Thank you, Philip! You were a last-minute life saver as we could have been stuck in Italy with no transportation and missed our meetings by an entire day. I know you warned me and told me about short notice transportation strikes in Europe as you have been through 2 yourself. I was so nervous about my first trip out of Canada in 3 years. When I heard about the upcoming rail strike in Italy, I didn’t panic I just picked up the phone. You had everything fixed in minutes. How did you do it? You are a beautiful example of why people should use travel agents!!
Lyn and Alex
Thanks for your recent newsletter featuring Sweden. You provide such interesting descriptions and personal connections to countries that goes far beyond reading about them in a travel brochure and are therefore so appreciated.
And one of your "promises" that I can indeed vouch for is this one; "A reliable relationship, so you're never traveling alone". I remember the return trip from Egypt that involved the residue from the erupting volcano in Greenland which totally screwed all plane travel in that area. You managed to reach us at our hotel in Cairo and to arrange for the return trip. We were ever so grateful at the time. And when traveling now, especially on my own, it is very comforting to know that I'm not "traveling alone".
Dianne
Philip has been my travel advisor since he helped me plan an enjoyable trip to Machu Picchu in early 2000’s.
I have always found Philip very professional, knowledgeable and personable. He always listens to my requests before recommending quality services within my budget. He is open to suggestions and respects my decisions.
In October 2016, Philip arranged for a group tour taking me through Bolivia and a 4-day private trip to Lake Titicaca. The local operators were very effective, enthusiastic and friendly. Philip connected me with the right service providers and I had a most wonderful and memorable time on this trip.
The Newsletters Philip sends out is always a pleasure to read, I enjoy their diverse subject matters and the personal touch when he shares his own stories.
E
One word-outstanding! The guide Ole is incredible! Very deep knowledge and willing to answer our one thousand questions (You didn't know that Les' nickname is Mr Science). Highly recommend him and his team. Took us on a couple of new routes... we had some luck - mother and baby rhino- but mostly we benefited from his skill seeing three prides of lions with fresh kills and 8 cheetahs, four singles and then a family of 4. All accommodations outstanding.
Thank you for your expert advice and plans.
CV
Just a shout out for Philip and his hard work.
A couple of years ago my daughter and I were taking an Intrepid tour to Jordan and Egypt. On the first leg to Toronto Lufthansa went on strike. We let Philip know immediately then went to the Lufthansa desk. This proved useless as there was a huge amount of people and the line didn’t move.
My daughter and I are both laid back personalities so we just said “oh well let’s take the next leg to Munich and see what happens”. When we arrived in Germany Philip texted us that he had somehow got us on a Royal Jordanian flight to Amman.
So good work Philip and thanks again.
LP
Four years ago, my wife and I procured a trip to the UK to participate in Queen Elizabeth‘s 90th birthday party event at Windsor Castle.
Philip partnered with Vancouver Opera to program this vacation from A-to-Z. We had a spectacular time, starting with chauffeur limousine pick up at Heathrow, staying in one of the finest London hotels, organizing private drivers and guides for a couple days in London which included private tours of Harrods and Selfridges, and a private ride on the famous Eye in the Sky.
The trip was completed with a limousine ride to Windsor where we spent the day hanging out with the Canadian vocal group The Tenors, getting to meet the tenors and some of their parents and significant others, and then watching them perform in front of the Queen and Royal Family at Windsor Castle at the 90th birthday celebration.
This turned out to be one of the most memorable holidays of our lives, thank you Philip.
M
Philip Beck has booked us on approximately 12 tours, and several extra solo flights.
Why do we keep coming back?
He is super helpful, always pleasant and willing to go the extra mile. Sometimes documents are delivered to our door. Complicated visa applications filled in for us.
Unrest in a city in Kyrgyzstan meant a last minute change to our visa to China, and even though he was on holiday he kept in touch to make sure the visa came through in time.
He finds tours that fit our needs. The Galapagos trip with only 14 others on a small ship was exceptional. We combined it with a trip to Peru and it all went smoothly.
We appreciate him.
G & K
Philip began helping me prepare for my trip to Australia in September 2019, I was familiar with him as he had helped me with booking/planning a trip to Europe in 2013. The initial point he added value was in recommending tour operators and places to see but also with the administrative duties such as applying for the visa which is well beyond my knowledge.
His value was even more noticeable in the weeks and quite literally the day before the trip commenced largely due to the unprecedented wildfires that were taking place in the country which required a lot of re planning on my part in a short period of time. Philip helped by obtaining refunds from tour operators and hotels that were previously booked and booking flights within Australia upon arrival for me to avoid wildfire spots.
I was originally supposed to fly out of Vancouver to Hong Kong then to Adelaide. The flight I was originally booked on out of Vancouver got delayed for than 24 hours (as I later found out) as the plane was highly defective so I was going to miss my Hong Kong connection. This was concerning as I had a flight booked to Sydney only 48 hours after my originally scheduled arrival in Adelaide. Philip was very helpful when this happened despite having a root canal scheduled that day, as he got me booked on a direct flight to Sydney with a different airline so I didn’t have to miss a lot of vacation time.
At the midpoint of my vacation there was a flight change as the airline decided to reroute and would have meant long wait times for me in connecting airports. He made a couple proposals on rebooking to avoid some of this, which allowed me to actually spend an extra day in Cairns which was one of my favourite spots in Australia.
As you can see if it were not for Philip the trip could have gone very different or worse may not have happened at all.
B
We often find ourselves musing fondly over travels arranged by Philip over the years. From Salsa lessons at the Teatro Americano in Havana to swimming with sharks in the Galapagos, Philip has created memorable trip itineraries for us. His style is to assemble a journey that encompasses all of our interests while stimulating us to try adventures we didn’t know existed. A particularly wonderful evening for example was our private, sunset dinner for two upon the Paul Gauguin. This opportunity was only possible for one couple during the entire cruise and, as a surprise, Philip made it happen for us! It first included a mini tour of the lagoon with on-board canapés and champagne. Then we returned to discover an elegant table had been set for our pleasure on the stern platform of the ship. The extraordinary meal served by our personal waiter while a musician serenaded us with his guitar created a memory not to be forgotten.
Additionally, during these difficult times (COVID), Philip went above and beyond to negotiate refunds for us on two wonderful trips that sadly had to be cancelled due to the pandemic. Philip is an extraordinary person and outstanding travel consultant. We feel very lucky to have found him.
ML & P
I was referred to Philip by a co-worker of mine eleven years ago. I was looking for an adventurous trip and with Philip’s experience and guidance I booked my first guided trek. Before that trip I had traveled solo and was reluctant to travel with a group. My whole outlook on travel changed when I returned from a ‘once in a lifetime’ trip, summiting Kilimanjaro and going on a Kenya and Tanzania safari. Over the years I have continued to work with Philip planning trips to Nepal, Chile, Columbia, India, Romania, Morocco and Peru. Philip is brilliant at his job and is an extremely conscientious travel expert/agent. Where Philip’s experience and dedication shine is when we need him the most. On a recent trip to Africa I had connection issues in London, England. Philip had me rebooked on another flight and arranged hotel accommodation even before I landed in London. There is nothing more valuable when you travel than, “peace of mind”. Philip is a lifesaver to many of us during the COVID crisis. Philip was there for me once again working extremely hard during my trip to Bhutan in March 2020. He was able to get me a refund on my flight through China, rebook me on other flights and was on standby when I needed him. I am very grateful to have Philip as my travel agent and as a friend.
Michael
Philip has been helping me travel the world since I moved to Kitsilano in the early 1990's. He is beyond the best travel agent I've ever worked with. As husband expresses it, "If you were in a tight spot anywhere in the world, you're sure that you could phone Philip and get an immediate solution."
Philip's knowledge exceeds all expectations. Early this year I told Philip we wanted to go to Scandinavia, starting in Bergen. I hate flying so I need breaks. He immediately responded that we should go via Amsterdam with a stopover. I scouted online for hours and hours looking at all the options ..... and wasted hours of my life. Philip's recommendation was the best. He can beat my online searches price wise as well. For example, he will get you outstanding deals for hotels like the Empress in Victoria and the elegant Hotel Schlossle in Tallinn and a lodge when we were our South Africa trip. When we went to Malaysia he suggested places we’d never heard of before and were real gems. We went to Melbourne watch the Australian Open he set up our visas. The hotel in Melbourne was perfect in our budget and close to Melbourne Park too. He really saves us time and money. I have sent some of my friends to him and they asked me how on earth does he figure everything out?
Next trip will be France to watch the French Open next year.
B & D
Philip was recommended to me by a friend. I had a big dream of travelling to multiple countries for a few months and needed a LOT of assistance. Philip helped me organize my thoughts, plan out my trip strategically and was crucial in making this dream come true. His knowledge of visa's, flights, apps, insurance, currencies, tour packages, local contacts, packing and things I would have never thought of were priceless! I was able to go to the Galapagos, Ecuador, Mexico City, Thailand, all of Israel, Jordan/Petra, all of Morocco, Amsterdam, Paris, NY. I am forever grateful to Philip for helping me make this dream a reality and changing my life.
Suzanne Kristensen
We are very grateful to our friends Richard and Margaret, for introducing us to Philip Beck of Personal Travel Management Ltd. in Vancouver, B.C.
We have known and worked with Philip since 2015, and travels have most recently taken us to Tanzania, Switzerland, Namibia, South Africa, Turkey, England and Kenya.
In everything that Philip has done, he has acted with the utmost professionalism, courtesy and efficiency. He has organised flight schedules and bookings, hotels, transportation and much, much more.
We feel that over the years, Philip has become not just a “go to” person for exciting travel, but a friend as well.
He provides an invaluable Q&A series, which led us to book our next travel adventure with Windstar Cruises to the Windward Islands of the Caribbean.
We cannot stress strongly enough, how much we appreciate his professional and personal attention to detail. His services have assured wonderful vacations.
Thank you Philip.
Jane and Alex Matheson, Vancouver Island, B.C.
In the past I have arranged my own travel, but after meeting with Philip Beck, I realized how helpful he was as my wife and I planned our trip to Germany, Switzerland, Italy. He brought a lot of value to the table. I would have never seen all the places we saw without his insider hints.
Richard Simon, Cloverdale BC
Hi Philip, What can I say, you wow me! I have never had such personal, prompt and thorough attention from any business, I think, in my whole life!!! You have truly gone above and beyond for Andrea and me! Thank you so very much for all you have done!
Jacquie July 26th, 2016
“I recently came back from a trip to the Falklands Island, South Georgia and Antarctica and it was the best trip of my life. I would like to thank Philip from Personal Travel Management, he helped me booked this trip. I had such high expectations for the trip before I left, and the trip exceed my expectations. I walked among 200,000 king penguins, I went kayaking and a whale passed below my kayak and resurfaced right beside me. If you need to book a trip I highly recommend booking with Philip. Everything was perfectly organized, I didn’t need to worry about anything.” B.D. “Thank you so much Philip for arranging our private sunset lagoon tour ( including champagne and hors d’oeuvres) followed by a superbly romantic dinner on a private deck of the ship! Wow! We felt like royalty! You have done it again Philip!” You are a treasure!
With appreciation, Mary Lou and Paul
5 Star - Thank you for the great insight to help us plan our trip to India, Philip. You did a great job helping to plan our trips to Myanmar/Burma and Thailand and we are very happy to have our trip planning in your hands again.
Richard Hudson
Philip,Our bike trip with Backroads was, once again, absolutely wonderful! The enchanting beauty of the daily bike routes along with the fabulous itinerary of outstanding resorts, exquisite meals and fascinating side tours ( ex Ojai Olive farm) firmly establishes Backroads as our first choice in cycling travel. 75% of the guests on this trip had been on a Backroads trip before and will go again! Thanks so much for arranging this trip Philip!
Mary Lou
Philip, It was all a great success. We all found Myanmar more amazing than we'd expected and the arrangements and recommendations were excellent. Also very happy with the Thai component. The resort you booked on Koh Tao was great and a nice contrast to our Koh Lanta favorite as we were essentially in the jungle which we loved.
Lyle Hillaby
The Paul Gauguin cruise and your fine tuning of all the elements, the air, the stay at the overwater bungalow at Bora Bora was out of this world.Thank you for your suggestions and being so careful of all the details. The both of us were so impressed that you went out of your way to book us the special dinner that only two per sailing get. How do you find out about all these details? You work magic.
Paul Dubord
I could not have been on a better trip to the Artic. Thank you Philip for introducing me on this trip. I was pleased that we were shown how to appreciate the land and the treasures there …. flowers, bones, rocks. I appreciated the crew on the ship who could tell us so much about the land. They certainly took care of us, piloting the zodiacs and making certain that we weren’t surprised by a bear. It was a delightful treat to get a shot of whiskey the first time out and later a hot chocolate on sea ice. And of course seeing polar bears and whales was always a highlight. The folks I got to know all had a deep interest in the adventures of Franklin and his men, as well as those who went before them and those who came later to find the ships. Thank you again for this and I was so glad you were on the trip as well.
Margaret Motz
The Manulife insurance policy is worth every penny. It was not me that got sick but my travelling companion. We both got our funds back from Manulife within 4 weeks.
Donald Pezzot
Philip I would like to thank you again for the recommendations and arrangements for the tours. G-adventure was the right pace for me. The visit to Lake Titicaca was s dream come true. Local guides were marvelous; knowledgeable, considerate and helpful.
Eva Zen
Philip as you know we have just returned from the trip of a lifetime to Tahiti and the Society Islands aboard the MS Paul Gauguin. We know you twisted our arm a little to take a Paul Gauguin cruise. We found one of the main advantages of the Paul Gauguin was the small size of the ship. We could appreciate the incredible beauty of these islands because we could sail very close to land and enter small picturesque harbors. For larger ships this would be impossible. The on board services were excellent and the staff went out of their way to be sure we were comfortable and enjoying ourselves. The Paul Gauguin provided us with a much richer experience we feel than if we had gone to one island and stayed there. In addition, French Polynesia is very expensive so in the end, we feel that our trip was good value for the money. We would highly recommend the Paul Gauguin to anyone who wants to see this amazing part of the world. Thanks again Philip
Jean Hlady and Betty Gunter
Philip, you are noteworthy. Your skills, talents and behaviors left a lasting impression on me during our interview. Continued success with less stress.
Collette