A seamless arrival
The lodge knows the guest, the room is ready and the welcome feels personal.
Windhoek Namibia
Every journey has an invisible itinerary. I run it.
I’m Stephanie Madl, a Namibian Travel Specialist who holds the unseen pieces together—from tailor-made tours and supplier bookings to OTA pages, invoices, guide schedules and road-closure messages—so the guest can feel the experience.
- Since
- 2014
- Destinations
- 4 countries
- Gondwana
- 3 roles
- Languages
- 2 fluent
Remote ready
Travel operations
Calm under pressure
Curious by nature
The work behind the experience
The guest sees a smooth journey. I see everything that made it possible.
For me, tourism is a calling. I enjoy the full picture: the itinerary a guest remembers, the supplier relationship that makes it possible, and the admin detail that keeps the promise intact.
The invisible itinerary
Two views of the same journey
Switch perspectives to see the difference between what a traveller experiences and the operational detail Stephanie carries behind it.
Front of journey
A route that feels made for them
Every stop, activity and transfer fits the traveller rather than a generic package.
A quick and confident answer
Information arrives clearly, whether the question comes before booking or during the trip.
A calm change of plans
When a road, rate or booking changes, the experience still feels looked after.
Behind the journey
Arrival reports and room blocks
Guest notes shared, suppliers reconfirmed, room availability checked and the handover made visible.
Costings bookings and guide schedules
TourPlan and WETU details aligned with supplier invoices, welcome packs and freelance guide availability.
OTA content and account follow-through
Property pages, promotions, policies, automated messages, payment follow-ups and key-account communication maintained.
Exceptions caught before they travel
Rate parity, no-shows, billing discrepancies, road closures, safety documents and channel connections checked and actioned.
What I bring
One profession four control rooms
I move comfortably between people, platforms and practical detail. These are the four threads that run through my work.
Travel design
Tailor-made itineraries and costings for Namibia, South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe, supported from first consultation through post-tour feedback.
- Supplier bookings
- Guide schedules
- Welcome packs
Remote administration
Clear written communication, disciplined follow-ups and organised handovers across distributed clients, suppliers, guides and internal teams.
- Inbox rhythm
- Records and reports
- Deadline ownership
OTA operations
Property content, promotions, invoicing, booking reconciliations, rate parity, channel testing and relationship management across major platforms.
- Extranet administration
- Revenue checks
- Technical support
Team leadership
Training consultants, monitoring service standards, allocating work and helping teams stay steady when demand or priorities change.
- Training
- Workload coordination
- Service standards
The finer details
The work people notice only when it is missing
Protecting the guest journey
Live tour support, client consultations, meet-and-greets, site inspections and calm communication when plans shift.
Keeping the numbers honest
Booking and financial reconciliations, invoicing, deposit tracking, payment follow-ups and discrepancy resolution.
Keeping every channel in sync
Currency and billing setup, channel connections, rate checks, performance reporting and property information maintenance.
Preparing for the unexpected
Guest messaging for flooding, water levels and road closures, plus health and safety documentation and site-inspection coordination.
Professional journey
Built one responsibility at a time
2025 — now
African Wanderer Tours + Safaris
Travel Specialist
Designing, costing and coordinating tailor-made Southern African travel, from supplier bookings and client invoicing to guide schedules and live tour support.
2023 — 2025
Gondwana Collection Namibia
Online Travel Agent Assistant
Managing OTA property pages, invoicing, reconciliations, key-account relationships, promotions, technical support and cross-team training.
2020 — 2023
Gondwana Collection Namibia
Senior Reservations Consultant and Team Leader
Supervising consultants, distributing workloads, maintaining communication standards and supporting inventory, rates and forecasting.
2017 — 2020
Arebbusch Travel Lodge and Gondwana
Front Office and Reservations
Growing from reception into assistant front-office management and junior reservations.
2014 — 2015
LSC Namibia
Administration Finance Payroll and HR Support
Beginning with filing and payroll support before expanding into operations, finance and HR administration.
Digital toolkit
Comfortable in the systems where the work happens
TourPlanWETUNightsBridgeBooking.comExpediaHotelbedsLekkeSlaapAfristaySafariNowHubSpotInnkeeperExcel
Field notes
The places behind the planning
Travel is not an abstract product to me. It is bare feet on a dune, the last light over a canyon and a Namibian sky changing colour above home.
01 · DeadvleiBig Daddy, barefootSossusvlei · Namibia
02 · Golden hourGood views. Better company.A journey is who you share it with
03 · Home paletteWindhoek in full colourThe horizon never sends the same memo twice
Beyond the desk
Curious about people and happiest outdoors
Working with people from different cultures is one of the parts of travel I value most. Every guest, guide and supplier brings a different perspective, and I enjoy learning how to make each interaction feel considered.
Away from the admin, you will usually find me outdoors—hiking dunes, exploring river landscapes, fishing, birding or enjoying team sports. I also volunteer regularly.
01
Outdoor travel and conservation
02
Volleyball and basketball
03
Community volunteering
04
Cross-cultural connection
Certification
CiMSO Competency Certificate
Let’s connect