What People Are Saying
“Melony represents all that is Africa – authentic, sincere, passionate and charming. Tswalu itself is driven by two ambitions: to create an inspirational experience for its guests, and a conservation vision - the restoration of the Kalahari. Melony exceled in portraying this message to our client base in North America. Her ambitions and disposition are indicative of our Tswalu culture”.
— Russel Binks, Managing Director, Tswalu.
“In the high-end travel market, travellers and agents alike still value the advice of a well-connected friend over a hard sell from an industry insider. Melony is just that, a friend, immediately familiar and trustworthy, deeply knowledgeable and passionate, and loyal to the core. I've always perceived Melony as a Trufflepig teammate rather than an extension of the properties that she represents. No one does it better.”
— Greg Sacks, Owner, Trufflepig Inc.
“Melony is an absolute pleasure to work with, not just for her colleagues, but for clients as well. Building authentic, sincere relationships and bringing like-minded partners together for a common goal is a part of her DNA and has been the cornerstone of her success in all the years that I have known her. Resourceful and fearless in taking on any challenge, she approaches it from an out-of-the-box point of view. Ambitious and independent, she is one of the most hard working people that I know.”
— Joel Zack, Founder, Heritage Tours Private Travel.
“Melony is an excellent resource for continuing to improve our sale of luxury safari and hotel products from Southern Africa. Her cheerful, approachable and polished manner make her the perfect ambassador for upscale travel products. She has a very keen understanding of the global, multi-cultural landscape, providing valuable suggestions about how best to market to US clients. I have truly appreciated having the chance to work with Melony on numerous collaborations, while also finding her many industry connections helpful in suggesting new partnerships.”
— Kili McGowan, Founder, Next Adventure.
“I have had the pleasure of witnessing Melony’s career evolve over a number of years. She provides an excellent relationship building model and brings to bear a very holistic approach to representing her clients: she fully understands that existential experiences are key to a traveller's choice of product and she can speak authoritatively to food & wine experiences, activities and cultural interactions offered by and around each of her portfolio products. She has innovative ideas, is inspiring, resourceful and so much more - above all, she excels at building meaningful partnerships.”
— Karen van Schalkwyk, Former Head of Sales & Marketing, Leeu Collection.
“I have had the pleasure of working with Melony van der Merwe for several years. She is well respected in the industry and would be an asset for any client she works with. Melony is an ideal representative for any principle wishing to penetrate and connect with the top-end of the North America safari agent and tour operator marketplace.”