Sami da Silva, Loyalty Club Concierge

"My job lets me do two of my favourite things: meeting people and travelling! On a professional level, I loved our Loyalty Club events in London, Guildford and Corfu. It’s always a joy to hear guests’ holiday stories and also the friendships between them that have developed over time – makes me quite emotional sometimes! On the personal front, I love my yoga, and doing sunrise sessions in Ithaca, Corfu, Corsica and my namesake resort of Sami in Kefalonia this year are moments I’ll never forget."

Justin Ashby, Head of Contracting: France, Italy & Portugal

"Highlight of 2025? Has to be the new Portugal collection, no question. Setting the new programme live online was a fantastic moment, and I’m pleased that we’re able to offer the character villages as well as the popular resorts, so there’s something for everyone there, especially groups and families. The sheer range of facilities and holiday activities on the Algarve is unbeatable. Having spent a lot of time there I also appreciate just how easy everything is, with lots of flights, short transfers and decent roads - spot on for younger families and multi-generation groups - and quite a few villas where you don’t need a car to get around. Hopefully my 2026 highlight will be getting back there for a holiday!"

Jackie Maud, Villa Concierge: Corfu

"2025 was another great year in Corfu, but being able to do this for a lovely family at Lumina was, I think, my absolute highlight:  “There was a very special purpose for this holiday – to get our mum back in the water after being challenged with a disability for many years. This pool is our hero! The kindness care and attention from Jackie, Mira and the Simpson Travel staff has been second to none. Would we return? You betcha! This is up there with one of the best weeks ever! Thank you Villa Lumina! You made a dream come true!” ."

Sarah Barnes, Signature Collection Sales Specialist

"Best bit of 2025? Casa Kios!!! I do get spoilt visiting all the top properties in our programme, and I probably shouldn’t name my favourites, but trust me, Casa Kios is incredible. We nicknamed it the spaceship because of its shape, but probably a better description is multi-level luxury in a fantastic location. Two pools, a hot tub, tennis court, snooker and games room, table tennis, table football, pétanque and outdoor chess… I could go on and on, plus you have restaurants and shops a 15-minute walk away. All I can say is: book early."

Mark Speight, Operations Director

"Ops is a very fast paced environment, so the highlight of my year was the end-of-season overseas team meetings, where we had some time to reflect together. I can’t imagine a kinder, smarter, more resourceful bunch of people, and our questionnaires confirm that they really do add so much value to the Simpson Travel experience. It was also fantastic to join so many staff doing 5km walks in support of MacMillan Cancer Support -  their energy and enthusiasm even after a long season was humbling. Reaching our £3,000 target made it all the more special."

Rania Mazi, Operations Manager: Lefkada, Meganissi & Sivota

"One of my standout moments of 2025 was welcoming a few celebrities as guests. It was wonderful to see that, despite their busy schedules, they appreciated the same things our regular guests value most: genuine service, beautiful surroundings and the chance to truly switch off. Basically just normal people like the rest of us. Of course I’m far too discreet to name names, but their positive feedback was a real feel-good moment for me."

Charlotte Higgs, Marketing Manager

"Marketing is kind of a behind-the-scenes job at Simpson Travel, so it was a big thrill for me to spend some time out in Crete filming our first TV ad. It was possibly the most intense project I’ve ever worked on – literally days and days of non-stop planning and filming for a 30-second advert. I promise I’ll never flick past the ads on TV again! I felt such a massive sense of satisfaction seeing the final product though, plus I fell totally in love with Crete and my fiancé and I are planning to have our wedding there next year."

Gayle Dennet, Bella Mare Manager + Environmental & Sustainability Lead Co-ordinator

"During a trip to Turkey, I had the incredible opportunity to visit the Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (DEKAMER). The experience was deeply moving - witnessing these magnificent creatures up close brought powerful emotions. The moment a young girl was brought to tears, seeing the injuries sustained by one of the loggerheads (boat impact) I will never forget as I tried to hold back my own emotions. Let’s remember these beautiful creatures are 20 years + in age, one fella was around 50 years old! It was a profound reminder of the importance of conservation efforts like DEKAMER’s."

Bev Chadwick, Operations Manager - Greece

"Hard to pick a single highlight, but personally I was very happy to see how much our guests loved the new Peloponnese programme. Simpson Travellers raved about the dramatic scenery, coastal and mountain walks, bike rides and the rich sense of history at every turn, not forgetting the fantastic restaurants in Stoupa and Agios Nikolaos. One person who has really helped me make our first year so successful is Arvin Gautama, someone whose passion for the Peloponnese mirrors our own. It’s been a joy to me to read our questionnaires and see how much his knowledge and contacts have really added to the holiday experience – thanks Arvin!"

Stella Rocha, Contracts Manager, Algarve Portugal

"I’m new to the company this year, helping to create the Portugal programme. It was a little unnerving starting at a new place with new colleagues but everyone has been very friendly and welcoming. My highlight was the Christmas party because I was able to meet so many people from all over Europe. Hearing Graham Simpson give his speech really showed me that everyone at every level in the company is very personally involved and genuinely cares a lot about what they do. I think I’m going to like it here."

Suzana Finnie, Contracts Manager

"The moment that brought the biggest smile to my face was signing up The Valldemossa Estate in Mallorca. I’d been looking for villas in the north west for a while but there are very few available in this incredibly sought-after corner around Deia, Soller and Valldemossa. The Valldemossa Estate is a Signature villa, so it’s very high quality as well as having an amazing sense of history, plus the location near Valldemossa is pretty hard to beat as you’re also just a 15-minute drive from the coast, or 20 minutes from Palma. I was also lucky enough to have a family holiday at one of our Lefkada villas and experience that special Simpson service for myself - 10/10!"

Phillipa Davis-Avouri, Contracts Manager

I’d say the highlight of my working year was visiting Turkey to see our programme there and learn about its differences and similarities to Greece. It was inspiring to experience a different destination, and Kalkan really does have to be seen to be believed: amazing villas! I totally get why it’s such a huge favourite with our regular guests, especially with that boat trip included that literally everyone I met was raving about. Greece is definitely where my home and heart lies, but if I had the chance to go back to Turkey I would, in a heartbeat.