About Us

Customizing the travel experience, Swain Destinations is the leading U.S. provider of completely personalized exotic vacation experiences. Since 1987, Co-Founders Ian and Linda Swain, and their dedicated team of destination experts have offered American travelers the opportunity to design distinctive trips to intriguing international locales, including Australia, New Zealand, Africa, the Middle East, and the South Pacific Islands. From adventure-packed trips to leisurely getaways, Swain Destinations curates itineraries based on each individual’s travel preferences. Dynamic experiences range from a chef’s table dining extravaganza on Hayman to a safari journey across the East African Plains.

The family-run business presents North American tourists with personalized service from veteran travel specialists, many of whom hail from the fascinating locales they sell. “We’re creating dynamic itineraries from scratch for each and every client,” Swain says. “What makes a trip booked through Swain so remarkable is our level of customer service. Many of our travel consultants have been with us nearly from the start, and they’re from the destinations they’re selling. We get excited to get others excited for visiting our native lands.”

Our Mission

To exceed expectations in providing unique travel experiences while operating with the unwavering core values of a family business.

History of Swain

Planning international travel with Swain Destinations, the leading U.S. provider of customized vacation experiences, starts with a blank piece of paper. The trip is tailored from the very start by Ian Swain and his dedicated team to offer American travelers the opportunity to create a completely customized trip to far-flung destinations, including Australia, New Zealand, Africa, the Middle East, and the South Pacific Islands.

The seeds of what would become Swain Destinations were sowed in Swain’s native Australia. The self-described “true blue Aussie” was born in Brisbane and showed a knack for entrepreneurship by launching a career in banking before he’d even left high school. A few years later, Swain then met and married Linda, an American with a penchant for international travel. Two years into their marriage, and seven years into the insurance business, they decided to relocate to Philadelphia, where Linda was raised. With his knowledge of the South Pacific and her understanding of the American traveler, they started Swain Australia Tours (now Swain Destinations) in 1987. Read More.