VIP Vacation Specialist for New Zealand, Australia Tahiti and Vanuatu

"Every single thing went without a hitch. We almost pinched ourselves as each day seemed to bring something better than the next. For us, as seasoned and experienced travellers, Southern Crossings, provided personal and highly professional service, which was the finest we have ever experienced."

January 2016, Lawrence Michaelis, Canada

Hello from the great southern land.

When Southern Crossings began in 1986, we saw the dramatic landscapes of Australia, New Zealand and the islands of the South Pacific as the perfect canvas to create personally designed holidays, catering to the most discerning travellers - an entirely new concept at the time.

30 wonderful years later, we continue to lead the way in luxury vacations to the Southern Hemisphere. We enjoy consistent praise for attention to detail and impeccable levels of service, exceeding the expectations of even the most exacting of clients. Above all though, it is the personal touch that keeps our clients coming back to book their next trip with us. We are proud to say that every holiday we design is still unique to each client - tailor-made to create their trip of a lifetime.

Awards & accolades

Alongside praise from clients, the recognition we receive from our own industry is another positive indicator of the quality of our service.

We are often recognised by industry experts as a 'destination specialist', or best-in-class for the regions we service. We are invited members of several elite travel industry groups, and have been recognised twice in the past four years as one of the Top 5 inbound travel companies in the world by the prestigious Virtuoso network.

Our travel experts

Our team

At Southern Crossings, our outstanding travel designers are our greatest asset, and their experience and expertise in the destinations they service is unparalleled.

Collaboration is an important part of our design process - with you, and also internally. Every itinerary we design is discussed during daily meetings with our full team; this ensures all clients receive the benefit of our combined knowledge and input, from junior designers through to partners.

We hope to be of service, and thank you for visiting our site!

Trevor Thomas

An inveterate traveller of over 40 years, Trevor's passion for all things travel was first nurtured by a love of geography, resulting in his becoming a University graduate in the subject. As a fellow of Conde Nast Travel's prestigious “Top Travel Specialist” list for New Zealand, Trevor has masterminded everything from coastal self-drive trips, helicopter landings atop glacial peaks, to meetings with indigenous Maori elders on their tribal lands. With forensic attention to detail and an overriding demand for excellence, Southern Crossings has provided Trevor with the perfect vehicle to channel these passions into creating stunning experiences for discerning clients all over the world.

Stuart Rigg

British-born Stuart's tourism and travel career has spanned across continents and all levels of the industry. Together with his personal travels around the globe and to every corner of Australia, this experience has provided him with a true appreciation and understanding of both traveler and travel trade needs; a thorough knowledge of the region's best travel experiences and an invaluable network of strong industry connections. Stuart has been personally recognised for his professionalism and expertise as an Australian destination specialist, having been named on the prestigious “Conde Nast Top Travel Specialist” list, and as one of Wendy Perrin's “WOW List” of Trusted Travel Experts.

Sarah Farag

With a Kiwi mother and Portuguese-English father, Sarah's love of travel began at a young age with trips to Europe. These trips opened her eyes to the incredible world away from home, but also fostered a new appreciation for the natural beauty of her own country. Close to 20 years ago, Southern Crossings provided the perfect platform for sharing this passion for New Zealand with travellers from around the world. Sarah leads her team through devotion, passion, and a natural instinct for matching people with wonderfully appropriate experiences. With two young children of her own, she still loves travelling New Zealand, and now has the pleasure of re-experiencing the country through her children's eyes on family adventures.

Patrick Bourke

30 years ago, Patrick purchased Southern Crossings with a vision to create a new kind of boutique luxury travel company; one that would deliver the absolute best of New Zealand (and soon to be Australia and the South Pacific) to refined international travellers. There's not an inch of the land Downunder Patrick has not personally explored, and he loves channelling his experience into creative itineraries. His simple mantra has always been: 'Tell us how you like to travel, and we'll put the pieces together for you'. His love affair with New Zealand has expanded to include the South Pacific, where he spends much of his free time exploring luxury properties and destinations, and ensuring they are still worthy of being counted among 'the best of the best'.