Testimonials
What Philippa doesn’t know about India – the ‘real’ India – isn’t worth knowing. Her extensive knowledge was invaluable during our research process: she assisted us in separating the wheat from the chaff and introduced us to valuable contacts. I would highly recommend PK to anyone requiring assistance and expert opinion when launching or developing an India programme.’
Selective Asia
I would thoroughly recommend Indian Experiences as a resource for anyone who is looking to plan a trip to India for their clients, or put together a collection of unique itineraries. They not only listen to what it is YOU want to sell, but read between the lines and come up with ideas and experiences you would never have otherwise known existed.
The WOW Travel Club
PK can be listed as one of the few overseas specialists that has an amazing understanding of the country, together with an in-depth knowledge of the destination and all that it has on offer.
George Dominic, Owner CGH EARTH
I’ve known Philippa for several years through the industry. Pretty much from first meeting onwards I was completely blown away by her knowledge and passion for India. In particular, her commitment to travelling the ‘right’ way – slower, more consciously, with more consideration for the people, wildlife, and environment of India – is incredibly impressive and a much-needed voice in the industry. She is a lighthouse and guru for the India travel trade and when we came to plan the launch of our India, Nepal, and Bhutan tailor-made programme there was simply no-one else in the running to come on board and consult. Over a few short months, Philippa produced thousands of words of excellent and informative content spanning itinerary text, landing pages, hotel descriptions, journal articles, and – of much greater value – held our hands through product curation and development, and made introductions to all the right people along the way. She has left UTC very well-informed and well-connected in the South Asia-made travel space – and we thank her greatly for it!
Luke Stapylton-Smith / Head of Product, Asia Specialist, Unforgettable Travel
As a small DMC in a crowded market, it’s hard to stand out from the crowd. Enter Philippa who joined Destinations Unlimited as a consultant to help us fine tune our offering. Determining from us our target market, passion points and client demographic she then assisted with helping us to create the right product portfolio to complement this. In addition, she took the time to introduce to relevant suppliers, and train the team on the products as well as communication and sales techniques to use particular to the inbound market.
We also used Indian Experiences to create and design our new luxury, yet experiential brand, Beyond the Taj. They conceptualised the product, again made the relevant introductions and sourced team members for us with the experience and knowledge base required. They also designed our website, wrote the content and put together the photo library.
Ashu Malik, Founder / Destinations Unlimited & Beyond The Taj
Since I have actively promoted India as destination to my South African client base I have relied on the knowledge gleaned from the regular posts and recommendations made by Gwen and Philippa on social media.
Indian Experiences has opened up a world of “off-the-beaten-track” destinations for my company Curious Journeys to explore and to incorporate into its offering for travelers. I feel confident to tap into Gwen and Philippa’s vast experience of the travel industry and their passion for the places in India they have visited and explored. Gwen has been so kind to give me advice and tips through the past year as I develop my itineraries.
I have attended all of the Indian Experiences India Webinar Series hosted by Philippa. Not only are the webinars enjoyable, but very informative. It is obvious to the audience that there has been much research, planning and thought put into the presentation of each and every one.
I personally thank Indian Experiences for taking the bold step to present these lectures. I can assure you that Curious Journeys has gained tremendously from attending these sessions.
Mich Immelman / Curious Journeys
If I had to use three words to describe Philippa they would be professional, passionate and ebullient. Her knowledge of India in all its facets is extraordinary but more than that, she has a determination, bordering on an obsession in discovering new and unique ways to showcase destinations and then helping develop the experiences and the stories to accompany them. Whether looking at mainstream destinations from a whole new perspective or disappearing into the more remote corners of India, she never fails to find a new angle, story, viewpoint and nothing pleases her more than sharing these with likeminded travellers. She is as comfortable in simple rural houses as she is in the more fabulous of the five-star hotels in the country and has an innate understanding of India and its people.To say that she enjoys a challenge would be an understatement, she has boundless energy and the path she has taken to take the off-beat to the mainstream is not an easy one, but one which she embraces with a single minded determination to ensure the traveller appreciates so much more than a mainstream tour could ever provide.
Karan Singh General Manager / Suryagarh & Narender Bhawan
I have worked with Philippa since she first started as a south India specialist in 1997. We worked together when she was setting up Partnership Travel and then again when she moved to set up Ampersand Travel Ltd. She has always showed great enthusiasm for the country and professionalism when dealing with everyone from hoteliers to DMC’s to her clients. She has an inherent understanding of India and how it works and with the great relationships that she has built up with all her suppliers and her never ending list of contacts, plus having lived in the country for eleven years and her ability to think ‘outside the box’ when planning itineraries and tailoring them to her clients specific requirements, we knew that she was the ideal person to consult when setting up Globe Travel Centre. She assisted us in itinerary planning and also writing and helped us have product differentiation throughout our portfolio of itineraries. She is enthusiastic, good fun, professional and knows India better than most. I would have no hesitation in recommending Philippa to anyone who needs a consultant for assisting with their India product.
Vinesh Vidhya / Globe Travel Centre
Philippa is one of those rare people… passionately involved and connects deeply. Above all to be in an industry promoting India, she is a true Indophile – a country that at times bewilders her, as it does us all, yet she loves India passionately enough to seek answers and resolves any angst with heavy doses of her own brand of humor. She has time and again turned us into a heap of tears and laughter begging her to stop while recounting some of her first encounters with India.
I have known her through her years of living in Kanha, Delhi and Jaipur, witnessed her compassionate handling of the people working with her and how she strives to understand their situations and always helps them through their various issues. To say that she is widely travelled in India and knows India like her home, maybe even better, would be an understatement. But it is not just the road miles she has covered. Her knowledge of India is powerful as it comes with an intense understanding of its people and culture, a sense of respect coupled with awe and a wish to understand and live it. I think, given half a chance she would rather live back here as she is truly someone who has had many lives and relationships with India.
Shoba Mohan / Founder and Director of Rare India
Consulting | Product Development & Training | Representation
The very essence of Indian Experiences is to help travel companies to showcase the real India, to seek out and share the very spirit of the country to their clients, though its authentic experiences, less well-known destinations and people encounters. We believe in empowering women and rural populations and work alongside niche and regional specialists who have the same ethos. Since 1998 we have been seeking out those people for whom people matter, and actively promote individuals and small companies who are specialists in their field and who all believe in sustainable tourism. This is vital. Only this way, can we bring you authentic, sustainable travel experiences and help you to create truly unique and memorable itineraries for your clients, ensuring that they will want to return time and again.
Treat this website as a journey of discovery, rather like a journey around India. Dip in, explore the unknown, discover the unexpected and don’t hesitate to contact us if you require any assistance!