OUR TEAM
Michael Edwards
Managing DirectorMichael grew up in a sports mad family with two brothers and a sister who were all involved in multiple sports. Serving as a mop boy for the Newcastle Falcons NBL team, was a highlight of an unspectacular career for Michael. Michael’s passion for travel started at a young age hearing stories of his father’s cricket tour to India in the 1970’s. That passion has continued to grow over the years with each new country visited and each journey taken. All of those journeys has further developed a belief in the unmatched opportunities for personal growth that travel offers.
Emma Guirguis
Travel ManagerEmma has a passion for both sport and travel which shows through her life experiences. She spent her school days joining any sporting team possible even though she knew her niche was in football, which she went on to play at a representative level for a number of years. Her highlights include being chosen in the Australian Futsal Team at the age of 17 to play a touring USA side, as well as being in the train on squad for the Australian team that competed in the Women’s World Cup in 2002 in Sardinia. Emma has travelled through Africa, Europe, North America, Asia and has South America next on the bucket list. While she has many fond memories of all her travels and finds it hard to pick her favourite moment, one standout is being lucky enough to attend the first three Australian games of the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.
Adam Taylor
Tours ManagerA self-confessed “Basketball Junkie”, Adam grew up in country Victoria where he also played Cricket & AFL. After initially pursuing a career in banking, he decided to try his hand at basketball coaching with his local club. His first big break came as an Assistant Coach for the Australian Deaf Basketball Team. He went on to be an Assistant Coach with the Corio Bay Stingrays that were Runners Up in the Big V State Men’s Championship League, as well as being an Assistant Coach with the Country Victoria Ivor Burge team, leading them to a bronze victory at the 2016 Australian Basketball Championships. In 2014, Adam was asked to join the Adelaide 36ers for the 2014/15 NBL Season as a Development Coach and Scouting Coach. Here he worked daily with Boomers players including Brock Motum, Adam Gibson, Peter Crawford & Luke Schnescher.
Adam travels frequently to the USA and most notably has travelled with the Metro State University Team and scouted at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. One of his most prized memories is sitting courtside next to NBA Coaching Legend George Karl! Adam loves being able to give back to the game that has given him so much, and help young Aussie players experience American tours.
Conor Noone
Tours ManagerConor works with Horizons Group Travel in their Sports Department. He’s very passionate about sport, playing Basketball three times a week in Sydney, as well as having a keen following of the Dallas Mavericks, Sydney Kings, Wests Tigers, Leinster Rugby, San Francisco 49ers, and Manchester United. Having been born to Irish parents, Conor has had the opportunity to travel at an early age to various countries such as Ireland, England, Thailand, the US, Spain, Singapore, and countless others. Conor even had the opportunity to tour with Horizons in 2009 as part of the St. Aloysius College US Basketball Tour. His favourite travel memory was when he got the chance to see Dirk Nowitzki and his beloved Dallas Mavericks close out the NBA regular season in 2014.
Julie Williams
Tour CoordinatorAs a senior in high school, Julie was fortunate enough to travel with her Ancient History class to Egypt and Italy, discovering temples, pyramids, and exploring the streets of Pompeii. From this experience she gained a true understanding of the personal and educational benefits of touring overseas during the school years. Going on to study Tourism and Business, Julie has held various roles in the travel industry, and currently resides in the Horizons Group Travel Education department. Julie is well traveled across Asia, Europe, New Zealand and the USA, with Africa next on the list! She is up for any destination that offers the chance to see wild animals, beautiful natural scenery, and delicious local food.
Mary Brownscombe
Operations CoordinatorHaving worked in travel for many years, Mary is currently one of the Operations Coordinators at Horizons Group Travel. A trip to India as a child had a big influence on her life, and introduced her to a whole other world. Little did she know that it would eventually lead to a career in the industry! Mary has travelled to England, Germany, Italy, China, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Singapore. Morocco and Turkey are calling out to her, and are next on her bucket list! Mary loves nothing more than getting lost exploring, and immersing herself in a new city. One of her travel highlights was (unknowingly) arriving into Granada, Spain, during celebratory Easter processions. Her motto is “Travel with an open mind”.
OUR PARTNERS & SUPPLIERS
Purchasing travel insurance is highly recommended before undertaking international travel. If you don’t already have a policy, then you may choose to buy one through our partners, Cover-More Travel Insurance
