About Us
From our many years working in travel we have learnt one overriding fact: that different people have very different needs. A family with young children, for example, is likely to be looking for safe and sandy beaches blended with a few key sights, and all pegged to a gently-paced itinerary and relaxing hotels. An energetic couple, on the other hand, would more likely be drawn by the promise of adventure and action, whether a 4WD safari through the Outback, surfing the rollers of the Indian Ocean or diving the Great Barrier Reef. Similarly, a well-heeled couple may prefer to be guided towards the most sumptuous country houses, the most therapeutic spas, those memorable vineyards and award-winning museums rather than being forced to wade through brochure pages devoted to the highest bungee jump or intrepid hikes through tropical rainforests.
Bridge & Wickers are people as well as a product:
Jerry Bridge
In 1989 Jerry Bridge, after travelling extensively around the world, created the successful travel company Bridge The World, winning the coveted 'Outstanding Contribution to the Australian Tourism Industry by an Individual' award from the Australian Tourist Commission in 2004. After selling the company to an online travel specialist, Jerry decided to channel his experience into a new venture in partnership with David Wickers.
David Wickers
For 17 years, David was the Chief Travel Correspondent on The Sunday Times, and on three occasions was voted Travel Writer of the Year. As a result of his first hand experiences, including extensive travel throughout North America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, he is in a unique position to know what it takes to create the perfect holiday experience - and, in particular, what one should expect from a truly top tour operator.
Let us introduce the other key members of our team:
Annette Morrissey
Annette Morrissey, our Sales & Operations Director, has worked in the industry for the last 14 years starting her career with Jerry as part of the Bridge The World sales team. Over the last 20 years or so, she has experienced an amazing diversity of holidays in Australia, South East Asia, the South Pacific, USA and Canada. She has also lived in New Zealand and has travelled extensively throughout the country.
Rachel Gleave
Ever since travelling to Australia and New Zealand, living there for two years and totally falling in love with the place, Rachel Gleave has spent the last twelve years helping to arrange holidays for others to her favourite destinations. Like Annette, she was part of the hugely succesful Bridge The World sales team and it's here that she honed her product selection skills. She has also travelled widely throughout Asia and North America. She now brings her enthusiasm, knowledge and passion for these countries to Bridge & Wickers as its Product Director.
Our Experienced Sales Team:
Ajanta South:
My passion for travel began at an early age when I took my first flight to Australia before my first birthday. My love for the country must have been truly cemented because it was the first of many regular trips over subsequent years.
After leaving school, I spent a year backpacking around Australia and New Zealand as well as the USA. After three years at university I decided to take my passion for travelling further and worked for Bridge The World, enabling me to travel in Africa and Asia as well as Down Under. In 2004 I took a career break and spent 18 months travelling overland from Mexico to the southernmost tip of Argentina and then back again. Since working for Bridge and Wickers (with lots of my old Bridge The World colleagues!), I have again returned to Australia and French Polynesia and have also spent a considerable amount of time in Canada researching the best products for our latest brochure - I'd highly recommend a holiday to Canada, so feel free to contact me to chat about the possibilities!
Ajanta’s direct line – 020 7483 6559, email – Ajanta@bridgeandwickers.com
David Marriott:
Over the years I travelled in many parts of the globe, including northern India, Thailand, Hong Kong, Bali and Sydney. After spending 4 months in this wonderful city, I travelled overland to Melbourne and along the Great Ocean Road to Adelaide, then north to Uluru and Alice Springs, across to Cairns and back to Darwin. After further travels around South East Asia, I returned to Sydney for another four months before returning to the UK via Hawaii and mainland USA.
After studying Travel and Tourism - with a BTEC and HND to prove it! – I decided to pursue a career in the travel industry, which I knew would include plenty of first hand experience.
I’ve worked for several companies (including two separate stints at Bridge The World) before joining Bridge & Wickers when the company was launched in December 04. As I hoped, working in travel has given me the opportunity to travel ‘on business,’ with recent Bridge & Wickers trips having included the South Sea islands (Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora), New Zealand and Australia (Sydney, a cruise of the Kimberley coast on the luxury expedition ship Orion, Lizard and Orpheus Islands and Tasmania).
My most recent trip was over to Cambodia and Vietnam to get acquainted with some of our newest regions - I'd been there years ago but it was essential to see the luxury products these fascinatiiong destinations have to offer as well as experiencing the private touring that we can offer our clients - it certainly beat my backpacker experiences!
David’s direct line – 020 7483 6554, email address – davidm@bridgeandwickers.com
Jerry Bridge
and David Wickers are always available to respond to your comments.
