
When you call award-winning African Travel, Inc., President Jim Holden answers the phone with his friendly African-accented, “Jambo!,” and you know that Jim is the real deal. Born in Lusaka, Zambia, he spent his childhood roaming the remote African terrain. A sequel to Out of Africa could easily be made about his pioneer family and his own personal childhood experiences.
Jim’s Grandfather first set foot in Africa in what is today Kenya. He arrived by ship from England in the early 1900s to prospect for diamonds on behalf of George Pauling, the millionaire British builder of the railways in Africa. Jim’s Grandfather didn’t find diamonds, but he took a long safari, traversing the length and breadth of Kenya,

Tim Tyo, Director of Operations at African Travel Inc., is a career travel professional, with over 30 years in the industry. Tim’s career has been varied and interesting, having begun his career in the group department of a major Tour Operator, then moving on to Brendan Vacations, a TravCorp company, where Tim spent many years, gaining valuable experience with world-wide destinations. Tim is extremely hands on and involved in all areas of the reservations and operations departments, as well as the development of the in-house automated booking system.
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Anais Chavez has been in the travel industry all her professional life. While her travels have spanned the globe, her heart has been firmly planted in Africa. Her knowledge and tenacity provide the ability to meet all challenges. Anais never ceases to amaze with her will to accomplish what appears to others as “impossible”! She sets her own personal goals with none more important than creating a safari experience that captures the essence of Africa earning her bragging rights when her clients return. And all this she can do in Spanish too!
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Beth brings us over twenty-five years experience in the tourism industry, of which the past twenty was spent living and working in Southern Africa. Her inquiring, adventurous spirit led her into many of the game rich safari areas and tourist areas in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana. Her life in the bush, working in these three countries, has left her with extensive knowledge, experience and intimate insight in organizing custom safaris for her clients . Her effervescent nature gets the African adventure started from the first phone call!
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Diane has been with African Travel for 20 years! She just recently returned from Botswana, Zambia and South Africa. Her first trip ever to Africa was to Botswana back in 1980. A few years ago, Diane fulfilled a life-long dream to see the pyramids in Egypt and she now enjoys helping clients design unique itineraries that combine the antiquities of the Pharoahs with the wildlife of East Arica. With her many years of consulting experience, Diane is a great resource for planning FIT and group travel.
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Marking her 16th anniversary with the company, Hilda loves creating family safaris almost as much as she loves being a mother. Groups are Hilda’s specialty and she is skilled at custom-designing programs incorporating themes such as ‘cuisine’, ‘wine’, ‘culture’ and, of course, ‘children’!
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A native of Great Britain, Jennifer is a Travel Industry veteran with many years in both retail and wholesale. She is quite familiar with South Africa – having lived there for nearly 10 years – and has just returned from an extensive trek through Zambia and southern Africa. Jennifer loves the challenge and rewards of creating perfect ‘dream’ safaris.
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In addition to her marketing and brochure production responsibilities, Margie coordinates all Travel Agency familiarization trips and obtains special discounted rates for our Travel Industry partners. She has worked in the travel business for over two decades, and is about to celebrate her 12th anniversary with African Travel!
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Before moving to California with her family and joining African Travel, Mirlin Manshon spent a decade in the safari business while living in South Africa. She was a frequent visitor to hotels and safari lodges, learning first-hand which properties were particularly suited to the discerning American market. Mirlin loves creating custom-designed safaris, and is a great source of knowledge for those clients who want to talk to a safari expert who has ‘been there and done that’.
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Sandra Andrade has been in the travel industry for the past twelve years, honing her knowledge on Southern Africa and East Africa, as well as providing superb customer service. Sandra feels that out of all the destinations that she has sold over the years, such as Europe, South America, and Australia, and more, that Africa is by far the most intriguing and beautiful destinations she has worked with. Sandra enjoys working with her clients to craft the perfect safari, with all the details that go along with that, such as the best hotel for their budge, the perfect tour package and the airfare to get her clients to Africa. Her clients are taken on a journey before they ever leave for Africa, as all her ideas come together to bring the most joy to her clients, and a great safari is the result.

Susannah joined African Travel twelve years ago bringing with her a wealth of knowledge, having both lived in and traveled extensively throughout Eastern and Southern Africa. She especially enjoys creating adventure and luxury itineraries, sharing her destination knowledge, and introducing travelers to Africa’s colorful cultures, phenomenal scenery and unique wildlife.

Barbara manages African Travel’s extensive group of airline relationships, ensuring that we can offer our customers many options and routes to get them to Africa and within the continent. She has been with the company for over 20 years and loves to travel to Africa whenever she can.

Nora Gregorian has joined the African Travel’s team in November of 2010.
Over 25 years of experience in travel industry, recipient of several Quality Service awards and an avid traveler, Nora has a vast experience in group reservation, leisure travel and airline rate desk. She has extensive travel background and is a Destination Specialist for Europe, South Pacific, and in near future for Africa.
Her hobbies include volunteer charity work and fund raising for several nonprofit organizations and monthly book-club participation.

As one of African Travel’s top air experts, Teresa is a great resource for our clients, as well as our in-house reservations staff. Teresa joined our staff back in 1994, but has over three decades of travel experience. She is especially knowledgeable about international fare and ticketing, and is – of course – an Africa aficionado!

Kim Severini is a travel & hospitality executive with more than 20 years of successful senior marketing and sales experience in diverse sectors that include luxury hotel, airline, tour operator, cruise line, Destination Management and the Walt Disney Company.
Kim’s diverse experience in managing high performing teams, developing strategic sales & marketing plans, launching new business units, cultivating vast connections in the travel industry, understanding of the retail travel agency channel, and experience in destination marketing give her the credibility to tackle the most complex issues and initiatives.

IA, IL, KS, MN, MO, ND, NE, OK, SD, TX, WI
Pamela’s love of travel led her from her native New Zealand to the South African Tourism Board for 15 years, where she managed the office. Over the years, she traveled throughout Africa including South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Pamela’s zest for selling Africa is transmitted to those she meets and works with in field sales.

AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN
Since she was a young girl, Dawn knew she wanted to travel and see the world. After college she pursued her dream and kicked off her career in travel with World Airways. Dawn has worked in the travel industry for over 30 years in all capacities including luxury cruises (Crystal Cruises), upscale tour operators (Grand Expeditions), and award winning airlines and rail Tours (Virgin Atlantic, Finnair and Rocky Mountaineer). Dawn has traveled many places throughout the world but South Africa remained the most memorable and closest to her heart.

CT, DC, DE, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VA, VT, WV
David brings to African Travel over 19 years experience in the travel industry. Launching his travel career as an international tour director, David has held sales positions for both domestic and international tour operators, covering the Eastern USA. He is currently responsible for sales implementation and support in the Northeastern USA from Virginia to Maine.
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AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY
As far back as Jessica can remember she has always dreamed of traveling the world. Her first trip overseas was a full-tuition scholarships at age 16 to study in Ireland. Following that trip the next decade of her life was spent achieving her dream of world travel. She started with the traditional backpacking trips through Europe, Central/South America and the United States. In 2005 Jessica ventured out to conquer her goal of traveling overland Cape Town to Cairo. Africa would be her finale ‘grand finale’ journey.

Celebrating her 22nd anniversary with African Travel, Tina is an example of multi-tasking, at its best! She supervises all aspects of our documentation department and manages our Quality Control initiatives. In addition to those responsibilities, Tina is also our in-house IT specialist. She has traveled extensively through Africa, but her favorite trip is the Botswana safari, which she enjoyed with her travel agent husband.
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