Introducing Caroline Imrie, World Travellers in Milford Village...
When and why you did you start this business?
Milford is a unique village and the people here are just delightful and enjoy travelling. They love to see the world.
I have been in travel for 27 years and when I first moved to Auckland I started in Milford. That was 21 years ago and although I left for a little while it’s just wonderful being back.
I have always loved the feel of the place and it’s where I’ve wanted to return to. While working in another company very close by, the girls and I have made some good friends and some great clients and we wanted to pass on that assistance to our clients in the different brand offering of World Travellers.
How would you describe what is special and unique about it?
We do all the mainstream travel and holidays certainly, however, we also arrange travel to the unique and different destinations the world has to offer
One of the team here, Janet, has just returned from Peru for a 12 days luxury tour with Mountain Lodges of Peru and cruising on Delfin III. She visited Lima, Cusco, Sacred Valley and Lares Adventure – a lodge-to-lodge journey in the footsteps of the Incas visiting Machu Picchu then cruising the upper Amazon, swimming with pink dolphins and fishing for piranhas. Now how different is that?
What gives you the greatest buzz?
Completing the dream and making the dreams come true! Travelling the world really is a dream for many. And, from where we sit, the knowledge we have accumluated over the years of enjoying what we do, means we have such great information, tips and tricks to offer. We can put all that knowledge together to create a dream trip that's amazing;y awesome! Add to that the fact that our team has so much knowledge to help complete the dream, with our 95 years' of travel experience between us. It’s amazing how much we know, and we want to pass that on to our travellers.
What is your number one tip for anyone starting a business?
Get your ducks in a row before you open your doors.
We opened on a Tuesday morning at 8.30am. The painting and signwriting was done, the furniture in place, the computers were up and running and the bank accounts were open. I walked out of one company at 5.30pm on the Monday evening and on Tuesday morning at 8.30am we opened and away we went.
We had everyone working around the clock, from the minute we signed the lease - and that was on the Friday, just two days before hand. We asked everyone for help and they gladly put their hands up. It was quite surreal and scary as all heck too.
What do you love about Milford Village?
The people and their pets. Everyone here puts their head in to say hello, even if just passing. Today, we had a lovely gentleman put his head in. We did a dream trip for him last year and he’d just been to the post office and was passing by. He doesn’t want a holiday right now but just wanted to say hello. He is a well-known Milford local and lovely fellow and that’s the great stuff.
The team at our local coffee shop; they know my order before I do and I can also phone my order in. There’s always people we know to stop and chat with everywhere we go, even in the supermarket. Everyone always says hello and asks how you are doing. It’s actually quite lovely.
Tell us what’s happening in store during August.
We are advertising and putting together a New Zealand private gardens and landscape tour departing in November this year, as well as putting together a group for next year for a river cruise in Europe. Give us a call for some details. And one of our team is having a birthday in August with a ‘zero’ on the end, which is a big deal too!
Please sum up your business in one sentence.
World Travellers Milford with Janet and Caroline - seeing the world differently.
