+44 203 048 3044 Agent login

Our Team

Meet the Not In The Guidebooks team

We are a group of people united by a love of travel. Together we are well on the road to creating a new dynamic business that allows fellow explorers to discover unique, authentic experiences, the kind of experiences that create memories that last a lifetime.

We understand that travel can’t be summed up by photos of famous sights and landmarks. What makes travel so special is the connection one makes with the local people, it’s experiencing new cultures and learning about other ways of living, and seeing a place through the eyes of a local.

We’re working to bring experiences like this to you so that you too can discover the world through a local lens and experience things that are not in the guidebooks.

Carol

Carol

Managing Director

Carol is the founder of Not In The Guidebooks – as you might expect, as the leader of our team, she has a passion for travel done properly. She’s been exploring the real, authentic side of new places around the world for years, along with her husband, and her three boys (now all grown up). After many years working in e-commerce and travel, she started Not In The Guidebooks to fill quite an obvious niche – helping people to travel independently, meeting local people and really getting under the skin of a location. In short, avoiding the big tour buses and stampedes of tourists in favour of a more genuine look at everything a new location has to offer.

Lydia

Lydia

Commercial Director

Lydia is responsible for researching all our wonderful experiences, connecting with local hosts and developing amazing authentic experiences that you will love! Interacting with our customers, our panel of experiential travellers and our hosts to ensure we make your holiday amazing, with her finger on the pulse to find new and exciting destinations and passionate local hosts who share our values for responsible travel. Lydia has been lucky enough to work in travel her whole career and has visited over 60 countries and counting! She would love to hear about your best local holiday experience.

Tony Seaman

Tony Seaman

Chairman

Tony has spent all of his working life in the travel and tourism sector. He loves travelling and has been fortunate to combine his passion with a career that has taken him to every corner of the globe. He is completely committed to helping local communities benefit from tourism without damaging their local environment, fully embracing responsible and sustainable tourism. He is very proud that Not In The Guidebooks does what it says on the tin.

Will

Will

Content Manager

Will is our team’s Head of Content and sees travel as the be-all and end-all of pretty much everything. He’s been to South America, South Africa and South East-Asia, and when he’s not travelling to places preceded by the word South, you’ll find him climbing, writing, trying to be vegetarian or obsessing over music, preferably in a different country.

Debbie

Debbie

Head of Trade Sales

Having spent her entire working career in the travel industry it will come as no surprise that Debbie obviously loves to travel!

Her career, combined with her own passion to travel, has taken her around the world, including The Far East, Indonesia, Mexico, USA, Canada, and of course across Europe. She’s not one for sitting on a beach all day every day but would rather get a real feel for the places she visits by sampling the local food and trying local activities – she’s come to the right place at NITGB!  Debbie looks after all of our lovely travel agent partners, so if you’re a travel agent and you’re not already working with us, get in touch with Debbie today – she’d love to hear from you!

Lee

Lee

Head of Customer Experience

After leaving Buffalo NY to travel the world teaching in Czech Republic, Mexico and South Korea, Lee finally settled and accepted Liverpool as her home. But her wanderlust is never far at hand – with a British husband and 2 Korean dogs. She started sharing her love for travel at GoLearnTo, where she helped travellers like herself connect with local people who are eager to share their knowledge across the world! She’s joined the Not In The Guidebooks team to continue doing exactly that – give us a call or drop us an email, and you’ll find her at the other end.

Claire

Claire

Operations Manager

Having travelled to over 70 countries and being a seasoned travel agent, Claire is no stranger to the weird and the wonderful when it comes to world adventures.

Her need to explore has seen her throw herself into travelling on the Trans-Mongolian Railway, flying over the Okavango Delta in a bush plane and stargazing in the Bolivian Salt Flats, to name a few!

Claire is in charge of all things Operations and will be there to support you throughout your whole journey with NITGB.

Join our community

Get off the beaten track and support local communities that you visit.

Sign up for inspiriation for your itinerary, new experiences and special offers.