About us
Founded in 1998, we are independent, knowlegeable India specialists…
and our small team at India and Kerala Connections want to help make your next trip to India one to remember.
Meet our team…
Gary Tree – Travel Consultant
I have worked in the travel industry since 1997 and joined Kerala Connections in August 2007. As soon as I visited India I fell in love with this fascinating country – its diverse scenery, fantastic architecture, the wonderful people and of course the delicious cuisine. As a keen photographer India is an absolute paradise, wherever you turn there is a photographic opportunity.
Chris Aldridge
Director
Travel has been my passion for as long as I can remember. I founded No News No Shoes in 2004 and became a specialist in Maldives holidays, experiencing almost 100 resorts first-hand over the years. We soon expanded to cover India which I fell in love with, and later added Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Bangladesh to our portfolio after exploring these wonderful destinations ourselves. I love experiencing places off the beaten track and meeting local people. Snorkelling is my passion in the Maldives.
Philip Aldridge
Director
I was an industrial biotechnologist and chartered engineer but am now following my passion for travel. As a founding director of No News No Shoes I have been involved in sales, website development and strategy development. I undertake special projects and enjoy checking out new destinations, especially those involving snorkelling and diving.
Jo Bickford
Travel Consultant
I’ve only recently joined NNNS but have more than 10 years’ experience working in travel. For me the travel “bug” has definitely been contagious – I love learning about different cultures and having unique experiences such as – swimming with Dolphins in Dubai, living and volunteering on a remote Island in Kenya, helping teach school kids in Cape Town, washing elephants in Thailand, cruising on the Amazon River, skydiving over the Namibian desert and honeymooning in the Maldives – I just love the idea of being immersed in local culture. Helping other people to have these experiences is the best job and I look forward to helping you plan your trip!
Maria Fondé
Travel Administrator
I joined NNNS in May 2017 and previously worked in event planning in museums and galleries.I get to experience our clients wonderfully diverse holidays from charismatic festivals in India, wildlife spotting in Sri Lanka or total relaxation on idyllic Maldives islands, as I put together a detailed pack of travel documents and itineraries to fabulous destinations. Each day is planned perfectly so all you have to do is enjoy your holiday!
Katy Greenwood
Travel Consultant
I’ve had a love of travel from a young age, which has taken me around many parts of the world. A career in travel therefore felt like a good fit. I like a varied adventurous holiday, where I can visit many places and get to know the history of a place and the local people. I love seeing wildlife, such as blue whale watching in Sri Lanka and seeing orangutans in Borneo. I particularly love Southeast Asia due to the friendly people, delicious food, diverse cultures, bustling cities, sleepy villages, spectacular beaches, wildlife and historical sights.
Amit Kumar Singh
Sales Associate
Meet me, a true explorer at heart, born, raised and living in India. From the vibrant landscapes of India to global holiday destinations, my passion for travel knows no bounds. Crafting unique experiences for our clients is not just a job – it’s my joy. As a part of NNNS, I turn my passion into personalised, memorable holidays. Join me in creating cherished memories and discovering new stories at every destination.
Doug Robson
Travel Co-ordinator
coordinator@nonewsnoshoes.co.uk
I joined the NNNS team as the Travel Coordinator in August 2023, and I have loved every minute of it. To have the responsibility of shaping someone’s dream holiday is a great feeling. I am learning more and more every day about the amazing cultures of the countries we provide, whilst also implementing that newfound knowledge to assist our clients. I will let you know of any schedule changes, additions you would like, or anything that comes up after your booking is made.
Nathan Steele
Travel Consultant
Hello! I am a bit obsessed with India and the subcontinent generally. I studied Indian Religious Studies but have pretty much always worked in travel – having lived, worked & travelled all over India I’ve been lucky enough to explore almost every corner of India & Sri Lanka. I love all the history and the food and people and everything. I (try to) speak and occasionally sing in Hindi. For the last few years I’ve been really getting into the Maldives – my most recent trip was to the far south of the country to explore the remote islands of Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll – amazing. It may sound weird but I really love spending my days designing trips for people to these special places 😊
Meet the team in India…
We are very proud to work with a great team in India who help to make your trip truly memorable.
With dedicated partners in the Southern and Northern Regions of India, our local colleagues are experienced and knowledgeable, helping to provide you with a unique holiday experience.
India and Kerala Connections was founded in 1998 and were the first UK tour operator to specialise in Kerala and South India. We have been offering the whole of India since 2001. Apart from the option of adding an adjacent country (eg Nepal or the Maldives) to an Indian holiday we do not offer anywhere else. We are a true India specialist. India is our passion and it was our love of the country and its people that led to us starting the business. We feel that to get to know a country you must ‘connect’ with it – which is why we chose our name. We hope our customers will want to truly get to know India and its people – our type of independent tailor-made holiday gives them every opportunity to do just that.
We merged with No News No Shoes in 2020 and they are the parent company. India and Kerala Connections is the trading name of No News No Shoes Ltd. No News No Shoes was founded in 2004. It began as a Maldives specialist but expanded to include other areas of Asia. When the directors of Kerala Connections Ltd wanted to retire – merging with a like-minded company was the perfect solution.
We have a small team of staff in the UK and you can expect to deal with the same person throughout the booking process. We are totally independent and so are our local agents. The accommodation we feature is listed because we recommend them. They are, in our opinion, the best option in that category (in some remote places there is little choice but in the popular destinations we will select the best top range, mid- range, budget hotels and guesthouses). It is common practice for tour operators to list hotels that ‘pay’ to go into brochures/websites. We do not agree with this policy and can assure you that all the properties we list are there because we think they are the best option for our customers.
Don’t just take our word for it…
Back soon hopefully....
Why travel with India & Kerala Connections?
Small Independant
We have a small team of knowledgeable staff in the UK, which means you can expect to deal with the same person throughout the booking process
Knowledgeable
Specialists
India is our passion and it was our love of the country and its people that led to us starting the business. We feel that to get to know a country you must ‘connect’ with it – which is why we chose our name.
Tailor made holidays
We help to make your perfcet holiday a reality. We will work with you to make sure your trip is right for you. Combining our expertise and your requirements to make a truely special holiday thats right for you.
Offices in the UK & India
We have two offices in the UK, in Kent and Northumberland. When travelling in India our local agents are always there for you – so when booking with us you are guaranteed support from both the UK and on the ground in India.
A wide range of choices
We pride ourselves in offering a really wide range of choices – both destinations and accommodation. We know that many of our customers want to avoid the large, international style hotels that attract tour groups. We consequently spend a lot of time seeking out small and interesting places.
Full financial protection
We want to give you peace of mind when booking a holiday with us. All of our flight-inclusive holidyas are financially protected by the ATOL scheme.
We are competitive
We aim to be competitive whist offering a full service. We do not cut corners – even our budget customers get the same quality vehicles etc. However, if you receive a more competitive quote please let us know and we will try to match it.
Responsible & sustainable tourism
We are committed to responsible/sustainable tourism and fair trade. We are members of Responsible Travel and most we aim to source hotels with good sustainable practices and environmental policies. Where possible we book hotels on a bed and breakfast basis to encourage our customers to eat out locally.
