Meet ANN DUE

Three decades of industry experience, a genuine passion for travel, and a personal approach that makes all the difference — from the first conversation to the day you return home.

My travel career started at the very beginning — I joined Flight Centre when it was still in its early stages in New Zealand, working in their consolidation unit quoting airfares and ticketing. That grounding in the fundamentals of air travel still informs how I work today.

Over the years I moved through Flight Centre's wholesale division and eventually became Product Manager for their corporate arm, FCm Travel Solutions — a role I held for nine and a half years. That time gave me a deep understanding of almost every corner of the travel industry.

From there I moved to the supplier side — working with international hotel chains including Accor, Hilton, and Best Western — which gave me a perspective that most brokers simply don't have.

When I moved to Patumahoe (for love, as it happens), there were no hotels in sight — and I knew I wanted to go back to travel, but on my own terms. I chose NZ Travel Brokers specifically because I believed in their philosophy. Their values — "Inspire and Support Others" and "Aspire to Grow and Learn" — aren't just words on a wall for me. They're how I try to operate every day

A career built on knowing the industry inside out

I always try to find out what's behind the trip — not just where someone wants to go, but why.

The reason behind every trip I plan

Where it all started — Sydney, 1988

My love of travel started when my mum took the family to Australia in 1988 to visit Sydney and the World Expo. I was fascinated — by the airport, the planes, the whole experience of it. That trip lit a spark that never went out, and eventually led me to spend my entire career in the industry.

Cruising came later. Like many of my clients, I had plenty of preconceptions about it — until I spent time working at the Hilton Auckland and watched cruise ships dock right outside the window every week. Combined with everything I learned during Covid, that curiosity turned into a genuine passion. Now it's my specialty.

My own cruise experiences have been wonderfully varied — from sailing off Queensland with nothing but open water as far as the eye could see, to navigating the busy and beautiful waterways of Asia. If you're asking for a personal highlight? Airlie Beach, a Segway tour, and the kind of afternoon that makes you never want to come home.

A love of travel

HOW ANN WORKS

Available when you are

I don't work 9 to 5. I'm available evenings, weekends — whenever suits you. We can meet at a café, your home, or online. Putting a face to the name makes a real difference to how we work together.

Your trip in one place

I use the Trip Plan travel app so your full itinerary and documents are with you wherever you are in the world. And for those who'd rather not be tied to their phone — hard copies are always available too.

I listen first

I use the Trip Plan travel app so your full itinerary and documents are with you wherever you are in the world. And for those who'd rather not be tied to their phone — hard copies are always available too.

Planning her own adventures

When I'm not planning other people's trips, I'm usually planning my own. Outside of travel, you'll find me at Pauanui, out on my scooter, scrapbooking, cooking, or doing absolutely nothing in particular — which in my opinion is always time well spent. Nothing wrong with a bit of pampering either.

Credentials