Meet 
The team

Tran Trong Kien has been known as a pioneer in many adventure tours in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. He ran local tours to fund his medical studies before establishing his own tour operator in 1994. Over the past 25 years of establishment and development, Kien has lead his business to become Thien Minh Group – one of the biggest travel and hospitality groups in the region. Kien is also current chairman of Vietnam Tourism Advisory Board (TAB), Hue Tourism Advisory Board (HTAB), Vietnam Tour Guides Association (VTGA), trustee of Fulbright University Vietnam, Vietnam Tourism Association (VITA), board member of Vietnam Institute of Directors (VIOD), member of the Private Sector Development Research Board (IV Board) of the Advisory Council for Administrative Procedure Reform and ex-member of Asia Commercial Bank (ACB), VP Bank and Vinaland.

Company founder and Director Sandra established SLC at the end of 2002 following a successful 20-year career at Austravel that spanned the UK, Germany and USA. Sandra dreamt of a results-focussed representation agency. Bringing her unrivalled contacts, exceptional sales and marketing knowledge and an unwavering passion for travel to the table, Sandra set about building a strong, sharp and enthusiastic team who could deliver just that.

Contact:
sandra@slcrepresentation.com

“One of the best trips of my life was to Vietnam and Cambodia in 2010. Cycling around Mai Chau was a highlight – I fell off into the rice field about 30 seconds later… I also spent a wonderful afternoon riding around some of the quieter temples of Angkor Wat – I didn’t fall off. From the age of about 8 I wanted to visit Rio de Janeiro – I finally made it in 2018 and it didn’t disappoint.”

Image: Sandra discovering Angkor Wat on horseback

Kate brings over a decade of marketing and communications experience which was gained across the media, banking, government and tourism industries. She first joined SLC in 2017 on a short term contract to run the Tourism Western Australia account, she rejoined in 2019 to oversee new business marketing plans and proposals. Kate’s addiction to travel has led her to almost 100 countries, when she’s not collecting passport stamps she’s trying her hand at home renovation.

Contact:
kate@slcrepresentation.com

Image: Kate in the Dead Sea

Matt joined SLC after 17 years with STA Travel in the UK. During his time with STA, he initially headed up the Contact Centre before moving into Learning & Development. In L&D he took on a variety of roles including overseeing a robust Induction programme for all new starters & developing a Management Development Programme as well as delivering training around Presentation Skills, Coaching & Development, Overcoming Barriers to the Sale, Rapport Building & Customer Rapport. Matt then moved into Wholesale & worked with a number of clients, principally in Europe, Asia, South America & the Middle East, to distribute STA Land & Air product globally.  Matt has come on board at SLC as Account Director & is really excited to focus on our client engagement & explore how we can further grow our service proposition. He is passionate about travel and is often to be found planning next year’s Summer holiday. Matt enjoys going to galleries, concerts and theatres in his spare time but his young kids are more likely to ensure he’s located in a playground at the weekend.

Contact:
matt@slcrepresentation.com

“I think people who work in travel can sometimes get jaded and lose sight of what drove many of us to join the industry in the first place. It’s really easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day of lead in process, flight capacity, price matching, etc, etc and forget that we work with a really exciting product that is a constant daily source of inspiration for millions of people around the world on any given day. Some of those experiences that have really stuck with me are: my 19-year-old self as a Camp Counsellor for Camp America in rural Pennsylvania, chatting to farmers at the local bar who would bring their pigs in with them…an overnight train from Jaipur to Delhi chatting to our fellow commuters and being awoken with chai tea as dawn broke over the craziness of Delhi’s Old Town…drinking Caipirinhas on Ipanema Beach watching the sunset behind Christ the Redeemer…The sights, sounds, tastes and colours are what inspires me every day to see more of the world.”

Image: Durdle Door, Dorset

Mala trained as a journalist and worked across TV & radio, before making the move into PR more than 10 years ago. Since then, her PR career has spanned the travel, lifestyle and charity sectors where she has developed and delivered PR strategies as well as run campaigns for brands such as SEA LIFE London and the London Eye. Most recently Mala worked at the APT Travel Group, where her passion for travel PR really took hold, and where she was introduced to SLC through her work on the Kimberley, Western Australia project.

“I picked the travel bug after I graduated, making sure to visit two to three places a year. But the destination that really blew me away was Iceland, a lover of sunshine the appeal of a holiday in Iceland didn’t warm my soul… how wrong I was! The landscape was mind-blowing and being a foodie, I wasn’t sure what to expect of Icelandic cuisine but their fresh bakeries and seafood were delicious. A place I can’t wait to revisit.“

Image: Mala in Iceland.

Katrina plans and manages all client activity to keep them front of mind in the industry, overseeing reporting, budgeting, and liaising with key partners.
With a diverse career background, she found her passion in travel—first as a leisure then corporate travel agent, before moving into representation. Her favourite part of the role is getting out on the road to meet and train agents across the country, sharing what makes our clients truly special.

Contact:
katrina@slcrepresentation.com

“I first decided to work in travel after booking a career break trip and having such a great experience – from the customer service through to the trip itself – that I wanted to be a part of providing that for others too. ”

Emma graduated from the University of Surrey where she studied BsC Tourism Management and graduated with a First Class with Honours. Emma has worked in partnership marketing roles across the tourism, hospitality and restaurant industry, her experience spans both ATL and BTL campaigns across tourist boards, airlines, hotels, hospitality and restaurant brands.

Contact:
emma@slcrepresentation.com

“I’ve always loved hearing people’s travel stories and seeing how their faces light up with the excitement of reliving those memories, and that’s what inspires me to work in travel and bring different destinations to life, so i’m super excited to be part of the SLC representation team. I love travel, i’m that annoying friend sending everybody screenshots of flights when nobody asked but there is no better feeling than waking up in a new destination and discovering new sights, cultures, smells and tastes, and finding the best spot for sunset! Some of my favourite trips so far have been Kenya for the incredible wildlife, Iceland for the landscapes, Thailand for the food and people, Croatia for the sunsets and Lisbon for it’s charm!”

Image: Emma in Iceland

Debra started her career working overseas as a representative in various destinations including: Canary Islands, Turkey and Portugal. She moved onto the winter sports market, managing resorts for Inghams Travel including Austria, Switzerland and Bulgaria. Before her career brought her back to the UK and she established herself in a role within Product Management for Inghams Travel.

She then took time out for her family before returning to the travel industry working for ABTA’s sustainability label Travelife where she took on the role of Sales and Marketing Manager – trying to convince hoteliers that Sustainability was an important consideration. Debra then moved onto working for brands such as Virgin Holidays and Audley Travel; before joining SLC where she manages accounts for various clients around the globe allowing her to use her industry knowledge and passion for travel. In her spare time, you will find her playing tennis and going on long dog walks with her family.

Contact:
debra@slcrepresentation.com

“I was fortunate to travel from an incredibly young age with adventurous parents who would take us to wonderful places in Europe and one of my youngest memories was driving around hairpin bends on the Amalfi Coast. Since then, I have travelled and worked in various places around the world including Australia, New Zealand, Thailand – but one of my favourite places is California and once travelled around the US for three months from LA to New York via camper van. Now days you are more likely to find me with a good book overlooking a great beach somewhere in the world.”

Image: Debra in NYC

A highly motivated and responsive sales manager with a passion for customer satisfaction. I have almost 15 years’ experience working across the UK, Australian and French markets in both the leisure and corporate sectors. My role varies from business development and tenders for a DMC with French tour operators and travel agents to training, trade shows, arranging and hosting networking events and fam trips for tourist boards, hotels and cruises.

Contact:
elodie@slcrepresentation.com

“I spent almost a decade abroad between Canada, Thailand and Myanmar. I loved those places for so many different reasons but probably the best decision I have ever made was taking a year off in 2019 to visit lots of places I have always wanted to go, including Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and central America. It was totally different as I was used to Asia but I gained even more in terms of local connections.”

I have spent the last 4 years working in PR since I graduated from The University of Nottingham and my experience spans traditional media, press events and influencer relations. To date, I have worked with a range of clients in multiple sectors including Hinge, Virgin Experience Days, RED Driving School, Bugaboo, Self Space and Dementia UK. My experience. I thrive when working as part of a team and I have an appetite for building connections whenever and wherever possible.

Contact:

natalie@slcrepresentation.com

“I love to travel and have been fortunate to be able to visit many wonderful places across the world in Asia, Europe and across The Americas. This photo is from Hoi An in Vietnam, taken during my three month trip across South Asia last year. Visiting new places and experiencing different cultures is a huge passion of mine and being able to encourage others to do the same as part of my career is very special. I’ve always been passionate about the work I do but working at SLC will allow me to take this to a new level.”

Day-today, I work with clients and the UK media to match great destinations with great journalists, through press releases, tailored pitches, media meets, and hosting creators out in SLC’s destinations.
I completed my Master’s degree in news journalism at Cardiff University in 2024, having studied politics at Durham University beforehand.
I have worked freelance for ITV News and The Times, and have reported stories across Cardiff.
These experiences have helped me to direct narratives by finding fantastic people, projects, and places to get behind.

Contact:
caleb@slcrepresentation.com

“Travel is a longstanding interest of mine, from family holidays to trips with friends.
Being born in Australia, my parents showed me travel is not just about destinations but people and cultures too.
Whether interviewing beach-venders in Barbados, or hiking in Croatia, I look forward to new places and faces.”

Since completing her degree in Classical Civilisation at the University of Birmingham in 2021, Joanna has worked as a sales consultant at Hotelplan, tailoring, marketing and selling holidays to clients as well as spending a year working and travelling in the French Alps and through a variety of countries in South East Asia. With a huge passion for travel, Joanna used these experiences to nurture her creativity, adaptability and deep appreciation for different cultures, choosing to join SLC as a Trade and Marketing Executive in the hopes of encouraging as many people as possible
to integrate travel into their lives.

Contact:
joanna@slcrepresentation.com

“Travel has always played an integral part of my life, as my Cypriot heritage and interest of the wider world encouraged me to be curious about what was beyond the UK. Now in my twenties, I have been lucky enough to experience a variety of incredible places and cultures, from being
fascinated by kangaroos and penguins in Australia, hiking the rice fields in Vietnam with local guides and diving with a whale shark in Thailand.”

Image: Joanna in Laos

Sofia is a University of Nottingham graduate with a degree in International Media and Communications Studies, with strong expertise in audience engagement, social media marketing, and cross-cultural communication. Currently a Trade Executive at SLC, she coordinates and delivers the TravelTalks showcases overseeing event logistics, partner coordination, digital content, post-event reporting, and P&L management.
In addition to managing TravelTalks, Sofia supports the UK and AU trade teams by identifying new business opportunities, sourcing contacts, and contributing to pitch development. She also delivers product training to travel agents, assists with client onboarding, creates social media content, supports strategic planning and budgeting, conducts audits and pricing analysis, designs EDMs, and helps organise client events.

Contact:
sofia@slcrepresentation.com

“A half-Italian, Spanish-speaking travel enthusiast, my passion for exploring diverse cultures and destinations has led me on adventures across Europe, Dubai, USA and backpacking around Southeast Asia. I am eager to explore more destinations, connect with others through travel, and celebrate cultural diversity. At SLC, I channel this passion into inspiring others to embrace travel, foster cultural awareness, and create lasting memories through shared experiences.“

Petra has been working in tourism since 1992 with initial focus on North and Central America and Asia. Since 2006 she has run her own representation agency working a variety of clients from Luxury hotels and resorts to  destinations across Germany, Benelux, Scandinavia and finally and continental Europe.

Whilst Petra looks back fondly on the successes, she also sees the opportunities we have for our partners in the future. She remains grateful to have embarked on this path, one which she still travels with the same enthusiasm.

Contact:
info@slcrepresentation.com

“My  parents loved to travel and took me and my brothers at a very young age to foreign countries. I was thoroughly infected by this and loved the thrill of flying and the fascination of different cities,  countryside and different cultures. The farther away one goes the better the experience used to be my opinion! Only recently I have started exploring Europe and fell in love with Ireland.“

Image: Lough Eske Castle, Co. Donegal, Ireland

After ‘falling’ into the travel industry over 25 years ago, Kerrin has extensive experience in the Australian travel landscape including over 6 years in senior management roles supporting key tourism offices across Southeast Asia and the South Pacific. Kerrin also has a proven track record in project management, including securing a business’s B Corp Certification, and expertise in strategic account management, business development, and contract negotiations across the MICE, corporate, and retail travel sectors.

Kerrin’s strength lies in her ability to build genuine and lasting industry relationships while developing a strong connection with her clients and partners within the travel industry.

Kerrin is the newest member of the SLC team, joining in November 2024.

Contact:
kerrin@slcrepresentation.com

“I have been so fortunate over my life to visit and experience destinations that I never imagined I would however now as a mother and wife to 2 of the best people in this world, my inspiration is now seeing this world through their eyes. Travel is both the greatest gift and biggest teacher of life and being able to showcase this is as my job is gift I am grateful for every day.”

Travel image: This is a family trip to the Singapore GP to see DJ Marshmello perform. This was a surprise trip for my son after a particularly tough few years and reminded us all that there is a whole world of experiences that we would never have imaged just waiting for us!

Rebecca’s career in tourism spans almost two decades, her most recent adventure joining the SLC team in 2020.

In 2002 Rebecca completed a Bachelor of Business in Tourism Management and International Studied at UTS in Sydney. Since then, she has worked in sales and marketing roles for a number of tourism products. More recently, she moved into representation. Like most of us, she’s passionate about tourism and driven to achieve results for her clients.

Contact:
info@slcrepresentation.com

“I caught the travel bug on my first trip overseas when I was 17, for the next ten years, I would work hard, but save harder for my next adventure. After having children, personal travel was not as frequent (flights are expensive with four children), but I’ve always got a trip on the horizon. I often have to pinch myself when I travel for work – we’re so lucky to be able to travel to such incredible places and call it work! I couldn’t imagine being in any other industry.“

Image: Rebecca and her family at Park Güell in Barcelona.

Claire Mountaine is a destination marketing specialist with over 15 years’ experience specialising in PR and trade marketing. Claire has worked with leading organisations including Ogilvy PR Australia, Wild Bush Luxury (members of both Luxury Lodges of Australia and Great Walks of Australia), Destination NSW, Tourism Victoria, as well as representation for several U.S. destinations. Claire has developed and delivered impactful media and trade campaigns, and has orchestrated strategic partnerships working with major commercial brands, government departments, industry stakeholders, and high-profile celebrities, influencers and content creators to drive awareness and engagement for some of the world’s most compelling destinations.

Contact:
claire@slcrepresentation.com

“Travel has been a passion of mine for over 20 years, since my backpacking days while in my early 20s. Travel sparked a mission to combine my marketing and PR skills within the travel industry. For me, travel is more than seeing new places—it’s about growth, perspective, and meaningful connection. Every journey brings new challenges and lessons, and constantly reminds me how vast and vibrant the world truly is. I feel incredibly lucky to call this my job.“