Founder & CEO

Jake Chiem

Jake is a highly accomplished and experienced figure in the travel industry, currently serving as the founder and CEO of The Travelcation Group. Over the last few years, under his leadership and with the support of a team of very experienced professionals, the company has expanded into new regions and developed a reputation for providing bespoke, personalised travel booking experiences.

With a career spanning two decades, Jake has held various roles in the industry, including retail, corporate travel, wholesale, and tour operation. He has managed multiple successful travel agencies and received numerous awards, including Best Travel Advisor, Best Travel Manager of the Year, and Best National Sales Manager. He was even recognized by Travel Weekly magazine as the sixth most successful travel agent of the year.

Throughout his career, Jake has travelled extensively and experienced a diverse range of accommodations and activities, from staying in a Ger tent in Mongolia to relaxing in 5-star overwater bungalows in Tahiti. He has flown in all travel classes, cruised the Mediterranean, learned Tai Chi at the Shaolin Temple in China, and gone on safari in Africa. Some of his favourite travel experiences include seeing Broadway shows in New York, sailing down the Nile in Egypt, participating in a water festival in Bangkok, cycling through Paris, enjoying delicious seafood in Nha Trang, and scuba diving in the pristine waters of Fiji.

Jake’s ultimate goal is to help his clients realise their travel dreams. With his extensive experience in both the domestic and international markets, he is committed to making the trip-planning process as easy and stress-free as possible for every traveller who picks up the phone to call The Travelcation Group.

Co-founder

Damon Low

Damon is the co-founder of The Travelcation Group and is responsible for creating the company’s distinctive branding and visual identity. With over 20 years of experience in marketing, he is passionate about his work and enjoys every aspect of it.

Damon’s first overseas trip was to Japan, where he fell in love with the country and its culture. He studied Japanese in school, and his teacher took him to Tokyo, which opened his eyes to a whole new world beyond Sydney, Australia. This trip sparked his passion for travel, and he has since visited numerous destinations worldwide.

Damon has climbed the stairs of Notre Dame in Paris, explored the Valley of the Kings in Egypt, made rice paper in Vietnam, hiked the Great Wall of China, wandered the streets of Budapest, savoured pizza in Italy, visited the archaeological ruins of Tulum in Mexico, and tried his luck in Las Vegas.

From his first trip to Japan, Damon never imagined that his travel experiences would one day become part of his job. As a co-founder of The Travelcation Group, he can now share his passion for travel with others and help them plan their own dream trips.

General Manager

Karen Murray

Karen is a highly experienced travel professional with 27 years of Australian travel industry experience, currently serving as General Manager of the Travelcation Group and owner of Magenta Travel.
She has established herself as an expert at itinerary planning, has developed a reputation for crafting well-planned and unforgettable travel experiences as well as maintaining her long term client relationships.

Since beginning her career in the travel industry in 1996, Karen has worked with a major domestic wholesaler, managed teams in retail and wholesale call travel centres, worked on customer helplines, managed the Queensland Travel Centre in Adelaide, was an assistant manager at Phil Hoffman Travel, and has been, since 2007, a successful self-employed work-from-home travel professional. In 2022, Karen has also extended her skillset to business mentoring, working for the ASE Group with participants of the Self Employment Assistance Program. Karen mentored adults entering self-employment for the first time and helped them develop business plans and client strategies.

Karen’s passion for travel stems from her childhood memories of family holidays to the Whitsundays, New Zealand, North Stradbroke Island and Caloundra. Her time spent as an exchange student in French Canada at the young age of 17 was a life-changing experience that instilled in her the belief that travel can greatly enhance one’s mindset and change their life. This experience led Karen to abandon her political university degree and pursue a career in the travel industry.

Karen’s expertise in itinerary planning includes fully organised independent self-drive trips, cruising, iconic long-distance train journeys, and special luxury getaways. Karen’s love and considerable product knowledge of her home country is evident in her work. She is always eager to help her clients discover the beauty of Australia and New Zealand and create unforgettable memories.

Product Manager

Tahnee Inverno

Tahnee is a highly skilled and experienced professional travel advisor and product manager based in Perth, Western Australia, with over 12 years of experience in the travel industry. Since 2009, she has dedicated her career to providing exceptional travel experiences to her clients. As a product manager, she ensures that the company has the best hotels, tours, and activities to offer to its customers.

Tahnee’s passion for travel is rooted in her love for different cultures, lifestyles, and unique experiences. Her extensive travels have taken her to numerous destinations around the world, including Europe, Canada, South East Asia, Indonesia, New Zealand, UAE, Hong Kong, and Macau. She has stayed in a wide range of accommodations, from beach bungalows to luxury private villas, Shangri las and Ritz Carltons, chateaus, and tree houses, which has given her a broad understanding of different travel needs and preferences.

Tahnee has had a diverse career in the travel industry, ranging from managing an award-winning retail travel store for five years to running her own mobile travel agency. She has also worked for online agencies in ticketing, corporate travel, and customer support. Tahnee’s vast experience has equipped her with the skills to understand and meet the needs of her clients while offering a seamless and enjoyable travel experience.

As a product manager, Tahnee ensures that all the products the company offers are safe and accredited, giving customers peace of mind when booking with an agent. In today’s world, travel has undergone significant changes, and Tahnee recognises the importance of providing a seamless and secure experience to her clients.

Sales Manager

Elena Vartazarian

Elena believes that travel is more than just a checklist of places to visit. To her, it’s about fully immersing oneself in a destination and experiencing it with all senses. This means indulging in local cultures, languages, food, and interacting with locals to gain a deeper understanding of a place.

She developed a passion for travel early on, having traveled extensively with her family and on a student budget. Later on, she enjoyed luxurious holidays with her husband, and now shares the joy of travel with her two sons. Elena was born in Iran and raised in Australia, and has explored various countries in Southeast Asia, the South Pacific, Europe, USA, Canada, and recently, Armenia and the surrounding regions.

Elena has had many remarkable travel experiences, including cheering on the Socceroos at the 2018 World Cup in Sochi, walking the streets of Yerevan with Armenians during the Velvet Revolution, and observing turtles nesting in Borneo. She has traveled through various modes of transportation, including cycling, buses, trains, cruises, and driving, which enables her to recommend the best options for any traveler.

Elena has worked in the travel industry for more than 15 years, specialising in leisure and corporate travel. She currently focuses on family holidays with kids and has learned that different life stages require different travel styles. Whether it’s domestic or international travel, Asia or Europe, or organised tours or self-drive holidays, Elena can help plan the perfect trip. She invites travellers to share their travel dreams and allows her to create the best imaginable trip for them.

Travel Expert

Sascha McRae

I caught the travel bug at a very young age. From my first solo overseas trip from Canada to Australia as a curious 8 year old, to moving to Galway, Ireland as a youth craving adventure at 17, the signs were there – I should have known I would grow up to work in travel!
Growing up in Canada, I moved in my youth to enchanting Galway, studying, working and living a total of five years. The magic of the city has a hold on me with the rugged landscape of the west coast and the intoxicating smell of warm peat fires burning within the thatch cottages dotted along the Connemara Coast.

I enjoyed living in Marbella, soaking the sun, and exploring the region from this base. Spanish Costa del Sol is a magical paradise! An additional stint in the northern Basque country added fuel to the fire for my passion for Spain.

I have had close family living in a village in Morocco for a quarter of a century, providing me a wonderful base for all my Moroccan adventures over the years! It has been astounding to watch the local communities change and grow over that time.
I have holidayed through North America, Europe, North Africa, NZ & the South Pacific, South East Asia & domestically here in Australia.
Living and working here for the past 15 years, I have found my joy and passion in being a travel agent, helping folks discover the food, music, customs and cultures of the world, be it in our backyard or abroad. Whatever adventure you choose to make your own, I am here to design it into a seamless, stress free dream waiting to come true!

Travel Expert

Raffaella Gatto

Travel is such an infectious industry. To be able to share my love for travel with my clients is what enables me to thrive in my position as a travel consultant.

My passion for travel began at a young age as I grew up in a European family. Living in a family with such great culture drove my passion to discover more. My love for the industry began as young as 15 during high school work experience.

Having kids at a young age, we began to make memories by travelling around Australia. Discovering culture in our own backyard was something that the kids really enjoyed.
As they grew, I no longer needed to live my travelling dreams through my clients itineraries and took the time to travel to parts of the world I had always wished to.
I have been fortunate enough to travel to many destinations which include the USA, Hawaii, Mexico, New Zealand, South Pacific, Bali, Paris, London and Dubai.
I’m eager to add to the list for my own personal and professional experiences.

Working in the industry gives me the chance to plan vacations for people that are sometimes out of this world! I love that I’m helping create their memories that will last a lifetime.
My purpose is to ensure that every one of my clients enjoys a tailor made holiday that not only meets but far exceeds their expectations.

Travel Expert

Treacy Scott

Treacy is a seasoned travel expert with extensive knowledge of New Zealand and worldwide destinations. Her career in the travel industry started during her high school days, where she pursued a course in Travel & Tourism. She kickstarted her career in an Information Centre, where she booked activities, accommodations, and transportation for travellers visiting New Zealand. Through work trips, she had the privilege of exploring the South Island and indulging in exciting activities like Sky Dives, Bungy Jumps, Canyon Swings, Milford & Doubtful Sound Cruises, Glacier Ice Cave Walks, and Helicopter Snow Landings, among others.

Treacy’s specialty is in crafting tailor-made New Zealand itineraries that showcase the country’s most popular tourist attractions and hidden gems. She has lived in Perth, Western Australia, for the last 9 years, where she has broadened her expertise to encompass worldwide travel. Treacy has explored numerous destinations across Australia, from the stunning coastlines to the Dunsborough and Margaret River Wineries. Additionally, she has had the opportunity to travel overseas, with visits to the United Kingdom, Paris, Germany, Switzerland, Greece, the Greek Islands, Dubai, Rarotonga, and Fiji.

Treacy takes pleasure in creating personalized travel experiences that her clients will cherish for years to come. She works meticulously to ensure that every aspect of a holiday is tailored to meet her client’s needs, making each journey an enjoyable and memorable experience.

Inbound Travel Expert

Saskia van den Heuvel

Saskia has been enamoured with travelling, different cultures, and languages since she was a child. Her fascination with world maps and her goal to visit every country in the world led her to study International Tourism Management. Saskia was fortunate to travel all over Europe while growing up in the Netherlands, but after obtaining her bachelor’s degree, she decided to move to Australia to explore a new part of the world and chase love.

As a travel expert for Travelcation, Saskia is excited to share her passion and knowledge with like-minded people and help turn their dreams into reality. Her favourite destinations include South Africa, Cuba, and of course, her home country of the Netherlands. Saskia is happy to provide insider tips on where to eat, sleep, and explore in these countries and many more.

Due to the pandemic, Saskia has returned to the Netherlands to be closer to her family and friends. However, she continues to work remotely for Travelcation and is dedicated to sharing her passion and knowledge with travellers, helping them plan their dream holidays.

Travel Expert

Julie Revett

Julie is a professional travel planner who is dedicated to finding the best holiday deals and making the process of planning a vacation stress-free and fun. With 20 years of travel experience, Julie has explored a wide range of domestic and international destinations including Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, India, China, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Mauritius, Fiji, New Zealand, Paris, England, Scotland, USA, and Canada. She has also sailed on several cruises.

Julie’s clients trust her to listen to their needs and provide tailored recommendations based on her first-hand knowledge of various destinations. Her priority is to ensure her clients are satisfied with their travel experiences. Many of her clients come from referrals from friends, colleagues, or family who have enjoyed their holiday planning experience with Julie.

Julie is passionate about travel and is committed to providing the highest level of personal service, reliability, and enthusiasm to her clients. When it comes to booking the perfect holiday, Julie is the go-to professional to ensure that you get the most out of your travel experience.

Travel Expert

Sandra Bucknell

Sandra Bucknell is a highly experienced and passionate travel professional with over 16 years of travel industry experience. Her extensive travels have taken her to destinations around the world, including the United States, Paris, Croatia, Serbia, Turkey, Hungary, Frankfurt, Thailand, Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa, Solomons, China, Norfolk Island, Yap, Guam, Truk, London, Doha, Dubai, Japan, New Zealand, Tonga, South America.

Throughout her career, Sandra has established herself as an award-winning travel expert with a deep commitment to providing exceptional customer service. Her clients consistently rave about her attention to detail, personalised recommendations, and unwavering dedication to creating unforgettable travel experiences.

In addition to her work in the travel industry, Sandra also ran her own successful business’s for 20 years. Her entrepreneurial spirit and business savvy have helped her build a loyal client base and establish herself as a respected industry leader.

What sets Sandra apart from other travel professionals is her genuine love for travel and her ability to craft bespoke itineraries that perfectly match her clients’ unique interests and preferences. Whether it’s a romantic getaway or an epic dive adventure, Sandra has the expertise and insider knowledge to ensure that every trip is tailored to perfection.

Travel Expert

Jayne Rodgers

Coming Soon

Travel Expert

Tara Sullivan

Tara is a passionate traveler who has always had a love for exploration and adventure. After finishing her Arts Degree, Tara realized her passion for travel and decided to pursue a career in the travel industry.

For Tara, travel is not about checking off destinations or jobs but rather about the experiences, memories, and anticipation that come with planning a trip. She believes that the excitement of travel starts from the moment you decide to go somewhere and loves being a part of that process for others.

Living in such a beautiful country, Tara knows that Australia has so much to offer, from its stunning coastline to its rich and ancient Indigenous culture. She is also excited to explore our neighbor, New Zealand, just across the Pacific.

Tara recently hiked the Larapinta Trail in the Northern Territory, where she slept under the stars in a swag. The experience left her feeling a strong sense of gratitude and connection to the universe. For Tara, the ability to use her knowledge and passion for travel to create these experiences for others is what makes her job so fulfilling.

Product Assistant

Princess Almoradie

Coming Soon