21 February 2025: When Wentworth Travel first opened its doors in 1985 — then known as Casanna
Travel — being a travel adviser looked very different.
Airline bookings were made over the phone, confirmations arrived via telex and researching
destinations relied on stacks of brochures and firsthand knowledge. There were no booking engines
and no email, just expertise, relationships and a deep understanding of clients’ needs.
Fast forward 40 years, and while the industry has transformed, Wentworth Travel’s core strength
remains the same: personalised service, expert advice and a reputation on built on trust. As a founding
member of CT Partners, Australia’s leading independent travel-buying network, Wentworth Travel
continues to thrive by leveraging global partnerships, premium supplier relationships and the
collective strength of like-minded independent agencies.
A legacy of independent excellence
Wentworth Travel’s story began with Bev Cohen and Margaret Ann Mayo, who recognised an
opportunity for a boutique travel agency in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs and co-founded Casanna Travel
(named a er their daughters Casey and Anna) in 1985.
Their two-desk office in the Edgecliff Centre operated with just two dial-up phones and a telex
machine, serving a growing base of loyal clients.
In 1993, Bev Cohen took full ownership of the business and rebranded it as Wentworth Travel,
se ng the founda on for the agency’s con nued growth. That same year, at just 19 years old, Bev’s
daughter, Anna McMurtrie, became a director of the company — a decision driven by the legal
requirement for businesses to have two directors, but one that would later shape the future of
Wentworth Travel.
“Mum had an incredible instinct for the travel business and built Wentworth Travel on the values of
service, loyalty and rela onships,” says McMurtrie. “Even at a young age, I saw how much trust our
clients placed in us. That philosophy of pu ng clients first has been at the heart of Wentworth Travel
ever since.”
“My first site inspection was the Royal Hawaiian, aged nine. I still proudly remember being asked to
help out during school holidays. My job was to hold on to the telephone and wait for the airlines to
answer. I also sorted all the brochures and helped with the banking.”
A er a successful career in banking and finance, McMurtrie returned to the business in 2010,
applying her commercial expertise to further develop Wentworth Travel’s strong supplier
partnerships and premium client services.
The strength of independent agencies with CT Partners
As one of CT Partners’ founding members, Wentworth Travel has been able to maintain its
independence while gaining access to industry-leading supplier agreements, premium airline
partnerships and a collective strength that allows them to compete at the highest level.
“The way we work has evolved beyond recognition, but what hasn’t changed is the need for genuine
expertise and personal service,” says McMurtrie. “Our clients value having a trusted adviser who
knows them, an cipates their needs and is there to support them when things don’t go to plan.
Being part of CT Partners means we can deliver even greater value, with access to exclusive supplier
deals and airline agreements that strengthen what we offer.”
CT Partners CEO Matt Masson says Wentworth Travel is a perfect example of how independent
agencies can thrive with the right support.
“CT Partners exists to champion our members’ success. We don’t have outside interests — every
decision we make is about delivering value back to agencies like Wentworth Travel,” says Masson.
“They represent everything that makes independent travel businesses so strong: deep exper se,
highly personalised service and a client-first approach. We’re proud to have them as part of CT
Partners.”
Unmatched service, built on relationships
Long- me client Camilla Boyd, who has trusted Wentworth Travel with nearly every trip for the past
40 years, says the agency’s unwavering dedication is what sets them apart.
“We’ve had some stressful moments while travelling — like being stranded in Italy with no transport
or stuck in a heatwave at a hotel in Ireland where the windows wouldn’t open. Each me,
Wentworth Travel fixed the problem immediately. They don’t just book holidays; they make sure
everything runs smoothly, and when it doesn’t, they’re right there with a solution,” says Boyd.
With a team of 17 highly experienced travel designers, Wentworth Travel remains one of Australia’s
leading independent travel agencies, offering bespoke leisure i neraries backed by the global
benefits of Virtuoso and the powerful tailored support of CT Partners.
“The future of independent travel agencies is strong because clients want more than just an online
booking — they want an advocate,” says McMurtrie. “CT Partners gives us the commercial strength
to compete while keeping our independence and focusing on what we do best: looking a er our
clients.”
For media enquiries, please contact LJ Loch at ljloch@alphaconsulting.global or 0488 038 555
L–R: Gwynn Boyd, Anna McMurtrie & Camilla Boyd
Anna & family cutting the rocky-road cake
About Wentworth Travel (wentworthtravel.com.au):
Wentworth Travel is a boutique travel agency located in Double Bay in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. Wentworth Travel is independently owned and has a wealth of experience in the travel industry. Since 1985, we have been providing our clients with excellent customer service and tailoring seamless and memorable travel experiences for our clients. We have superior destina on knowledge gained through our own personal experiences.
Wentworth Travel is a member of Virtuoso. Virtuoso is the travel industry’s leading luxury network and is comprised of the world’s best luxury travel agencies. Through Virtuoso, we have global connections, and as a result, we are able to offer our clients exclusive amenities, upgrades, access and experiences you only get through our invitation to this exclusive network.
About CT Partners (ctpartners.com.au):
Founded in 2004, CT Partners stands out as Australia’s leading independently owned travel-buying network, consistently championing the interests of its members by passing through 100% of supplier payments and driving innova on. CT Partners’ members are 32 of the most successful independent corporate-travel management firms and premium-leisure agencies and represent the third largest buying group in Australia, with TTV in excess of $2B in FY24. Each year, CT Partners member businesses look a er the needs of more than
2 million travellers.