A-List Cassandra Bookholder T+L TOP TRAVEL ADVISOR | AUSTRALIA SPECIALIST By Travel + Leisure Editors Travel + Leisure Editors Since 1971, Travel + Leisure editors have followed one mission: to inform, inspire, and guide travelers to have deeper, more meaningful experiences. T+L's editors have traveled to countries all over the world, having flown, sailed, road tripped, and taken the train countless miles. They've visited small towns and big cities, hidden gems and popular destinations, beaches and mountains, and everything in between. With a breadth of knowledge about destinations around the globe, air travel, cruises, hotels, food and drinks, outdoor adventure, and more, they are able to take their real-world experience and provide readers with tried-and-tested trip ideas, in-depth intel, and inspiration at every point of a journey. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Updated on January 31, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Courtesy of Respective Travel Advisor Bookholder’s 17 years of experience help her showcase the best of her home country of Australia, as well as New Zealand. A recent trip to the Great Barrier Reef for a client who feared getting into water included a helicopter ride to view the marine life, followed by an overnight stay at ReefSuites, where the underwater rooms offer views of the ecosystem. In fact, getting creative about changing factors on the ground — weather, border restrictions, client preferences— is one of Bookholder's strengths. "Last year, Australia's East Coast was set for another round of La Nina (heavy rainfall) in the summer months," she shares. "Therefore, the itineraries I created with this evolving outlook had my clients skipping the Byron Bay region (which is known for heavy rainfall when La Nina hits) and instead heading North to the Sunshine Coast region which allows access to the natural beauty & hiking highlights of the Glass House Mountains, plus koalas and surfing in Noosa." Several years ago, when the bushfires struck during high season, Bookholder quickly shifted a client's nature-focused itinerary in heavily impacted New South Wales to one in New Zealand's South Island. In more urban settings, "I'm thrilled that new five-star hotels are coming to Auckland, as well as a collection of new (brand and boutique) accommodations in Sydney and Melbourne," she says. ADDITIONAL SPECIALTIES: New Zealand and FijiLanguages Spoken: EnglishAverage Daily Spend: $500-$1000Trip Planning Fees: $175 Contact Info cassandrab@camelbacktravel.com | 602-266-4000 | San Diego www.camelbacktravel.com/cassandra-bookholder twitter.com/aussietvlcass Testimonial "Cassandra Bookholder provided us with the trip of a lifetime. She knows Australia inside and out. We swam with sharks, rang in the New Year from a penthouse over Sydney Harbor, pet koalas, fed kangaroos, and dined at both fun local haunts and Relais & Châteaux destinations. Every detail of our trip was curated for our family from private bike and wine tours to our own villa on the Great Barrier Reef. She provided superlative service at every step of the way. We cannot recommend her highly enough." - Stephanie L. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit