Every travel agency has a beginning, but the story of Travelution Holidays isn’t just about starting a business. It’s about turning a shared passion into something real. Before it even had a name, Travelution was already in motion. Long chats about travel, late nights handling bookings, and a deep love for helping people discover the world, especially through Club Med. It was never just a job. It was something we genuinely enjoyed doing.
How It All Began
Let’s rewind to August 1996. That’s when it all began. Eugene, one of the co-founders of Travelution Holidays, stepped into the travel industry for the very first time. Fresh-eyed and full of ambition, he joined KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. What started as a role in the Sales department gradually evolved into something much bigger. Over time, he moved through Marketing Communications and then Pricing Management. Thirteen years passed in the blink of an eye. It wasn’t always easy, but those years were packed with experience, lessons, and relationships that would one day come full circle.
Entering a New Era at Holiday Tours
In 2009, Eugene decided it was time to move on. The world of travel was shifting, especially with how rapidly technology was changing how people booked their holidays. Just a few months later, in January 2010, he joined Holiday Tours. This time, he took on the role of Vice President of IT Services. It wasn’t just a title, it was a whole new world. Eugene spearheaded efforts to modernise the business, helping the company pivot towards digital solutions at a time when the entire travel industry was learning to swim in the deep end of the internet age.
The Launch of Leisure Holidays and Meeting Andy
By March 2018, Holiday Tours launched Leisure Holidays, an online travel platform. A strategic move, really. The goal was to attract a new wave of travellers, the kind who researched trips late at night, booked from their phones, and wanted instant confirmations. It worked. Things started to change. That same year, someone new walked through the door: Andy.
Andy came in as a Contiki ambassador in June 2018. He was driven, creative, and had an instinct for knowing what travellers wanted. Together, Eugene and Andy made a great team. They hit the ground running, attending travel fairs like MATTA and MITM, chatting with customers, selling holidays, and putting Club Med and Contiki front and centre. And it worked. Club Med, in particular, became a standout success. In 2019, they were awarded the Top Club Med Travel Agent in Malaysia.
Welcoming Marvin and Facing the Pandemic
Then came Marvin. A solid travel professional with years at Malaysia Airlines and Singapore Airlines under his belt. He joined in early 2020, bringing a fresh wave of energy and insight just before everything changed.
Because then, well, COVID-19 happened.
The industry took a massive hit. Flights were grounded. Borders closed. People were scared. And travel, the very thing that brought us all together, just stopped. Eugene, Andy, and Marvin were all affected. Marvin, having only just joined, had to take unpaid leave and eventually resigned. It was a painful time. Everyone was doing what they could to survive.
Remembering Thomas Chong
To make things even harder, January 2020 brought news we never expected. Thomas Chong, the Managing Director of Holiday Tours, someone we deeply admired, called a meeting with the management team. Behind closed doors, he shared something incredibly personal: he had been diagnosed with cancer.
He didn’t want to make it public. He kept it private from the rest of the office. There was no drama, no fanfare. Just quiet strength, and a decision to begin treatment in Singapore.
After that meeting, he left the office. We didn’t know it then, but that would be the last time we saw him in person.
He continued joining some of our weekly management calls for a while. But over time, his appearances grew less frequent. The last time we heard from him, he mentioned he was planning to return to Malaysia by the end of 2020. But he never made it back.
On 13 March 2021, the news reached us: Thomas had passed away. Because of the pandemic, we couldn’t travel to Singapore. We couldn’t be there in person to say goodbye. Lockdowns were still in place. So instead, we gathered on Zoom. Voices quiet. Hearts aching.
It felt incomplete. He gave so much of himself to the company and to the people in it. And we couldn’t even be there to pay our respects properly.
But even through a screen, you could feel the loss. That farewell may have been remote, but it was heavy with love, gratitude, and heartbreak. Thomas left a mark on all of us. And to this day, he remains a big part of our story.
A Shift in Leadership and the End of an Era
The company changed after that. A new management team stepped in, and gradually, the old guard began to move on. By January 2022, both Eugene and Andy had decided it was time to leave. Leisure Holidays was eventually absorbed into Holiday Tours. It marked the end of an era, but in an unexpected way, it also sparked the beginning of something new.
The Birth of Travelution Holidays
Travelution Holidays was registered on 10 March 2022. Although we had stepped away from our previous roles two months earlier, the idea had already been brewing. This wasn’t about recreating the past. It was about building something fresh. Something genuine. Something that simply felt right. That’s where our story begins, with clarity, courage, and the hope of offering something better.
Starting a new business during a pandemic sounds almost crazy. But there was a lot of support. A friend from the travel industry offered us access to booking systems. Another offered us office space at reduced rent. Every little gesture mattered. And slowly, things began to fall into place.
Reuniting with Marvin
Then Marvin came back. Not just as a friend, but officially, as our brand ambassador. He returned on a freelance basis, bringing with him that same calm energy, sharp focus, and deep well of industry knowledge we’d always known him for. It didn’t feel like a new hire. It felt like something clicking back into place.
Having him back just made sense. He understood the heart of Travelution Holidays because he helped shape it in the early days. His return brought a quiet confidence to the team, like we’d found something we didn’t even realise we’d been missing.
Honestly, the story of Travelution Holidays wouldn’t feel complete without Marvin. And now, it doesn’t have to be.
Welcoming Thong: The Creative Spark
Thong has a strong creative background. One of the standout moments since his arrival was our collaboration on a video for Club Med Kani. The project featured Praewwanich, Miss Universe Kruengthep Maha Nakhon 2025 and 1st Runner Up Miss Supranational 2022. The result? A vibrant, authentic showcase of the Club Med experience that resonated with a wide audience.
Growing the Team: Jordan Joins In
And recently, Jordan (Andy’s younger brother) started helping out at the office too. He’s not officially full-time just yet, but he’s always ready to jump in when things get hectic. Whether it’s assisting with client enquiries, doing follow-ups, preparing booking details, or supporting our marketing efforts, he’s been a real help behind the scenes.
What’s great is that Jordan shares the same genuine love for travel, especially Club Med. It runs in the family, it seems. He recently visited Kelab Med Lijiang dan Club Med Urban Oasis Taicang, and came back full of stories and fresh ideas. His firsthand experiences at the resorts gave him a better feel for the brand and how we can share those moments with our clients in more meaningful ways.
He’s still learning the ropes, but already fits right in. Easygoing, curious, and passionate about the little details that make a trip unforgettable. We’re excited to see how his role grows as Travelution Holidays continues to expand.
What Makes Travelution Holidays Different?
So what makes Travelution Holidays different?
It’s simple. Eugene and Andy actually care. This isn’t some faceless travel company. We are in it. We answer the phones. We help clients with last-minute changes. We build itineraries. We know what it’s like to be on the other end of a bad holiday, and we work hard to make sure our clients never experience that.
Our partnership with Club Med is especially strong. We know the people at the resorts. That means clients often get VIP treatment, whether it’s a birthday surprise, room upgrade, or extra attention at the kids’ club. Those small touches go a long way.
In 2024, Travelution Holidays was named the Top Club Med Travel Agent in Malaysia for 2023. We were the only agency awarded Gold status. No other agent held anything higher.
Then in 2025, we were named Top Club Med Travel Agent again, this time for 2024. But what made it even more special was that we moved beyond Gold and earned Platinum status. No other agency in Malaysia has ever reached this level.
That recognition meant a lot. Not just as an award, but as a quiet affirmation of the work we’d been doing, and how we’d been doing it. It was a proud, defining moment in the story of Travelution Holidays.
A New Chapter, A New Home
In 2025, we moved into a new office at Pinnacle PJ. The change wasn’t entirely planned. The owner of our previous unit sold the lot, so we had to find a new space. At first, it felt like a disruption. But looking back, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
The new office gave us room to grow. It’s brighter, better located, and somehow just feels more like “us.” A space where clients can drop by for a chat, where we can dream up new ideas, and where we continue doing what we love, planning holidays that make people happy.
It’s more than just a physical move. It’s a reminder that even when plans change, something good can still come from it. That’s been the story of Travelution Holidays from the very beginning. Built with heart. Guided by people. Always moving forward.
Embracing the Digital Era
We’re embracing the digital age, but in a way that still feels like us. Instead of using polished, generic stock content like most travel companies do, we decided early on that we will share what we have lived through ourselves. Real trips. Real moments. Real memories. Whether it’s a quick Instagram reel, a blog post, or a behind-the-scenes story from our travels, everything we publish is drawn from our own experiences at Club Med resorts.
We’ve been there. We’ve tried the food, joined the activities, chatted with the GOs, and explored the surroundings. And because of that, we are able to give honest, helpful content that’s rooted in reality. Not a marketing brochure.
It’s personal. It’s human. And for us, that’s what makes it meaningful.
This way of storytelling isn’t just a content strategy. It’s part of who we are at Travelution Holidays. We want people to feel something when they scroll through our feed or read our blog. To feel inspired. Seen. Understood. Because at the end of the day, travel is about connection. And that connection starts long before the plane takes off.
Expanding Beyond Club Med
Travelution Holidays has always been known for Club Med, and that’s not changing anytime soon. But now, we are expanding our offering. Not just to offer more for the sake of it, but to better match the way people actually want to travel.
It’s no longer just about booking a Club Med resort stay. Travellers are looking for something extra. A touch of local culture before check-in, or maybe an adventure after checkout. That’s where the pre- or post-Club Med experiences come in.
Take Club Med Lijiang, for example. The resort is beautiful on its own, but it’s also the perfect gateway to places like Dali, Shangri-La, or even Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Whether it’s a guided day tour or a multi-day trip, we help travellers make the most of their journey.
Same goes for Club Med Hokkaido. Guests heading to Kiroro, Tomamu, or Sahoro often want to extend their trip to explore Japan a little deeper. So we now have customised ground arrangements to places like Noboribetsu’s hot springs, the historic port town of Hakodate or shopping at the premium outlets.. These aren’t your typical detours. They are well thought out, personal, and designed to add something meaningful to the whole experience.
It’s not about selling packages anymore. It’s about helping people shape a trip that suits them. Club Med remains the heart of what we do. But around that, there’s now so much more waiting to be explored.
Looking to the Future
So, what’s next for Travelution Holidays?
We have ideas. Big ones. But like any great journey, we’re leaving a little room for surprises. That’s what travel is about, isn’t it? Discovery, curiosity, and the thrill of not always knowing what’s around the bend.
Eugene, Andy, Marvin, Jordan and Thong are not just running a business. We are shaping something with heart. A shared vision built on care, creativity, and real human connection.
We know the direction we’re headed. And we can’t wait to have you along for the ride.
A Story Still Being Written
Travelution Holidays isn’t a massive company with layers of departments. We’re still a small team. But we’ve grown with our travellers, and honestly, because of them. Most of the people who book with us are either coming back or sending their friends our way. That kind of trust? We don’t take it for granted. Not for a second.
The story of Travelution Holidays is still being written. There’s more to build. More to discover. And always, something new to explore.
Thanks for being part of the journey. ❤️
