amanda designer travel

GO TRAVEL WITH AMANDA

Hey, I'm Amanda Simonds

Travel Designer

Hello, I'm Amanda, and I’m used to wearing many hats in life—from being a proud mom of three amazing kids to a devoted wife, and a passionate travel designer.

My journey into the world of travel began at the age of 16 when the travel bug bit me, and I've been on a mission to share the beauty of our world ever since.  

I reside on a charming small farm in Bergen, Alberta, where I'm surrounded by the company of horses, dogs, and cats.

When I'm not immersed in the world of travel, you'll find me indulging in my other interests—horseback riding, motorcycle adventures, embarking on a road trip, or spending quality time with my wonderful children.  

Growing up in the rural landscapes of Alberta, I always yearned to expand my horizons. It was my first eye-opening trip to Europe at 16 that ignited my passion for exploring new destinations and cultures. The desire to see everything and travel everywhere has stayed with me ever since.

But it was a pivotal moment in my life, the loss of my mom at a young age, that made me realize the urgency of pursuing my dreams.

I decided to take the plunge and turn my passion for travel into a rewarding career. After all, life is too short to wait for the right moment.

Now, as a luxury travel agent, I'm here to make your travel dreams a reality.

Whether you're seeking a family getaway, a romantic escape, an adventure of a lifetime, or a well-deserved relaxation retreat, I'm dedicated to curating tailored experiences that suit your preferences and aspirations.

When you choose to work with me, you're not just hiring a travel agent; you're gaining a travel partner who understands the importance of creating unforgettable memories.

Let's embark on this journey together, and I promise to design exceptional travel experiences that will leave you with cherished memories to last a lifetime.

Global travel brands we partner with

Testimonials

SOME KIND WORDS FROM OUR CLIENTS

"Been wanting that new bike? Or maybe to head out on a fishing trip but don’t really know how to broach the subject with the little missus?

Here’s the best advice you will get!

Call Amanda

She set me up with a nice little romantic getaway for me and the little lady that included a cozy private sleigh ride at Heritage Ranch followed by a candlelit 5 course dinner for two at the West Lake Grill, which BTW has an amazing local craft brewery menu and killer Caesar’s!

From there she set us up with a great stay in a king suite with a care package and the best part! Our hotel was coincidentally located across the parking lot from Gasoline Alley Harley Davidson!

Well done Amanda! Well done!

Needless to say, it was a VERY successful staycation! Thanks again you are the best!”

Tony Myram - Water Valley, AB

New to TTG?

Get travel leaders talking with designer travel's amanda matthews.

Amanda Matthews, managing director of Designer Travel, speaks to TTG Media CEO Daniel Pearce in the third of our weekly Get Travel Leaders Talking video series – looking at the business and mental health strategies that travel’s most senior leaders have used to get them through the Covid crisis.

How have you been looking after your mental health and physical wellbeing over the past few months?

The first thing that we did, both (co-founder) Karen and I, was remain positive and keep a positive mental attitude. We’ve always looked at the positives. We’ve always believed there is a way out and we’ve always had to show that things will come back positively. Everything we’ve done has always been driven in a positive way rather than a negative way. We’ve also encouraged ourselves and our team to take time out. You know, there’s no point in sitting at your desk, you don’t want to be the busiest person in the graveyard. So we’ve encouraged everyone to take some time out when they can.

We found it quite difficult going into 2021, because I think all of us went into the year thinking we had got rid of 2020, and it was a really big shock to the system. But we were in a lockdown for so long, not just on a business perspective, but on a personal perspective as well. So we really pulled together in February as a team and with our clients. And because we couldn’t travel, we decided that we were going to ‘walk around the world’ for charity. So we set a target to do 50 million steps between us. And over the four weeks we did it, it was amazing!

So things like that have kept us going. As leaders, you can be busy fools – you can only work 24/7 for so long before you burn out. So, unlike a lot of companies that were downsizing, we actually took the decision to recruit two senior managers in November because we needed help for when things come back because we still, to this day, believe we will flourish even more when we things get back to being a bit more normal.

What strategies have you been using to strengthen your personal resilience?

I’m one of those people that is always glass half-full, and I always think there’s somebody worse off than you. I’ve taken time out for myself, I go on walks, I’ve got two dogs and they keep me sane. I’ve struggled with homeschooling. Like many parents, I’m glad I didn’t ever become a teacher! For all of us who love the travel industry, it’s hard to enjoy our days, days and days of doing the same, not nice stuff – but equally there is always something that happens in each of our days that creates this sense of wellbeing.

It’s just important to make time for yourself, to look at yourself and to see the signs when you’re tired, and to give yourself a couple of days off to rest and recover. And to celebrate even the small things – celebrate the good stuff when it happens.

What’s been your most challenging moment of the crisis?

It’s very hard to pinpoint because there have been so many challenging situations. I mean, we had hundreds of people overseas that we had to get back, then we had to deal with tour operators, cruise lines and airlines to get refunds for clients. We had a lot of ex-Thomas Cook staff who had joined us, and they hadn’t been self-employed for long enough to get any grants. So we’ve really tried hard to help get the guys some income.

The most frustrating and challenging part for us all is the fact that we’ve got no control over anything. You had the travel corridor situation that was chaos every week of the whole summer. You’ve got senior government officials making comments that cause you the following day to take hundreds of calls from very concerned clients. And I suppose the biggest challenge is that we are not supported or respected as an industry. We’ve got taskforces from the government with no industry people. And I feel that is a real challenge to leaders who are trying to push their businesses through this treacle.

How have you been looking after your team, and your agents? What steps have you put in place to look after their wellbeing in this period?

We are a predominantly homeworking and luxury homeworking business, and a lot of homeworkers had commission that they had to pay back because of all the cancellations. So, the first thing we did from a mental wellbeing perspective was that we made it very clear to all of our homeworkers that they only needed to pay that back when they can afford to. Fortunately, we’ve always looked after our business and our profits, so in terms of cash, we didn’t have any issues with that.

And because we had been positive and we ran so many campaigns on flexible bookings, we think we did so much to generate inquiries and sales that they could earn an income from. And if you think about wellbeing, it can be affected by financial pressures. So we did everything we could to take that pressure away.

We also worked with other companies to get other income or income streams for them. We have weekly Zoom calls. We have newsletters. We have a drop-in every day at 2pm just for chatting. It’s not all about work. We’ve done loads of things together. We planted some flowers and over the summer we watched them all grow and hoped that we would grow sales too! We did some charity work for one of our homeworkers who is going through a horrific cancer experience at the moment. So, you know, we have done a lot. We’ve entered the lottery every week for all of us to have hope that we’re going to win big!

What positive lessons have you discovered about yourself, or the company, during the crisis? Will they change the way you run the business in future?

I always thought we had a very strong business. We’ve grown over 13 years, and this has been a massive test and I am delighted to say that as strong as I thought we were, we are stronger. Sometimes people would say, ‘why aren’t you loads bigger’? And we’ve always said, it’s about quality not quantity. That has absolutely surfaced so well during this pandemic. So the positive is that we’ll continue with our strategy, and we’ll invest even more heavily in people to take us even further than before. Our team are such a dream team that it has made this whole situation so much better.

The other thing is that we’ve all valued ourselves as travel agents, and we’ve all recognised that travel agents add value. So we will turn and walk away from a booking away if clients think we’re going to be as cheap as online. We are not a booking engine, and I think that we’ve reinforced that within our own business.

We always talk about the reasons you should use a good travel agent, and I think that should be one of the key positives that has come out of this whole situation for the industry. Hopefully, suppliers will understand our value and they will open doors… and clients will remember that we’ve been there for them 24/7.

For more mental health resources visit TTG’s Mental Health Hub and look out for more Get Travel Leaders Talking videos being released every Wednesday.

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Strictly Business: Amanda Matthews, Designer Travel

I got into travel… by doing a travel and tourism course at college while working a full-time job at WHSmith Travel in Coventry. I then moved to Travelcentre in Rugby, which got taken over by the Co-op. I became one of the youngest managers at 18 and worked my way up to regional manager, operations director and eventually managing director, where I was responsible for running 500 shops and call centres.

I set up the company... with my then-colleague Karen Pocock in 2008. United NorWest Co-op merged with the Co-operative Group and there was an opportunity for us both to take a good redundancy package. I’d always wanted to work for myself. We sat in Hyde Park in London and talked about how it was going to be so easy – little did we know! We started with a shop in Ramsbottom in Manchester, which we still have, and a couple of homeworkers. We’ve now grown to about 105 homeworkers and have an additional admin centre in Ramsbottom.

We grew our reputation… on recommendations. We saw an opportunity to go into the luxury market, where service was still a valued commodity. Because we weren’t going for mass volume, we never did any big campaigns to recruit loads of people; we’ve grown steadily over 13 years and it’s nearly all been on word of mouth. We turn away more people than we take because we are looking for people who want to promote luxury holidays in a way that is aligned with our values.

The area of the business growing the most is… our homeworking division. It’s continued to grow in the last two years as we took people on from Thomas Cook and during the pandemic. The retail shop is going from strength to strength, but our plan is to continue to grow our team of home-based agents.

We adapted to the pandemic by…  having a glass-half-full mindset. We’ve ramped up our social media and marketing and found new ways to encourage people to commit to booking. And because of that, we have done millions of pounds’ worth of business, we’ve got loads of forward bookings and retained a lot of what was impacted. Don’t get me wrong, we’re up against [the success of] 2019 and it’s been hard mentally as well as from a business perspective, but in everything that we do, we’ve got to look on the bright side.

My proudest career achievement is...  Finding a job that I love. The Co-op gave me an amazing foundation to achieve what Karen and I have at Designer Travel. I say to my kids that if you find something you love, it doesn't feel like work.  

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Dream. Design. Vacation.

Design Your Vacation

• Meet The Team
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Meet the Team

Marci Jennings, Owner/Travel Designer

Marci fell in love with traveling during her first trip to the Caribbean in 2000 and vowed to return as much as possible.  She spent the next several years trying to creatively piece together affordable vacations so she could explore additional islands once a year and found herself diving into the research process and loving every detail.

Marci fell in love with traveling during her first trip to the Caribbean in 2000 and vowed to return as much as possible.  She spent the next several years trying to creatively piece together affordable vacations so she could explore additional islands once a year and found herself diving into the research process and loving every detail.  Soon Marci became the travel expert in her circle and she started to plan her friends and family’s vacations just for fun since she enjoyed it so much and loved finding travel deals!  In 2014, she learned of an opportunity to become a travel advisor and jumped at the chance!  She has now traveled to 12 islands in the Caribbean (and counting), Costa Rica, Belize, to several areas of Mexico, Hawaii, and many locations in the US to offer expert advice to her clients!

Marci’s love of travel has only grown as she loves seeing vacations unfold with her own loved ones and through pictures and experiences shared by her clients that have trusted her with the details of designing them the itinerary that most matches their personality.  She loves the opportunity to get to know her clients wish list for travel and work to match them with the best fit she can find to allow them to create memories that last a lifetime. Contact her at [email protected] or 913-219-6036

Tracy Gervais-Travel Designer

Quality time with our loved ones is one of life’s greatest gifts in this crazy busy world we live in.  All-inclusive beach vacations are one of the best ways to enjoy a stress-free vacation. Tracy is very passionate about helping people plan personalized vacations to help their family or friends make memories to last a lifetime. Tracy has

Quality time with our loved ones is one of life’s greatest gifts in this crazy busy world we live in.  All-inclusive beach vacations are one of the best ways to enjoy a stress-free vacation. Tracy is very passionate about helping people plan personalized vacations to help their family or friends make memories to last a lifetime. Tracy has traveled to a large variety of all-inclusive resorts with her husband and children, friends, extended family, and girlfriends.  She has planned hundreds of trips over the years as a travel agent for individual families and large groups. Most of her clients are repeat customers as they appreciate her dedication to helping their trips be both fun and memorable. Each trip is planned with the tender loving care as if it were her very own vacation.  She has specialized training in Caribbean and Mexico destinations, have completed numerous direct on-site visits and enjoyed many personal vacations.  All of these things work well together to help give her the ability to plan your vacation. Contact her to help you create memories at [email protected] or   913-404-TRIP  

Rachel McClendon-Travel Designer

Amanda giarratano-travel designer.

 Rachel loves to travel and has turned that love into a career helping others see the world and make memories that will last a lifetime.  Rachel, her husband Mark, and their two teenage daughters love to travel together. Some of their best memories as a family are the many trips to Disney World, Disney cruises, hiking in the rain forest i

 Rachel loves to travel and has turned that love into a career helping others see the world and make memories that will last a lifetime.  Rachel, her husband Mark, and their two teenage daughters love to travel together. Some of their best memories as a family are the many trips to Disney World, Disney cruises, hiking in the rain forest in Costa Rica, or simply relaxing on the beach in Mexico.  There's nothing she enjoys more than researching, planning, and discovering new adventures! Rachel uses her travel experience and expertise to book everything from family Disney trips and cruises, honeymoons to the Caribbean, group trips to Mexico, and beyond.  She can arrange every detail of your trip from private transportation to/from the airport, excursions or tours, romantic dinner on the beach and organizes everything in as easy to use itinerary. Rachel works to personalize each trip to fit her client's budget and interests, creating a once in a lifetime trip. Rachel can make your vacation dreams a reality!   

Specializes in the following destinations:

Disney & Universal Studios

Ocean & River Cruises

Caribbean 

Mexico 

Contact her at [email protected] or 816-804-3979

Tina Tickles-Dinkel-Travel Designer

Amanda's passion for travel and the beach started at a young age.  She loves to visit resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean so that she can best fit her clients to their ideal vacation.  She also enjoys working with clients for European, Disney, and Universal Vacations.  She specializes in family travel, honeymoons and adults only vacations

Amanda's passion for travel and the beach started at a young age.  She loves to visit resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean so that she can best fit her clients to their ideal vacation.  She also enjoys working with clients for European, Disney, and Universal Vacations.  She specializes in family travel, honeymoons and adults only vacations, girls trips, and group travel.  She believes "Life was meant to be lived, memories are meant to be made, and travel will help you write your story."  Contact her at [email protected] or 913-461-1837

Michelle Folks-Travel Designer

Traveling and exploring the world is Michelle's passion. She believes it is important to take the time to experience new places and see the world and its varying cultures. As a child, she took family vacations, but what really opened her eyes and desires to learn about other cultures was when she took her first mission’s trip in Mexico. S

Traveling and exploring the world is Michelle's passion. She believes it is important to take the time to experience new places and see the world and its varying cultures. As a child, she took family vacations, but what really opened her eyes and desires to learn about other cultures was when she took her first mission’s trip in Mexico. Since then, she has taken part in missions projects in Alaska, inner city Cleveland, Ecuador and South Africa. Now she enjoys exploring the world with her husband, family, friends, and colleagues. She loves sharing with others some of her awe-inspiring moments like, seeing the Austrian alps for the first time, visiting the Temple of Heaven in China, Van Gogh’s exhibit in the caves of St Remy, France, the beauty of the Parliament building on the shores of the Danube in Budapest, snorkeling the Virgin Islands and Hawaii, and a beautiful sunset in Negril.

Michelle has traveled to over 30 countries, and 5 continents, yet still working on checking off new destinations and experiences. In her spare moments, she is working on becoming a European River Cruise Specialist. Michelle says the more she learns while planning unforgettable vacations for her clients, the more destinations she adds to her travel wish list.

There is nothing Michelle enjoys more than researching, planning, and discovering new adventures for her clients. She loves sharing her passion, and would love to help you realize your dream of traveling. Traveling doesn't have to be stressful, it doesn't have to break the bank, with good planning and the right timing, everyone can experience the world. Whether your dream is a European vacation, an all-inclusive trip to the Caribbean, an ocean or river cruise, or experiencing your dream of hiking Machu Picchu, Michelle will work diligently to ensure you enjoy a vacation that best fits your needs and wishes.

“We travel not to escape Life, but for Life not to escape us” (Anonymous)

Contact her at [email protected] or 913-481-6769

Tina's love of travel started as a child. Summer vacations meant cross country road trips, hotel stays and visiting friends and family in MS, VA and KY. Her earliest travel memories include Disney World, the 1984 World's Fair in Knoxville and summers on the gulf coast. Closer to home, weekends were spent with family and friends at the lak

Tina's love of travel started as a child. Summer vacations meant cross country road trips, hotel stays and visiting friends and family in MS, VA and KY. Her earliest travel memories include Disney World, the 1984 World's Fair in Knoxville and summers on the gulf coast. Closer to home, weekends were spent with family and friends at the lake, boating and reconnecting. These memories are inspirational reminders that we all deserve to make time to relax in our busy lives.

Whether you travel annually and are interested in new ideas, have been considering that 'big trip' or just don't know where to start, Tina would love to plan with you! She enjoys learning about new locations, identifying 'off the beaten path' options and simply making the process easier for her clients. 

With so many options, websites, and opinions available, let her save you time and reduce your planning and research stress, while providing guidance and expertise on your destination. Contact Tina to help you plan so you can enjoy more of your trip and focus on creating memories with your family and friends!

Certified Specialist: Universal Studios Orlando | AMResorts | Sandals & Beaches Resorts | Jamaica Tourism Specialist | Royal Caribbean (RCCL) Master of Adventure | College of Disney Knowledge | Dominican Republic Specialist | Los Cabos | LaColeccion Expert | AMAWaterways Specialist  

Destinations Traveled: Mexico | Canada | Ireland | Scotland | 38 US States | China | Jamaica | Turks & Caicos | Dominican Republic | Cabo | Bahamas | Amsterdam, Germany, Switzerland, France, Rhine River | 

Contact her at [email protected] or 913-636-6440

Jolie Carrillo-Allen-Travel Designer

Jolie is a strong believer that travel enriches your soul and opens your mind. She believes that travel is the best gift you can give to yourself and others. 

Jolie began her career, as travel agent booking all Disney Destinations but quickly broadened her clients' vacation destinations to world wide. She has booked vacations to Dubai, Eur

Jolie began her career, as travel agent booking all Disney Destinations but quickly broadened her clients' vacation destinations to world wide. She has booked vacations to Dubai, Europe, Vietnam, the Maldives, but the majoirty of her clients visit the Caribbean. 

She has booked many destination weddings as well as social groups, such as birthday trips and bachelorette celebrations. Jolie still has a love for Disney and send clients year after year. 

Her favorite family trip was to Hotel Xcaret in Playa del Carmen. Her favorite destintion she has ever visited is Turks & Caicos. While her bucket list is long, she hopes to continually check those places of the list. 

You can reach her at [email protected] or 816-812-4146

Kelley Jenkins-Travel Designer

Growing up, Kelley was raised to enjoy experiences and create life long memories instead of investing it "material things".  She believes this contributed to her belief system that by seeing the world, different cultures and sharing experiences with each other, you will begin to realize the true value in life.  She has carried on this way

Growing up, Kelley was raised to enjoy experiences and create life long memories instead of investing it "material things".  She believes this contributed to her belief system that by seeing the world, different cultures and sharing experiences with each other, you will begin to realize the true value in life.  She has carried on this way of thinking with her family by choosing to invest in vacations where life long memories, bonds and joy have been created!  Kelley wants to help your family do this as well.  When you travel together, you create something you will not experience any other way.  The learning, laughter, joy, fun and discussions that coming from traveling together can create a rare bond that will last a lifetime!  Kelley has traveled to the Caribbean, Mexico, Europe and the Middle East.  She also loves to go on cruises! She and her family are avid Star Wars, Marvel, Disney and Harry Potter Fans, she loves to help families navigate the complexities of visiting the various them parks!  

Kelley will help you take the hassle and stress out of planning by discovering what each family's desires.  Kelley has an easy approach to figure out what your family's needs are and what works best when you travel.  Her approachable, detailed and comprehensive approach will help you work out all the details from the start!   She can't wait to help you start creating memories today!  Let's go see the world!!! Contact her at [email protected] or   913-484-5243  

Brittany Cooper-Travel Designer

Brittany is a mom of four young children and a former teacher. She has always loved to plan and coordinate events and trips for herself and others. Brittany has been to Africa, Mexico, and many locations in the U.S. her absolute favorite being Jackson Hole, WY where she grew up going as a child. 

As a mom, Brittany believes that travel is 

As a mom, Brittany believes that travel is one of the greatest gifts you can give your children. Learning through experience about other cultures, foods, landforms, and forms of travel will undoubtedly enrich your family members lives! Not to mention, the memories made while traveling with family and friends adds unbelievable value to your relationships.

When Brittany became a mom she quickly realized how overwhelming and seemingly unattainable-traveling with small kids can be. It is her goal to make travel more attainable for busy families! So, bring your family, bring your friends, and book a trip with her!

You can reach Brittany at [email protected] or (785)633-2096.

Marcie Vanbebber-Travel Designer

Marcie joined Design Your Vacations in June of 2022. Marcie has always loved travel, in fact, she majored in Travel and Tourism in college. She did her internship in The Netherlands, and moved to San Diego for her first travel agency job right out of college. It's been fun for her to get back in the business. Marci has four kids who share

Marcie joined Design Your Vacations in June of 2022. Marcie has always loved travel, in fact, she majored in Travel and Tourism in college. She did her internship in The Netherlands, and moved to San Diego for her first travel agency job right out of college. It's been fun for her to get back in the business. Marci has four kids who share her passion and love to travel too. She loves seeing the world, especially anywhere where there are sunshine and beautiful beaches!!! She looks forward to helping you design your next vacation! 

You can reach her at [email protected]  

Julia Kutzke-Travel Designer

Teresa davis -travel designer.

Julia began her career as an Emergency Department nurse. She found herself planning trips, vacations, and bachelorette parties routinely. She’s fallen in love with planning, travel, and the beauty in nature throughout the world. She then decided to take the leap, change directions, and begin a life of helping others in a whole new way. Sh

Julia began her career as an Emergency Department nurse. She found herself planning trips, vacations, and bachelorette parties routinely. She’s fallen in love with planning, travel, and the beauty in nature throughout the world. She then decided to take the leap, change directions, and begin a life of helping others in a whole new way. She can plan trips for groups, families, destination weddings, honeymoons, bachelor/bachelorette parties, and more!!

Her favorite part of traveling is learning about the local culture, vegetation, and trying new foods. Her favorite trip so far has been her honeymoon to Hawaii. 

Julia believes everyone deserves to travel and see the world. Her goal is to design your trip to be the vacation of your dreams. She is positive, resilient, and determined to be your virtual assistant before, during and after travel. She’ll be with you every step of the way and will make sure things run smoothly. Let Julia take away the stress of planning so you can have a relaxed, personalized, and unforgettable vacation! ay something interesting about your business here.

You can reach her at [email protected] or 620-875-1057

Over the past seven years, Teresa has had the pleasure of creating travel itineraries for clients from all walks of life. From the festive and enchanting Christmas Markets in Strasbourg to the lush beaches of St. Lucia, She has planned trips to a variety of destinations, accommodating all travel styles, from luxury getaways to budget back

Over the past seven years, Teresa has had the pleasure of creating travel itineraries for clients from all walks of life. From the festive and enchanting Christmas Markets in Strasbourg to the lush beaches of St. Lucia, She has planned trips to a variety of destinations, accommodating all travel styles, from luxury getaways to budget backpacking adventures. 

Teresa is passionate about travel and believes that it is one of the most enriching and transformative experiences in life. She is committed to helping her clients discover the world in a way that is meaningful and unforgettable. 

You can reach her at [email protected] or 913-526-4570

The Reeds/ Mike and Darcy Reed / Travel Designers

Mike and Darcy fell in love with traveling together and as a family over 20 years ago.  Although they both enjoyed traveling with their families growing up, neither had traveled outside the U.S. until they were both adults.  All it took was one trip to Mexico and they were hooked!  Through the years with a growing family, they learned ho

Mike and Darcy fell in love with traveling together and as a family over 20 years ago.  Although they both enjoyed traveling with their families growing up, neither had traveled outside the U.S. until they were both adults.  All it took was one trip to Mexico and they were hooked!  Through the years with a growing family, they learned how important traveling is to them and their family. Experiencing and learning about new places and different cultures is one of the best things you can do together.  Traveling with family and friends is a top priority for them and led them to becoming travel designers.  They want to share this passion with as many people as they can! They specialize in family travel, honeymoons and adults only trips and group trips.  They can arrange every detail of your trip from private transportation to/from the airport, excursions or tours, romantic dinners on the beach and organize everything in an easy to use itinerary.  Mike and Darcy work to personalize each trip to fit their client’s budget and interests, creating a once in a lifetime trip.  

Ocean and River Cruises

Contact them at [email protected]  or call at 785-829-3547

De Soto, KS 66018, US

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Amanda Holidays

Making your travel dreams a reality

Five reasons why it makes sense to book through an accredited and award-winning travel professional...

My name is Amanda Kent-Stallwood and I'm an independent travel expert at multi award-winning, Designer Travel.

I offer the personal touch and with my knowledge of worldwide destinations I can make your travel dreams a reality, from a short stay in Europe to a once in a life time holiday or honeymoon.

I will listen, offer time and empathy and by doing so build a real understanding of what you are looking for.

What are you waiting for? Why not get in touch right now?

Recent Posts

Client Blog: Sue and Steven in Costa Rica

"Amanda did a wonderful job in organising everything" - Steven

"Amanda has been integral to the smooth organisation of our trip" - Julie

Designer Travel named TTG Luxury Homeworking Business of the Year

Amanda’s Blog: I am delighted to have joined Designer Travel

Designer Travel wins Celebrity Cruises Appreciation Award

Recent Testimonials

"The service Amanda provided was exceptional" - Barbara

“Amanda gets to know your requirements which makes for very special holidays” – Penny & John

Recent Client Blogs

Client Blog: The Bartlett family’s long-awaited special holiday to Orlando and Grenada

Client Blog: Steven explores the east coast of Australia

Client Blog: Steven’s group tour to Africa

In The Spotlight

My Latest Newsletter

Amanda Holidays Newsletter - Winter 2023

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Travel Advisor

Amanda Denner

• Hawai'i ,
• Luxury Travel ,
• Family Travel

Philadelphia Suburbs

Get in touch with Amanda

Reach out to customize and book your own experience. Or, just to chat about travel in general.

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I am a travel dreamer, who spends too much of my free time daydreaming about new destinations to visit. Since reality prevents me from traveling as much as I would like, the next best thing is making travel dreams a reality by planning new adventures for others.

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Travel style.

I am a mom of 3 who enjoys escaping from everyday routine with luxury travel when the budget permits. I value every travel opportunity I have with my family and the opportunity it creates to make lifelong memories that we can share. I prefer to travel with a packed itinerary, seeing and doing as much as possible. Then unwinding at the end of the day with a cocktail while watching the sunset. I enjoy making the most out of every trip, whether it is gaining access to an epic view or experiencing a unique cultural activity. My strength is identifying what aspect of travel is important to each client and creating the perfect trip for them.

Amanda 's travel guides & trip reports

Be one with nature and then unwind in luxury in Southwest USA

5 Day Parisian Escape

7 Day Self-Driving Tour of Iceland for Adventure Seekers

8 Day Italy Itinerary

Your Guide to Ultimate Relaxation on Great Exuma Island

Favorite hotels, sorrel river ranch resort.

A destination in and of itself, Sorrel River has amazing views, its own farm, horseback riding and more.

Breakfast daily.

Welcome amenity.

Fairmont Orchid

A Hawaii resort and spa located on the Kohala Coast, surrounded by lush tropical gardens, cascading waterfalls and a tranquil white sand beach and lagoon.

$100 food / beverage credit.

Upgrade & extended check-in/out whenever possible.

Fairmont Mayakoba

On the widest stretch of sand in Mayakoba, this family favorite is a classic beach escape with a bonus dose of nature across the 240 acres of mangroves and jungle.

Hotel / resort credit.

Enchantment Resort

Centrally located in Sedona near hiking with great evening activities (think: making s'mores and live music).

Amanda 's travel photos

Amanda 's reviews

Amanda was very helpful in every aspect of the planning process. She laid out many nice choices for hotels, helped us differentiate between them, and quickly booked when we were ready. We were also happy to see we got a few perks for booking through her. She also recommended several very fun tours for us and was able to give us insider info on the ins and outs of Paris. All in all, the trip went very smoothly thanks to her expertise!

Booked travel to Paris

Working with Amanda was very easy! We had a tough time deciding where to go over Christmas break and she gave us a ton of fabulous options! We are already looking forward to her planning our next trip!

Booked travel to Florida

Amanda was amazing from start to finish. She was patient with our changing preferences throughout the process and always responsive when we reached out with various questions. Amanda was very consultative & went the extra mile to ensure we had a fabulous vacation. She followed up after our stay to correct some charges on our invoice from the resort (that we would not have noticed). We are excited to use Amanda for our next trip! It's clear that she has a passion for travel & enjoys going above and beyond for her clients.

Amanda was super helpful in making our experience one of a kind to perfectly fit our family and what we wanted to do! Planning a road trip in another country is not easy and it was so helpful to have her expertise to help us plan the trip of a lifetime!

Booked travel to Iceland

Travel homeworking’s best kept secret

Designer Travel

Multiple Award Winning Travel Agency

Our Business

We started life as a brand spanking new company back in January 2008.

“To build a profitable travel business that delights customers and truly values its people”

We are pleased to say that our vision statement continues to serve us well. As a multiple award winning and independent travel business we have access to a vast number of very different, high quality and value for money products. As part of the Hays Independence Group we are able to trade with quite literally hundreds of different tour operators and travel suppliers. For us it’s all about taking the time to match the right products with the right customer enquiry. Holidays and travel arrangements vary from straight-forward to highly complex and, with the wide range of expertise in our business (from cruise experts and adventurers, to sun lovers and adrenaline junkies) we call upon each other to ensure the holiday recommendations that we make are wisely sourced.

Our Head Office is based in Ramsbottom, Lancashire where we have a retail office / call centre and a separate administrative office. We are passionate about team work and we do all we can to keep every member of the team up to date with developments that affect both our business and the industry as a whole. From closed groups on social media, weekly newsletters and conference calls plus training opportunities aplenty, we really do have everything in place to support our growing network of 100+ Business Associates.

Unique Holiday Experiences

From the date, accommodation type, method/s of travel, excursions and, even down to budget, we do our absolute best to interpret the customers needs into holiday choices that fit the bill.

Before a customer travels it’s our job to contact their accommodation to tell them more about our customers’ needs, letting them know about any special celebrations whilst they are away or highlighting any big or small details so we can try and add little touches that will make that holiday live long in our customers memory.

Standing out from the Crowd

As a business we do everything we possibly can to stand out from the crowd. We work with integrity and passion to deliver exciting and creative travel solutions for the widest possible range of holidays.

We love our customers and, just as importantly we value the suppliers that we work with on a regular basis. Our supplier relationships allow us to deliver exceptional levels of customer service to complement amazing products and holiday / travel services.

Building Long Term Relationships

We value our relationships with customers and this simple system means just one point of contact throughout - no speaking to different departments to get things done – one point of contact, there for when the customer needs to get in touch.

The generous commission package on offer to Business Associates means that you can earn commission levels of up to 80% plus other incentives. Your earning potential is uncapped and we do our best to ensure you reap the benefits.

Are we your perfect choice?

We are committed to recruiting a handful of great new associates each year. For us it isn’t all about numbers, it’s about getting the right “fit” – a new associate that complements the existing team and shares our passion for delivering amazing customer service and exciting holiday options. We recruit new team members for longevity.

We have a number of different joining packages available depending on your level of experience and offer generous rates of commission structured in such a way that you can start earning an income from the day you make your booking. You also earn the full value of any staff incentives that our suppliers offer.

Even though we are a homebased travel business there are lots of opportunities to meet up with other team members. From our annual overseas conference (a chance each year to reflect on achievements plans for the year ahead and an opportunity to recognise excellence at our annual Gala Dinner) to our Christmas meetings. From supplier training opportunities to our informal and fun Chit Chat meetings it’s up to you how involved you want to be but in our business you don’t need to worry about being lonely or isolated (unless that is just the way you like it!)

There are educational opportunities each year and various invitations for trade events, which offer you the opportunity to experience to networking with suppliers and industry peers alike.

There is a monthly charge, which contributes towards the central costs including things like postage and licences.

We provide you with the technology and stationery that you need to get started. Your induction will be planned for a date that suits you and we will either come to your home or will meet you virtually to make sure everything works how it should!

The process for joining our business is simple. An initial telephone catch up will talk you through how our business works and provides us with the opportunity to get to know you a little better. If we mutually agree that it is worth progressing with your application we will send you an introductory letter and the relevant application forms. We will then try and organise a face to face meeting which will allow us both to make sure we are the right business for you and, once the decision is made the process to get you started on an agreed date will take between 14 – 28 days.

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What our team think about our business

To get an honest opinion about just what it’s like to work as part of the team we thought you might like to hear what they think

Lucia Campanella

“I feel part of a big family where everyone looks after your interests, and helps when you have difficult situations without making you feel inadequate and stupid. 100% support and back up from all of the team starting from the top. You are never alone and never left to deal with something, help available 24/7. It’s fun and you have freedom to run your own business. Hard work is recognised and never ignored”

Ang Perkins

“After being out of the Travel Industry in the UK for over 10 years and having two small children I wondered what I could do!? I explore the option of going part time at my local Travel Agents but having been an Area Manager and a Head of Operations for two large travel companies I really didn't want to go right back to where I started over 20 years ago and there was no flexibility with having two small children. I explored setting up my own business as a homeworker and contacted several different companies who were not for me...too mainly rules on when you needed to work, for how long etc...! The difference with Designer Travel is it’s like a family...the people are amazing and they truly do care! I can highly recommend and I have brought three other homeworkers on-board since I joined”

Kay Frankland

“Having worked with Designer Travel for over 5 years I can honestly say it’s the best decision I have ever made. Unlike other homeworking businesses you are paid as you make the booking and the commission amount is one of the best out there. More importantly team work - with 2 amazing directors and a very supportive team of wonderful individuals, you are working from home but with excellent communication as a whole you never feel alone. One overseas conference and normally 1 'fam' trip per year are just 2 of the extras received from Designer Travel”

Antonia Cochrane

“Being part of the Designer Travel team gives totally flexibility to work in a way that suits me, with a huge levvel of support on hand 24/7. That degree of flexibility is what attracted me to the business”

Sophie Godridge

“Being a Designer travel associate is amazing! It gives me the tools I need to genuinely do the best job possible for my customers. Whilst also giving me total flexibility to be there for my young family whilst doing a job that I love. The Designer team are fantastic and even though I work from home I never feel alone, There is always someone available if I need any help”

Natalie Spear

“I love being a Designer Travel Associate because of the huge amount of support available daily from the entire team as well as our two fabulous directors. I enjoy meeting up with the team throughout the year and our annual conference abroad is always a lot of fun. Working from home as an associate is fantastic for me as I can easily fit my work in around being a mum”

“Working for Designer Travel is like being wrapped in a big warm fluffy blanket when you're a child. Always someone to look after and out for us”

“I would never return to retail now, my heart is with Designer Travel”

Getting In Touch

Or, You can click on this link which will take you to an enquiry form where you can tell us a little more about yourself. Or, you can contact us by telephone using any of the telephone numbers below: Karen Pocock – 07753 929989 Amanda Matthews – 07753 929930 Jayne Marlor - 07702 034299

We are open. Call 01706 770150 , chat or visit us .

Amanda Matthews

About Amanda

I’m Amanda and I live in Saddleworth in the North with my family. I am married with two lovely children and a dog.

I have been in travel for over 25 years and I can honestly say travel is my life. We set up Designer Travel in 2008 to offer great advice and experience to ensure that our clients get the very best holiday for their needs. There is nothing worse than paying a lot for a holiday, taking the time out only to get there and be disappointed. Our team know where to look, often will have first-hand experience of your chosen resort and will search to find you the best offers. I won’t say we are the cheapest but we care and look after every client and it’s sometimes those small extras that can save you more than you think.

As for my holidays, my favourite place is Florida, it’s a magical place for having family fun with memories that will last until the next time! I have a soft spot for St Lucia too, as we got married there. My worst holiday has to be Jamaica and not because of the place which I loved but we stayed in a not so nice hotel and got eaten alive (needless to say this isn’t on our site!).

Get in contact with me if you would like any help in planning your holiday. I specialise in family holidays and also offer a full concierge service.

My Articles

Nightlife in Maderia

by Amanda Matthews

Elegant Hotels in Barbados - Bajan Kids Club

The House in Barbados wins top Trip Advisor Award

New Enhancements at Turtle Beach Barbados

Dr Livingstone I presume…or maybe not!

The maldives ... honeymoon paradise, your holiday starts now.

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We Do the Travel Planning for You

Let’s Bring the Change to Life!

Turn Your Dream Vacation Into Reality

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Our Services

Our focus is bringing luxury to life. Whether you're looking for the golf trip of a lifetime, a unique cruise, group tour, honeymoon, or a one-of-a-kind custom-designed trip for you and your partner, family, or friends, we have you covered. Simply tell one of our designers where you want to go, and we'll help you figure out the rest. We are supported by Virtuoso and an extensive group of worldwide partners to offer the most prestige experience.

Satisfaction Guaranteed

While working with us, we want you to be completely happy with the experience. If you have questions about us or our services, get in touch! We hope you continue to book with us for many years to come.

Owner: Tammy Birlew

I am a career switcher! My background is in corporate business with a focus on international logistics. I have traveled the world but did not get the chance to experience it to its fullest. I want to bring those experiences to you and your family. I know the demands that work and life bring, and I want to be able to bring the ease and enjoyment of travel when you are able to break away. My experience with logistics in all forms of planes, trains, and automobiles will give you comfort that you are in good hands. My ultimate goal is for you to sit back, relax and just smile and fully enjoy yourself, your family, and your friends.

Most people do not look back and wish that they had worked harder or longer, but they always wish that they had experienced life more. This is my opportunity to help bring that change to each of you.

• Disney Destinations

Making Memories that last a lifetime

Vacation time and memories are precious; let Amanda plan your perfect vacation

Top Destinations

Searching for the perfect getaway?

I specialize in making your family vacation seamless from the first phone call to touch down back at your airport. I will tailor your Caribbean vacation, make your Disney dreams come true or help you create lasting memories in Europe. Below are just a few featured destinations – but I can plan a trip anywhere you want to go. I look forward to helping you capture the vacation memories dear to your heart.

WE Got You Covered

My honeymoon was a “hot minute” ago. Let’s just say we drove in an overheating U-haul from Minnesota to Texas during the “Devil’s Front Porch” season. I don’t want your honeymoon to involve peeling your thighs from the plastic seats in a U-haul van.

You both are amazing individuals and you each have different thoughts about how to vacation. One of you may want some beach time? The other may be done with the beach after 2 hours and ready to head into town. I can plan an adventure that fits what you both want to do.

And if your honeymoon was similar to mine, I can create the perfect “do-over.” Or, if you are like me and just love to travel with your partner we can keep planning “do-overs”!

Disney Get-away

Every family is unique in what they want to experience on their Disney Destination Vacation. Do you have visions of your kids waving at Cinderella? Or do you want to try to smuggle contraband past the Stormtroopers? Watch the kids surf in the morning and learn the hula? Do you want to sail through blue waters, play on a beach and meet the Marvel characters? Or do you want to up your adventure to include authentic castles, scenic views and Oktoberfest?

I have planned many Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Aulani Disney Resort and Adventure by Disney trips.

And if you prefer a different magical world, where there are wands and Butterbeer, I can plan those trips too.

International travel

For international travel, it used to be that all you needed was a passport and an airline ticket. Now, things are convoluted. Is your dream destination accepting US travelers? Do you need to be vaccinated? Do you need to test prior to arrival? On arrival? After arrival? What is the procedure to get home? What are the cancelation polices? Do you need travel insurance?

Since the pandemic, I have traveled internationally throughout Mexico and the Caribbean. I have also helped clients successfully travel to Mexico, the Caribbean, within Europe and they have also sailed on cruises.

Travel is inherently complex and I am happy to walk you through all that needs to be done to make sure your vacation is amazing.

Amanda Storm

Cheers to you and your next adventure!

I believe that first-hand knowledge is what my guests expect from me. Since 2014, I have been to 27 countries (and counting). Within the US I have been to a frequent visitor to Disney World, Disneyland, Universal Studios Orlando and have also explored such things as a Dude Ranch, Alaska in both summer and winter (not that cold!) and our nation’s capital. My experiences let me plan your perfect vacation.

Amanda is the Disney/Universal theme park Queen! She has helped our family with three Disney/Universal theme park vacations and we couldn’t have done it without her! Amanda really took our family’s needs and preferences into consideration when making our itineraries and suggestions for maximizing our time at the parks. 

Our trip to Maui was AMAZING, thanks to Amanda. During a pandemic, Amanda provided us with several travel options, scheduled dinner reservations and provided us with tips on how we could make the most out of our trip to Maui. We are grateful for her personal attention to detail and helping us make this a trip of a lifetime for our family that we will always remember. Five stars!

Working with Amanda gives us the assurance that our vacations will be great, that attention has been given to the details, and that all is coordinated and in place for our arrival and stay. Amanda has coordinated many family vacations for us, from Disney World, 2 Disney cruises, Mexico, and Hawaii. Amanda goes above and beyond at being available to answer questions, dig up answers, and has even been available for my questions and to help us out while traveling. It’s reassuring to know that if something comes up she will do everything she can from her end to resolve an issue. She listens and suggests vacations that will suit our family, matching up what is and isn’t important to us with our location, resort, and activities. When faced with an overwhelming number of options for Mexico travel she zeroed right in on the best location and resort for our family and she nailed it!! We’d rather not travel without her! Her expertise makes vacationing less work and more enjoyable. We are looking forward to more wonderful trips in the future! 

There are several reasons Amanda  gets voted the best travel agent in Lawrence year after year.   She has booked numerous trips for us and we have never been disappointed.  We have used her services enough that she knows our likes and dislikes. We  always enjoy that personal  touch she adds to each and every to trip.  Because of her professionalism we have given her name to other people and they have been just as thrilled with her services as we have been.

The minute Bill and I knew we were going to have a destination wedding with our closest friends, there was no doubt in our minds, Amanda was going to be the one who coordinated our perfect destination wedding.

From the first time we told her what our ideas were, she immediately started working on possible locations. Knowing we wanted a very specific date was absolutely no challenge. She suggested a few different islands, and we ultimately chose Antigua in the West Indies.

We invited nine additional friends to join us on this amazing trip. Amanda made sure we had custom bags and passport folders, and all paperwork before setting of internationally. Amanda coordinated everything for them as well, from airfare to romantic dinners, and our snorkeling and sailing excursion. While we were there, she even texted us to make sure all was going as planned…which it was. She didn’t miss a beat.

Bill and I are planning another international trip in November that Amanda as seamlessly arranged as well. If you and your loved ones are planning any kind of trip, I highly encourage you to visit with Amanda. She has a wealth of knowledge to share.

Contact Amanda

Start your dream vacation

NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Who won Interior Design Masters 2024? Winner announced in emotional final

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The winner of Interior Design Masters 2024 has been announced in an emotional finale.

In the fifth series of the BBC show, Roisin Quinn was victorious, and upon hearing the news she became emotional.

‘This is a dream come true,’ she said.

‘The whole thing has been the biggest achievement in my whole life.’

Roisin shed tears discussing how she just wanted to make her family proud – we think she’s certainly done that! Her mum was the first person she called after the win, and she screamed in excitement down the phone.

While discussing her motivation with main judge Michelle Ogundehin, and guest judge Jonathan Alder earlier in the show, Roisin even made host Alan Carr ‘well up’.

‘In a world of doom and gloom, to create joyful spaces that people feel special is what interior design is to me,’ she told the trio.

Despite having the least design experience, her passion led her to the top spot, and the prize – an opportunity to design a homeware collection for La Redoute. Michelle explained how she reached the decision: ‘She’s got a strong sense of who she is and what she stands for.’

She added that Roisin thinks of the bigger picture and brings joy to her designs.

Runner-up Matt Smithwood was gracious in his defeat – he gave Roisin a congratulatory hug and shared his intention to carry on with interior design.

The show challenges amateur designers to transform spaces each week. In the previous eight episodes, they’ve turned their hand to an eclectic mix including offices, a B&B , a wedding hotel, beach huts, and hair salons. In the penultimate episode, they were asked to redesign dressing rooms at OVO Arena Wembley and the episode featured pop icon Sophie Ellis-Bextor .

Throughout the weeks, those who failed to impress interior expert Michelle were eliminated from the competition, which meant the group of ten – Roisin, Ash, Domnall, Francesca, Hannah, Sheree, Benat, Anthony, Matt, and Jess – was whittled down to just two for the grand finale.

Before they could even think about earning the accolade of being champion, first former travel advisor Rosisin and bathroom designer Matt had the final task to contend with.

The pair were set their hardest and most prestigious challenge – to redesign holiday lodges at the 500-year-old Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire.

To help them do a good job, two previously axed contestants – Jess and Anthony – returned to give them a hand, and they were assigned two carpenters and three decorators each. With their teams assembled, they had three days and £6000 to get the work done.

Despite being given two identical lodges, they both chose completely different styles.

Roisin chose a countryside theme with leafy wallpaper that covered the ceilings in the kitchen, which was complimented by bold sunshine yellow paint and multi-coloured soft furnishings in the lounge. The bedroom was also covered wall to ceiling in wallpaper, this time in a floral design.

‘I want it to be a memorable getaway to get away from the mundane,’ Roisin explained.

Alan remarked: ‘It’s like you’re walking into Balamory, not Blenheim Palace but I like it.’

On the other hand, Matt opted for a sophisticated, regal aesthetic. He ambitiously decided to cover the wooden cladding and add panelling. The time-consuming task meant a slow start to proceedings with Matt noting after day one: ‘Everything feels a bit of a concern to me.’

He also added to the luxurious feel with a gold-leafed kitchen island, silky cushions, and a chandelier. The bedroom was painted completely black, with a pop of colour in the burnt orange headboard. ‘You need a torch,’ joked Alan.

Roisin began to get self-doubt about her bold choices as the hours went on, especially after seeing her competitor’s polar opposite design but she needn’t have worried.

Both ploughed on and completed beautiful spaces which they were proud to have created, which gave the judges a tough decision.

Last year’s winner Monika Charchula , won after delivering a masterful pub design in the final complete with a stunning copper-gilded bar. The furniture artist from Nottingham’s prize was a contract to redesign a top cocktail bar in central London.

Her appearance on the show led to ‘a lot of messages’ from people who have ADHD, who told her that ‘it’s so good’ that it’s being spoken about on TV.

‘They see a lot of resemblances in what I’m doing, the stresses and the crying. Being emotional is also unfortunately one of the things – it gets to the point where it just becomes overwhelming and the only way for me and for a lot of other people with ADHD to get rid of all the stresses is to unfortunately have a meltdown,’ she told Metro.co.uk .

Alan, 47, recently revealed how the production company deals with any clients who are unhappy with a design : ‘What we do is we go back and paint it back to how it originally was so no one is offended.’

Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr series four is available to watch on BBC iPlayer

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If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

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$179 million parking garage to replace McDonalds at John Glenn Columbus Airport

John Glenn Columbus International Airport will spend $179 million on a new parking garage as part of the airport's $2 billion terminal project .

This week, the airport's board voted to hire CK Construction Group to build the 5,000-car garage where the McDonald's is at 4250 International Gateway.

The contract is for both design and construction, according to airport officials.

The location for the garage was chosen for convenience. It will connect with the neighboring rental car facility and the new terminal by a pedestrian bridge.

The new terminal will be built at the location of the blue and cell phone parking lots.

The goal is to have the new terminal and the parking garage finished in 2029 in time to mark the airport's 100th anniversary.

The new terminal will replace one that dates to 1958 and has become outdated, airport officials have said.

As part of the contract, CK Construction has committed to a 20% participation by diverse companies, including hiring Gunzelman Architecture & Interiors and Desman as their diversity partners for the design phase.

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@BizMarkWilliams