Operations
Mandy Biggins
Mandy has had a passion for low impact travel from an early age, inspired by her father who roamed the world and eventually opened Far North Queensland to tourism. She worked closely with him on projects that focused on showcasing the local wildlife while protecting the environment.
Raised on the Mornington Peninsula, Mandy spent most of her youth discovering the walking tracks and beauty the area has to offer. She feels the Peninsula rivals any world destination with its abundance of walking trails, breathtaking views and rugged coastline.
Mandy spent a year in Colorado, volunteering for a community program, working as a ski instructor for blind children and leading hiking trips during the summer in the Rocky Mountains. Then she moved to Spain and opened her own tour company on the Costa Brava that specialised in authentic cultural experiences. Her small groups were introduced to the local way of life through day walks in the Begur Mountain region and cooking classes in the villages.
She relocated to South East Asia for 8 years, guiding small group adventures and trekking trips throughout the region. Mandy has walked the Highlands of Malaysia, Hilltribe Villages of Thailand, and travelled the Mekong River through Laos and to the Eastern most corners of Indonesia. She moved to Vietnam before the tourism wave where she researched and established new itineraries as the country opened up. She still calls Vietnam her second home.
Istanbul followed, where Mandy was instrumental in the development of a start-up small business, Fez Travel, which is now the biggest tour operator in Turkey. She spent over 12 months with Fez building its presence in the market by offering an innovative and affordable product.
She brings over a decade of experience in the travel industry to the RAW family. Her passion for low impact travel and giving back to local communities has never waned.
Mandy has been driving and leading our Mornington Peninsula trips over the last 12 months. She is also part of the RAW Operations Team managing our exciting Australian products. And, if you decide to get married on a trail, she is a Civil Marriage Celebrant!