Chief Operations Officer

Growing up in Brussels, in a diverse European environment, Janneke had the privilege to meet and become friends with people from many different backgrounds. So, it comes to no surprise that she decided to study European law and Language Studies at Maastricht University. While living in Aix-en Provence and Granada during and after her studies, Janneke realized she did not want to pursue a typical desk job. She wanted to travel, meet new people and explore new places.

In 2004, Janneke’s Wens adventure began after she was asked to join one of our projects in Spain. Ever since then, Janneke worked in various positions at Wens Travel until she took over the company in 2013. Running the company, raising two children and making sure our team delivers top quality tours has been her focus ever since. As a team, we feel Wens Travel would not be the company it is without Janneke. She would go through fire for her clients and is the force behind the quality tours we deliver, again and again.

Chief Financial Officer

Tijmen’s responsibilities at Wens are finance, process management and HR. During his studies in International Business in Maastricht, Tijmen founded his own employment agency, focusing on large events and logistics in the Netherlands – an agency he has now been running for over 20 years. Having lived in different parts of the world, the urge to travel and experience different cultures remains an important part of his life.

Although being a local entrepreneur has been very rewarding to Tijmen, he never distanced himself from his original desire to work in an international environment. The step towards becoming a steady team member at Wens Travel made this possible for him. Despite the fact that Tijmen has had an important background role at Wens for many years, Tijmen took on an active role in our team in 2018. As a team, we greatly value Tijmen for his consistent patience, enthusiasm and assertive nature. Tijmen’s favorite European cities are Lucca and Florence.

Project Manager

Kristel is our project manager for the non-performing groups, incentives and conferences. In 2004 Kristel started her internship at Wens and ever since she obtained her bachelor in Tourism management, she has been a part of the Wens group. She worked in all the different departments from Europe tours to ski- and business trips. In this job she finds the best of both worlds, working with other cultures and organizing.

She already has many good memories from her time working for Wens; being a Tour Manager, working at the clients office in Salt Lake City and seeing many places and happy groups perform in Europe. Last but not least she has seen the Northern lights, but she knows there is much more to come!

In her free time she loves to go out for dinners and see new places. That is why Italy is one of Kristel’s favorite countries and South Africa is on her bucket list. Furthermore she loves to read a book, spend time with family and friends and go to the gym.

Quality Manager Group Travel

Almar is our Quality Manager Group Travel and has been with Wens Travel since 1999. Many groups will remember Almar because of his tour managing talents. Traveling through Europe with our groups boosts Almar with positive energy – not only because of the smiles traveling brings to people’s faces, but also because he still finds inspiration during every tour - in every country, talking to all kinds of travelers. Apart from touring itself, Almar’s knowledge and eye for detail greatly contributes to the quality of our tours. As a team, we love Almar for his sense of humor, his positive spirit and loyalty towards us and each travel group.

Almar finds it hard to select just one favorite European destination If he has to choose though, he would say Austria, Switzerland, Sweden and Norway because of their beautiful nature and picturesque towns. Rome and Prague are his favorite cities because of their layers of history, visible in every corner you look.

Account Manager Operations

When Janet came across the Travel Planner role at Wens Travel, it immediately felt like a natural fit—combining her professional experience in hospitality and tourism with what she genuinely enjoys most: creating well-run, meaningful travel experiences.

Originally from the Czech Republic, Janet grew up bilingual in Czech and English. With a cosmopolitan family background, she also developed strong German and Italian language skills, and she spent part of high school studying in Tokyo—adding conversational Japanese to the mix. Her international path eventually brought her to the Netherlands, where she completed her university degree and is now building her career in an international travel environment.

Personally, Janet has travelled extensively through regions such as the Caribbean, East Asia, and South Asia. Every journey has reinforced her belief that travel should feel meaningful—not just logistical. She brings that same mindset to her work: turning a rough concept into a seamless itinerary full of strong local partners, smooth transitions, and memorable moments.

Account Manager Operations and Venues

Xanna is originally from the United States and brings a strong musical background to her work. She has an exceptional knowledge of instruments—she knows what they are, how they are handled, and what musicians need to feel comfortable and supported while travelling. That expertise adds real value when working with orchestras and music groups, where instrument safety, logistics, and practical details can make or break a tour.

Love brought Xanna to the Netherlands, and she now combines her international outlook with a hands-on, organised way of working. At Wens Travel, she enjoys supporting international groups and translating a programme into a smooth, well-structured itinerary. Her musical insight helps her anticipate questions and prevent issues before they arise—so that musicians can focus on their performances while the travel runs seamlessly.

Account Manager Operations

Friederike is originally from Germany and holds a Master’s degree in Musicology from the University of Tübingen. She has extensive experience in organising concerts and cultural events in international settings, including an internship at the Goethe-Institut in Amsterdam and roles supporting major music events such as the ARD International Music Competition and the SWR Music Festival.

During her studies, she coordinated auditions, rehearsals and concerts for the University of Tübingen’s choirs and orchestra, creating schedules, supporting ticket sales and programme materials, and ensuring everything ran smoothly on site. She is fluent in English, passed the Dutch NT2 exam, and also has knowledge of Norwegian plus basic French and Italian.

At Wens Travel, Friederike combines strong operational skills with a genuine passion for classical music and enjoys working with international groups to deliver well-organised, seamless tours.

Account Manager Operations

Saskia has an international background, with a Dutch father and an English mother, which gave her a natural connection to different cultures from an early age. That mix has shaped how she looks at travel: with curiosity, openness, and an appreciation for the small details that make a destination feel authentic.

As a Travel Planner at Wens Travel, Saskia combines her love for travel with a strong sense of structure and an exceptional eye for detail. She enjoys the process of turning an initial idea into a well-organised itinerary, making sure every element fits together—timings, logistics, reservations, and the overall flow of the program. For Saskia, it is not only about booking the right suppliers, but also about creating a trip that feels seamless and thoughtfully put together for the client.

Outside of work, Saskia is a true travel enthusiast. She enjoys exploring new places and discovering local culture, and she brings that same enthusiasm into the trips she creates—always aiming to make every journey feel both effortless and memorable.

Back Office Manager

Lisa is our Back Office Manager. She is responsible for most of the action that takes place behind the scenes at the Wens Travel office. After obtaining her Bachelor’s degree in Tourism Management, Lisa started working at Wens Travel in 2011. Here, she found a job that combined her two great passions: organizing and traveling. She organised and operated many group tours before moving to her current position.

In her free time, Lisa loves traveling and the outdoors. Hence, it comes to no surprise that her favorite European destinations are the UK and Ireland. Lisa is also passionate about her plants and vegetable garden which she tends to in her spare time. She occasionally delights our team members with a gifted baby plant. It is safe to say that Lisa is one of the most thorough people at the office. She is a loyal team member and with her years of experience, the person to go to with any possible problem or dilemma.

Project Manager

Chantal grew up in the Netherlands and France. She has always had a tremendous passion for travel, so she decided to pursue this and study a related subject. After completing her bachelor’s degree in tourism, she worked in some very eccentric locations such as Spain, Cyprus, Tunisia, Brazil, North America, and Greece.

Chantal believes that both music and discovering new places and cultures brings people together. Now, working for Wens, it is a great way for her to contribute to fostering an understanding among people from all over the world.

Chantal enjoys practicing yoga or jogging on the beach in Zeeland or near her holiday home in Morocco when she has time to spare. She loves food and healthy cooking, with delightful chocolate desserts being her favorite indulgence.

Account Manager Operations

Originally from France, Guillaume joined our team as Account Managers Operations in 2022. He started his tourism career in France as development manager and later structure manager after obtaining a Master degree in sustainable tourism development.

At Wens, he found a fulfilling international working environment, ideal to express his professional skills and to further develop his tourism knowledge. He is keen to share his native culture and enjoys trips to France and French-speaking countries. What motivates him most: contributing in creating great memories and opportunities to discover, share and enrich travel experiences for our travelers.

In his spare time, Guillaume enjoys sports and natural areas. If he's not walking up a stream with a fly-fishing rod in his hand, you'll probably find him at the rugby field, sharing the values he holds dear such as perseverance, cooperation and commitment.