From playing ‘travel agent’ with her grandad to building bespoke sports trips and island-hopping itineraries, Julie’s turning childhood dreams into real-world bookings.
Julie Quinn didn’t stumble into travel by accident. This was always the plan.
As a kid, she’d sit with her grandad and play travel agent, planning pretend trips and mapping out adventures. Her first real job? A Saturday girl at a local travel agency! She went on to study tourism management at university. And now, with her business Journeys by Design, she’s doing exactly what she always loved: bringing people’s travel dreams to life.
But here’s what makes Julie different. She’s not just booking trips. She’s designing them.
Travel Niche & Style
Julie’s specialty is sports travel and trips across Ireland and the UK. Think match tickets that are impossible to find, perfectly timed itineraries around big games, and adventures built around the moments that matter most to her clients.
But she doesn’t stop there. Whether it’s a Greek island-hopping birthday trip or a multi-stop European adventure, Julie builds every booking from scratch. No cookie-cutter packages. No one-size-fits-all itineraries. Every detail is tailored to the person sitting across from her (or on the other end of the email).
Her clients know one thing for sure: Julie’s with them from the first conversation to the moment they walk back through their front door.
The JLT Journey So Far
Julie joined JLT in September 2024, and in just one year, she’s hit £45,000 in bookings. Not bad for someone who’s still in her first full year.
What inspired her to start? A lifetime of love for travel, yes. But also the pull to finally do the thing she’d always dreamed about. And when she found JLT, she found something she wasn’t expecting: a team that supports you.
Her proudest win so far? Securing impossible-to-find match tickets for a client and pulling together a complex Greek island hop with flights, ferries, car transfers, and three different hotels. All perfectly timed. All beautifully coordinated.
And she’s not slowing down. Her next goal? Hit £100,000 and launch a membership offer for her loyal clients. We’re cheering her on every step of the way.
Memorable Booking Moment
Let’s talk about that Greek island-hopping trip.
A client came to Julie with a vision: a special birthday celebration across multiple Greek islands. It required flights, ferries, car transfers, and three different hotels. All synced. All smooth and stress-free.
Julie built it piece by piece, coordinating timing and confirming availability. When her client came home, they didn’t just have a trip. They had a memory that’ll last forever.
That’s the kind of work Julie’s proud of. The kind that takes effort, attention, and care. The kind that reminds her why she got into this industry in the first place.
Julie’s Words of Wisdom
When we asked Julie what surprised her most about working with JLT, she didn’t hesitate: “The scale of support and resources available.”
Her favourite tool? The quick quotes and hotel searches, all in one place. It saves her time and lets her focus on what matters: her clients.
And her advice for anyone thinking about becoming a travel agent?
“Go for it! You won’t regret it. The support from the core team is unreal like no other.”
Oh, and one more thing. Julie wants travellers to know this: Don’t forget about the travel agent. We can often get the same holiday but with added benefits you can’t get yourself.
Looking Ahead
Stories like Julie’s remind us why JLT exists: to help everyday people turn lifelong passions into thriving travel businesses. With the right support, resources, and community, you can build something meaningful on your own terms.
We’re so excited to watch Julie’s journey unfold. From childhood dreams to £45,000 in bookings to a membership model on the horizon, this is just the beginning. Keep building, Julie. We’re cheering you on!
