Experience the Big Wide World

PERTH-based company Big Wide World helps create once-in-alifetime travel experiences.

Nicola Livingston started the company in 2014 after realising that “family-friendly” holidays are not always what they are cracked up to be.

However, what started out as a business to create holidays that truly suited the whole family, Nicola now creates unique trips and experiences.

“It wasn’t my intention to organise these extravagant trips but as I started the business I noticed there was a gap in the market for ultra-high network individuals who wanted these once-in-a-lifetime trips,” Nicola said.

“I started to build networks and get good contacts throughout the world which has enabled us to create unique experiences.

“All of my life I have travelled and I have been around the world several times as my parents lived and worked on different continents.

“After having my own children I still wanted to travel and wanted to go on more interesting holidays with them such as trips to Vietnam.

“We always stayed at ‘family-friendly’ resorts but noticed they would give glass ice cream bowls to children around the pools which is just a no-no.

“When taking a sailing trip I was assured there would be lots of things for the kids to eat, including chicken nuggets etc, but once we got aboard none of those things were available and my children lived on pasta and bread for a few days.

“I kept thinking that it shouldn’t be this difficult to have a truly family appropriate holiday so that is when Big Wide World was born.

“It has grown from there and now we create bespoke trips for our clients and believe in the art of the possible.”

Nicola used her background in accountancy to help with the “nuts and bolts” of starting the travel company, which also now has an office in Edinburgh, but says she can still feel like the new girl.

“I have massive imposter syndrome when I am siting in meetings and conferences with my competitors which are mostly run by men who have been in the travel industry for years,” she said.

“However, I am just really focused on allowing my clients to spend time experiencing amazing trips with their family.”