the luxury island travel company
Our story
We simply do what we love. It’s what we’re good at. There’s truly nothing else we’d rather do than create perfect holiday experiences.
We stand by our conviction that you learn more from a ten minute conversation with someone who has actually been to a resort – slept in its linen, dined on its cuisine and can vouch for its quality – than in 2 hours of trawling the heavily saturated internet trying to extract the truth from the white noise.
Marilyn Lynch – Founding Director – Island Escapes
Happy 20th Birthday to Us!
21 October 2003 – 21 October 2023
“Two decades in the world of travel is no easy feat. As Island Escapes celebrates 20 years, we look back with gratitude, share our unwavering passion for island travel, and extend our deepest appreciation to our cherished partners who have journeyed with us.”
In the beginning …
21 October 2003 – 9am: 3 super excited travel professionals with excellent knowledge of Fiji turn on their brand new phone system in their brand new 3mx 5m office, and stare at it longingly….waiting for it to ring.
Ring it did.
And ring it still does.
From 3 we are now 16. Our office is significantly bigger. Our phone system more high tech. Our core destinations have expanded to include Samoa, Vanuatu and the Cook Islands.
Yet the principles on which we founded the business remain true because we firmly believe good customer service, superior product knowledge and a genuine effort to do the right thing by our clients NEVER goes out of fashion.
We stand by our conviction that you learn more from a ten minute conversation with someone who has actually been to a resort – slept in its linen, dined on its cuisine and can vouch for its quality – than in 2 hours of trawling the heavily saturated internet trying to extract the truth from the white noise.
It’s an old fashioned concept, but according to the thousands of clients that we send on holidays each year, it is one that is tried, tested and successful. Contact us to plan your next Island Escape.
We're all about the travel experience...
Visionaries? Entrepreneurs? Bold leaders that go where no other small company will venture? Or travel enthusiasts who still firmly believe that the provision of personalised service and product knowledge adds enormous value to their customer’s booking process and travel experience? We’re a bit of all these things.
Margie Lee Fong
A Company Founder and Overseer of all things to do with Reservations
The ultimate diplomat and staff trainer, Margie looks after her Reservations department with a fair hand and enormous pride. She is the keeper of the knowledge of all things pertaining to Fiji and Thailand and there is no problem she cannot solve. She is also our social media guru with her finger in many online pies.
Marilyn Lynch
A Company Founder and Overseer of all things behind the scenes
Our brochures, web travel blogs, accounts, Company admin and all things South Pacific product related sit in Marilyn’s busy in tray. It’s a mixed bag that keeps her on her toes but (between you and me) she loves the daily challenges her many different hats bring. Her role is many things, but boring isn’t one of them.
Farid Hacene
Our Sales & Marketing Guru and Overseer of all things to do with our digital marketing
With more years marketing experience than he cares to admit, Farid joined Island Escapes in 2014 and took our rather ad hoc approach to marketing and turned it into a lean machine that bats well above its weight. He works closely with all our industry partners to ensure that the Island Escapes brand continues to go from strength to strength.
...and our amazing team.
Our Incredibly knowledgeable destination specialists that help make holiday dreams a reality.
Our Values
Our clear values shape our team’s professional conduct every day. Below are the things we value most.
Be personable - Keep it fun
Organising a holiday should be fun! All the anticipation and those endless possibilities. Island Escapes strive to make the process just that – fun. We’re friendly and relaxed and happy to chat to our clients, sharing our travel experience in an effort to enrich theirs.
Act - Don't Wait
We’re not the biggest player in the market….and we like it that way. By being small and personal we can think outside the box. We can change course when we need to. We aren’t constrained by big company mentalities and hidden incentives. Our recommendations and advice are provided with a genuine interest in sending you on your perfect escape.
Be Real - Keep it honest
We’ve maintained relationships with many of our clients and our industry suppliers (our airlines, ground transfer operators and hotels) for over a decade. These relationships are vital to our ongoing success and have been forged on respect and honesty. We are not in the business of making a quick dollar. We are in the business of sending people on their dream escape and getting them the best value their holiday dollar will buy.
Stay smart - Keep learning
When it comes to our destinations, we’ve been there and we’ve done it. And if we haven’t personally done it, we know where to go to find the person that has! We’ve slept in the beds, eaten the food, swum in their pools, used their facilities, wandered through their community. We’re passionate about sharing our stories, expertise and insights. We love travel and we love inspiring others to join in the adventure and experience the incredible beauty that our destinations offer.