Our journey so far
The face of Willy Wonka Travel
Hi, I'm Nic Lander and I'm the owner of Willy Wonka Travel. I've worked in travel for over 30 years as a concierge in London. I won an Acorn Award aged 25 and I was the first concierge in the UK to receive this award, which is for young aspiring hotel staff and recognises the brightest prospects in the hospitality industry. I was also one of the youngest concierges to be appointed onto the executive committee of the Le Clefs d'Or (The Golden Keys) for Great Britain and the Commonwealth.
I have been very fortunate to be able to work alongside some amazing people and organise some amazing events as a travel agent for my clients over the years. Most notably the 2015 Rugby World Cup in the UK when I looked after 120 sponsors from South Africa for 2 weeks with events, transfers, accommodation and restaurants booked on a daily basis.
The reason for my slight change in career is that my daughter was diagnosed with ASD (autism spectrum disorder) and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). As a family that likes to travel overseas, this got me thinking that the provisions offered in the UK are good but there is nobody looking after the families from a travel booking point of view, hence we started Willy Wonka Travel - proud to be different. Our mission is to make all types of travel accessible to people with additional needs. My firsthand experience of living with autism paired with years in the travel industry enables me to offer this unique service because I understand the details that make a difference.
In my spare time I enjoy going to the gym, playing tennis and most of all ... travelling! Please take a look around the website and do not hesitate to contact me to find out more about what I can do for you.
Specialists in once-in-a-lifetime experiences that create lasting memories
We are a family-run boutique travel agent based in London and we have one clear goal: to enable your travel dreams to become a reality. Whether you are looking simply for flights or a full holiday itinerary, for business or for pleasure, we are fully committed to making every aspect of your dream trip come true. Additonally, as an IBCCES-certified travel agent, we offer specialised services for travelling with autism. We offer:
- Flights
- Cruises
- Transfers
- Accommodation
- Car hire
- Travel insurance
- Tickets for attractions & sporting events
- Theatre tickets
- Restaurant reservations
- Excursion bookings (including private tours)
- Special occasion event bookings
- Other specific requests
… and much more. We are your personal travel assistant. With more than 25 years’ experience in the hotel industry providing concierge services, we have extensive knowledge of the world ranging from family holidays to business travel and we offer competitive pricing on all our services.
We pride ourselves on the personal touch we offer, which is rare amongst the crowd of large package tour operators who have flooded the travel scene in recent years. Your ideas are the foundation of the customised experience that we will put together and with a little of our magic sprinkled on top, you can be sure that your holiday or travel experience will be more than you imagined.
We are available 24/7 to assist with your queries every step of the way and with our full ATOL protection, you can rest assured that you are in safe hands.
Let us start planning your next awesome journey; contact us today to make a start.
Your London specialists
We cater for travellers with autism, corporate travellers, groups, families, couples and people travelling solo. Whether it's a fortnight visiting the UK or a whistle stop London city break, we've got it covered. Our approach to your travel plans means that you can build as many elements as you like into your itinerary.
We are London specialists and can guarantee that you will see the very best and most interesting parts of this outstanding capital city when you book with us. The very best of things to do in London are waiting to be explored and we can take you to see them. Take a trip to our blog and get some inspiration for unforgettable experiences and adventures in London.