eagle's Nest and the ruins of his home, the Berghof in Obersalzburg, which has a special family connection for me. Carole brought all of these elements together seamlessly.
Another extraordinary journey she organized was my fantastically rewarding expedition cruise to Antarctica. Rather than simply booking me onto a pre-planned tour, Carole tailored the trip to my specific requests as an independent traveller. Without her expertise, I would not have been able to undertake such a complex adventure.
Carole's years of living and working in Europe has given her firsthand insight that goes beyond standard travel advice. She offers recommendations and ideas that come from extensive personal experience, which adds an invaluable dimension to trip planning. Her vast knowledge, careful organization, and commitment to ensuring every detail is perfect have given me complete confidence in her services. In addition, Carole's knowledge of the overseas Airline industry and her expertise in planning the best flights at the best price adds great confidence to any tour she prepares.
Beyond her professional excellence, Carole is a pleasure to work with. She is super friendly and very personable, and over the years, we have built a fine, friendly and respectful relationship, and I trust her implicitly with all my travel arrangements. Every trip she has planned for us has been a resounding success, and I have no hesitation in wholeheartedly recommending her to anyone looking for a truly exceptional travel planner.
My wife and I have been very fortunate to have had Carole Parker as our travel consultant/advisor for many years now and feel constantly reassured that we are in the best of hands.
We are frequent and varied travellers - domestic/international; cruises; safaris; organised trips; private arrangements - and have always felt confident that Carole will put in place the best possible travel arrangements at the best possible price.
Carole is clearly an expert in the travel field and can quickly access a wide range of flight, accommodation and itinerary options. She is particularly adept at seeking out the best flight combinations and arrangements. Another feature we particularly appreciate is that Carole always sets aside plenty of time to sit down with is and explore the full range of possible options and prices for a trip. She is meticulous and patient in her travel planning and very good at communicating with us on a regular basis. We have also found her to be very receptive to individual client requirements and very proactive in alerting us to better options as our travel planning proceeds. Also, during the course of our trip Carole keeps us completely across any flight and other itinerary variations. And it is comforting to know that if there are any mishaps while on an overseas trip, Carole is only a call/text away and is quick to do whatever she can to sort things out and make it easier for us.
We have recommended Carole to friends and family members and know they share the same experience we have. We highly recommend Carole as a travel consultant. It would be hard to find someone better.
