Mission Statement

'To deliver life changing experiences in NZ and beyond'

The Team

NZET is owned by Adele Marsden and Ian Turner, a couple who are passionate and excited about sharing the New Zealand and Australian experience with visitors. Our Marketing & Operations Manager, Vanessa Harmens and Tour Administrator, Megan Howells are joined by our great team of dedicated and trained tour managers.

Adele Marsden – Operations Director

Adele’s exceptional people-skills and in-depth knowledge and experience of the travel industry form a sound basis for managing NZET. A Kiwi from Wellington, Adele worked for 15 years in the outbound tour operators industry based in London, becoming a tour manager and later operations supervisor and manager for Contiki Tours in Europe and Russia. Her role included selection and training of tour managers and drivers, and instilling a strong customer focus to ensure clients experienced a holiday that exceeded their expectations.

Adele’s strengths led to her promotion to operations director at the significantly larger sister company, Trafalgar Tours. She and her team of 10 managed nearly 300,000 passengers a year, with 300 coaches on the road at once – all great experience for her role at NZET.

Email: adele@nzet.com
Phone: +64 7 571 0796
  

Ian Turner – Managing Director

Scottish-born Ian brings years of business experience to NZET. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant in England and became a partner in a London accountancy practice. After setting up his own practice he was appointed non-executive director of a London-based tour operator, advising that company during a period of exceptional growth. Ian also has a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) qualification, and has worked in Rome and England as an English teacher.

Since settling with Adele in New Zealand, Ian’s other roles have included being treasurer of Tourism Bay of Plenty, President for the Tauranga Chamber of Commerce for 4 years and is currently Chairman of the Council of Bay of Plenty Polytechnic.

Email: ian@nzet.com
Phone: +64 7 571 0796

Vanessa Harmens – Marketing & Operations Manager

After nine years living in Australia and the UK, where she worked as the E-Commerce Manager for VisitBritain, Vanessa returned to her NZ roots and joined NZET in 2008.

Vanessa manages the operations for our student tours and oversees NZET marketing.  With her energy and fun loving nature, Vanessa fosters  excellent relationships with NZ tourism operators, the NZ Education sector and local NZ high schools. With a passion for sport and travel, she also enjoys heading out on the road as a Tour Manager and interacting with our customer who come from all over the world.

Email: vanessa@nzet.com
Phone: +64 7 571 0796

Megan Howells - Tour Administrator 

Megan joined our team in 2011 as our Tour Administrator and Tour Manager.  Born in Rotorua, Megan completed her Bachelor of Sports and Leisure, majoring in Tourism Management and entered the tourism industry by working at the Agrodome for three years and later at the Rotorua i-site.

Megan then travelled extensively through Europe before heading home and relocating in Waikato where she joined the University of Waikato team for three years before joining NZET.

Email: admin@nzet.com
Phone: +64 7 571 0796

Twilly - Office Mascot

Twilly likes long walks on the beach, lying in front of the office entrance to welcome our guests, and running away when let off her leash.  Mum and Dad picked her up as a tiny, 10 week old pup and after eating better than we do, she has grown into quite the model.  Beware if you are visiting NZET, Twilly will nibble your feet, sneak under the table in meetings (when she is not allowed into meetings) and give you big cuddles when you leave.

Tour Managers

Click here to meet our NZET Tour Managers.