By Darren Humphreys

Our roots, the present day and what the future holds …

Nostalgia is a very powerful emotion. As I write this note, it is 10 years to the week that I established Travel Sommelier and I admit to feeling more than a little melancholy, but also exceedingly proud. Ten years ago, I decided that I no longer wanted to work for the man. I wanted to work for the boy. In fact, I wanted to be that boy and to live that life, to be Peter Pan. Having climbed my own personal Everest in the finance world, I launched TS armed with the notion that I would showcase all that was precious about Southern Africa (especially its Winelands and gastronomy) to my friends.

The truth is that the genesis of TS was really 30+ years ago and stemmed from my burning wanderlust. From that first two-year-long stint backpacking around the globe, I have added many destinations and experiences and nothing gives me greater pleasure than to introduce others to the wonders that are out there. 

I hope you enjoy this month’s missive, which is a little window into where we have come from, and a preview of where we are going.

The Past: We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are

Travel Sommelier’s roots are in Africa and the continent will always hold the most special place in my heart, but in reality, we have a truly global footprint now when it comes to product offerings. My ‘exploration' of this product began decades ago and thankfully, for those among you with a sense of humor, I have photographic evidence!

The Present: Would you like an adventure now, or would you like to have your tea first?

Six empathetic, high functioning and accomplished people make up our platform. Meet our team. This tight-knit team ensures I can honor an abiding principle of the company...fun and flexibility, first and foremost. They also accomplish the impossible - they make me look good! We are acutely well-positioned for travel post-pandemic…to cater to all of the new trends and themes. This is because we used the last year, which (strictly personally speaking) I do not view purely in a negative light, to focus on client engagement (to listen), to streamline our platform, and to increase our product knowledge (to learn).

When I consider my team’s efforts over the last 12 months I am reminded of Eleanor Roosevelt’s famous line: ‘A lady is like a bag of tea…you never know quite how strong she is until you put her in hot water’. Our team has been in scalding water and they have shone…brightly.

What The Future Holds: What we have lost and what we have discovered …

Practically speaking, we are experiencing the same effect that I witnessed post-9/11: a realization of the tenuous control we have over pretty much everything. As a result, the precious nature of time is in sharp focus, especially time with friends and family. Hence, significant travels and experiences are being elevated…no more back burner. That sense of urgency is driving demand for multi-generational and skip-generation travel to coveted destinations. Any sense of urgency you have to explore and experience is merited.

Philosophically speaking, I think there is an irony in that the more disconnected, disintermediated, and tech-driven the world becomes, the more we want to be tangibly connected. For that reason, use a travel designer to facilitate travel. Talk to a person to connect you with people, places, and experiences. Thank you for being on this ride thus far and stay on board for the next stanza, it’s going to be epic.

Times have changed, but common themes remain: Travel brings out the very best that life has to offer. We look forward to many more years of changing lives through unforgettable travel adventures. 

Travel well, travel often... and travel with us!