Au Revoir Travel & Cruise has rejoined Travellers Choice under the ownership of Samantha Gallaher, marking a full-circle moment for the Perth agency.
For Travellers Choice, au revoir never meant goodbye. It meant “until we meet again.” Fifteen years after leaving the group, Au Revoir Travel & Cruise has returned, with former employee Samantha Gallaher now leading as owner.
Coming full circle
When the agency departed Travellers Choice in 2010, Gallaher was working at the counter. Today she returns at the helm, a familiar figure now guiding the business she once served.
“I first joined the agency in 2003 and took full ownership in 2017,” Gallaher said. “Coming back to Travellers Choice feels like a natural step at this stage of my business.”
Why the timing made sense
The network’s move to flexible membership options was a key influence. Travellers Choice now offers three tiers, giving independents scope to align membership with their current priorities.
“That has allowed me to select a membership package that really suits the current needs of my business,” Gallaher said. “If those needs change, I know I can easily move to another tier.”
She added that the support provided by business development managers had smoothed the process.
“The team, particularly Tim Bolton, our business development manager, has certainly lived up to my expectations. As a result, it’s been an exceptionally easy transition.”
A business with staying power
Founded in 1968, Au Revoir Travel & Cruise is one of Perth’s established agencies. Located in Mount Lawley, it has long served a loyal base of clients. That loyalty continues, but the client mix is changing.
“Our agency has always been supported by a very loyal and longstanding customer base, but since COVID we’ve seen a noticeable increase in younger travellers as well,” Gallaher said.
The shift reflects a broader trend where independent agencies are expanding their reach beyond traditional demographics.
Belonging to something bigger
Independent agencies operate in lean environments and rely on support structures to compete with larger brands. For Gallaher, aligning with a group again was about having the right level of backup without losing her agency’s identity.
Her return illustrates how groups can provide stability and resources while leaving day-to-day decisions in the hands of owners. For agencies, the appeal is the ability to adapt support as business needs evolve.
Until we meet again
The agency’s name has always carried the promise of reunion. For Au Revoir, this moment brings the phrase to life. The agency that left is not the same agency that returns. It is older, steadier and led by someone who began as staff and now signs the cheques.
For Travellers Choice, the return speaks to the value of creating space for independents to come back when the timing and the model fit. For agents across the country, it is a reminder that network affiliations can be revisited, reshaped and renewed.
KARRYON UNPACKS: Agencies will go where flexibility and support align with their needs. The return of Au Revoir Travel & Cruise shows that independents value structures that adapt to change, not fixed models.
