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About Samantha Lippiatt

[dropcap]S[/dropcap] amantha is an entrepreneur, healthy lifestyle advocate and co-founder of Australia’s first specialty wellness travel company Health and Fitness Travel. Samantha has an unbridled enthusiasm for all things travel, health and fitness and is committed to providing healthy holidays options that not only enhance but change lives. Samantha’s goal is to bring active holidays and wellness tourism into mainstream acceptance in Australia and showcase that taking care of yourself can be both a very enjoyable and incredibly rewarding experience. Originally from Scotland, Samantha has grown up across Australia and now resides in Melbourne between travelling and when not in the office, Samantha can usually be found by the water, be that at the beach where she is learning to kiteboard or in the ocean enjoying scuba diving.

Connect

Web: www.healthandfitnesstravel.com.au

Email: [email protected]

Ph: +61 390210909

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About Health and Fitness Travel

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[dropcap]H[/dropcap]ealth and Fitness Travel provide tailor-made active and wellness holidays Worldwide. Our customers experience the physical and emotional benefits associated with all of our healthy and active holidays, returning energised, inspired and informed to make the small changes that manifest themselves into a healthier day-to-day lifestyle. We’ve hand-picked the finest holidays from around the world with the best health and fitness experiences; offering some exciting exclusive programs and added value. Whether you want to be active on holiday and learn a new activity such as kite-surfing, mountain biking, diving and tennis, or simply relax in a spa, meditate or participate in a yoga class, detox or fitness program, we’ll find the perfect health and fitness holiday for you.

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Q & A with Samantha Lippiatt

What’s the story behind your business?

Originally planning to run her own fitness holiday retreats Australian Managing Director Samantha noticed there was a gap in the market as there was no platform to promote wellness travel, and it’s many benefits. Samantha then partnered with Founders and UK Directors Adam Heathcote and Paul Joseph to bring Health and Fitness Travel to Australia, as it’s first travel agency specialising in well-being.

What was your first job?

I began my career as an International Travel Consultant and have loved working in the travel industry ever since.

When you decided to start your own business, what was your big “why”?

I saw an opportunity to positively influence the way Australian’s travel that could impact not only their lives but also have a bigger impact on Australia as a whole by encouraging people to focus on their well-being and live healthier lifestyles reducing depression, anxiety and many other illnesses. So my big why is to create holidays that can truly change lives.

What have you had to give up?

I had to give up my 9 – 5 job to commit to the business full time, however I truly love my role and the many facets of running the business and am grateful each time a client tells me how they have been on the look out for a business like Health and Fitness Travel to guide them towards their perfect holiday escape, or when they return home feeling invigorated and inspired!

Your proudest achievement to date?

Our official launch in Australia took a lot of work to pull together and I was incredibly proud the day we went live even though we had been making sales months earlier for Australians via our UK sister company, we now had a local platform through which to share the knowledge and experience of active holidays around the world.

What are some of the most exciting projects you’ve worked on?

It was all hands on deck for the Australian launch and I was able to involve myself directly with securing some great local products here including the brand new Aro Ha in New Zealand and setting up speciality retreats in Hawaii. This was a great learning curve and along the way we have forged amazing bonds with our valued partners..

What would you tell your younger self not to do?

Don’t worry so much, things really do have a way of working themselves out.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

That you make your own opportunities and to always believe in yourself. That and have patience, lots of patience.

What’s next for you and your business?

We are about to launch our Executive Lifestyle program offering healthy lifestyle and travel advice as well as special VIP rates for employees and their customers – this is open to all corporations at no charge as part of our commitment to encourage Australian workers to take leave, particularly Executives who are often close to burn out due to high levels of stress, long working hours and generally not putting their well-being first.

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