Wendy Davis to retire, Anna Judek becomes owner of Zebrano Travel

One of Canada’s leading luxury travel agencies has started a new chapter.

Luxury travel advisor Wendy Davis, owner of Toronto-based Zebrano Travel, which has been curating travel experiences for ultra-high-net-worth clients for nearly 25 years, will retire at the end of 2026, PAX has learned.

As such, Anna Judek, Virtuoso Canada’s former director of marketing, has taken over as owner of Davis’ travel agency, a long-standing Virtuoso member. The change of ownership took place on Monday (Dec. 2).

To ensure a smooth transition, and to maintain continuity for Zebrano’s loyal clients, Davis will stay on as Founder Emeritus for the next two years.

“I have a tremendous amount of pride in Zebrano Travel and how this agency cares for a very special group of ultra-high-net-worth clients,” Davis said in a statement. “My focus has always been the client and ensuring they have an epic experience when they travel.”

The Zebrano “dream team” will remain in place “and will continue the extraordinary work that they do,” Davis noted.

“I will work side-by-side with Anna to ensure there is a continued level of service and that the reputation of Zebrano Travel lives on. The next two years will be a new adventure and I look forward to passing on the reigns to Anna.”

Keeping the legacy alive

Since 2021, Judek led Virtuoso Canada’s brand awareness, communications, marketing strategies, public relations, events and more.  

Working in tandem with Úna O’Leary, Virtuoso’s general manager for Canada, she played a pivotal role in growing awareness of Virtuoso’s preferred partners, the consortium’s regional relevancy and its coast-to-coast support.

Prior to Virtuoso, Judek worked at RBC and American Express in multiple client-centric roles, including product strategy, P&L ownership, marketing, human resources and thought leadership.

“I hope to continue the legacy of Zebrano Travel and to uphold the values and mission of this incredible organization in providing outstanding service, impeccable attention to detail and invaluable expertise for luxury clients,” Judek stated. “Seeing firsthand what Virtuoso is about and how the organization cares for its member agencies made me want to embrace the travel advisor profession and become an owner.”

“I have big shoes to fill and will learn from Wendy’s contributions and years of experience.”

All about trust

Since opening in 2000, the mission at Zebrano Travel has been to create customized, epic and private adventures, and “wow experiences,” for discerning clients in Toronto and beyond.

Wendy Davis, who was named one of PAX’s top ten most fascinating travel advisors of 2024, launched her agency after sensing a need for a concierge-style service that focused exclusively on high-end luxury travel.

Speaking to PAX earlier this year, Davis explained how she curates “epic trips.” Zebrano’s VIP clients – an elite database of CEOs, affluent families and boldfaced names – seek the ultimate in accommodations and want personalized services in every aspect of their journey.

“It’s a completely different mindset,” Davis said, explaining her universe. “It’s not a transaction, it’s relationship oriented. When you get a client, it’s very loyal and long-term. It’s not price driven at all. It’s about the service.”

It’s also about establishing trust. High-net-worth clients seek responsive service, well-researched itineraries, organized documents and contingency plans if, for whatever reason, a trip needs to abruptly end (like if a CEO has to suddenly drop everything and fly home).

“You have to anticipate their needs and be one step ahead,” Davis said. “That’s how you establish trust. Once you have that, you’ll have loyal, long-term clients. And you’ll know them extremely well. It’s very fulfilling.”

“You need to ‘get them.’ Their dining style, what spas they like…all of our trips are customized. It’s always designed exactly for them.”

It’s this attention to detail that has earned Davis several awards and recognitions over the years, including a spot on Conde Nast’s Traveller Specialist list, the Ruby of Siam award (a global recognition at Virtuoso) and this year’s inaugural Northern Lights award presented by Virtuoso Canada.

Davis, who specializes in luxury hotels and villas, has also been a member chair of the Virtuoso Hotel Committee since 2021 and sits on the Canada Member Advisor Board.

Under her guidance, Virtuoso’s global hotel program has expanded to better meet the demands and expectations of the luxury traveller.

Speaking to PAX this week, Davis said that after 25 years of creating a concierge and lifestyle luxury travel brand, “I knew it was time to find the right person to build and evolve our unique business model.”

“I’m so thrilled that Anna Judek is now the owner of Zebrano Travel. She understands the vision and sees the opportunity for the growth of ultraluxe travel. I’ll be helping Anna with the transition and look forward to my new mentoring role.”

“I should also mention the Zebrano Team is the ‘best of the best’ and they have been wonderful in welcoming Anna. Here’s to the next chapter of Zebrano Travel.”

The next chapter

Judek said her time at Virtuoso Canada helped inform her decision to become a travel agency owner.

“I really saw how Virtuoso is all about caring for member agencies and helping travel advisors reach their full potential,” she told PAX. “I wanted to embrace that profession, become an owner and continue Zebrano’s great tradition.”

What Judek admires about Zebrano is its “strong reputation across the country” as an ultra-high-net-worth, concierge-based agency.

“They do end-to-end planning and really provide the full experience for clients,” Judek said. “It’s a small boutique agency that works well as a team.”

Judek said the Zebrano team will remain small, but she's open to the possibility of hiring more agents down the road.

“There’s no desire to move into the mass market,” she said. “As a travel agency, that’s not what we’re about. It’s about the service, impeccable details and luxury experience.”

It’s also a good time to get deeper into the ultra-luxury business, Judek added.

“There’s a lot of optimism in the industry right now – especially in the ultra-high-net-worth space,” she said. “Booking luxury itineraries can be complicated, and more people are looking for professional advice, expertise, and someone that they can trust to pull together a holiday that is substantial and exciting.”

As for her time at Virtuoso Canada, Judek looks back on the experience with pride.

“I was employee number two or three at Virtuoso Canada. The trajectory from where we started, to where it is now, has been tremendous,” she said. “We now have eight people coast to coast, serving our member agencies and connecting with partners at events and all touchpoints in Canada. I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved.”

Anna Judek can now be reached at ajudek@zebranotravel.com.

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