Who We are
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead
Introducing our amazing team of professionals who are here to help you plan the perfect trip. No matter where you're going or what kind of experience you're looking for, these passionate and experienced individuals can make it happen. From travel concierges to destination analysts, from social media strategists to event planners, this dynamic team is here to help you create a unique and unforgettable journey.
Christian Tamte
Owner
Married to the love of my life and mum to 3 pups and an elderly cat named “Kitten”, I have a passion for all things related to the sea and a great appreciation for delicious food and fine whisky.
My dad always said “Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life”. He was right, of course, and although some days are grueling- I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
Now- doing something I love completely differently than how most others do it…. that’s where it gets interesting…
It all started with planning our honeymoon to Thailand.
My wife, like so many of us, had a bucket list activity to ride an elephant.
I set to work, researching, planning and perusing all the many vendor options for this event. It wasn’t long before we realized that this was harmful to the animals and in fact, the process of separating a mother from her calf is quite brutal and happens often for businesses that offer this activity.
We quickly discovered the dark side of this type of tourism and it did not sit well with us.
We shifted our focus and instead decided to spend a day at the Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
We were instantly enamored with this entire experience from the education to the hands on exposure with the rescued pachyderms.
We spent the whole day walking with, feeding and bathing them.
This easily became one of, if not our favorite memory in all of our travels around the world.
From that point on, I was a changed travel specialist.
After about 20 years of working in nearly every aspect of the travel industry, I had set a new trajectory for my career and newly founded business.
Now, when I travel personally or professionally, I’m hooked on finding unique experiences that are both fun and philanthropic.
CONNECT
I love meeting the local people where I’m visiting. I especially enjoy supporting local small businesses wherever I travel.
As a business owner, myself, I find it incredibly rewarding to connect with other entrepreneurs from around the world and hear their successes and struggles- and then work with them however I can.
HELP
I have several organizations that I give to each year including Kaleidoscope Youth Center and the Coral Restoration Foundation.
LOVE
Fundemar is a fantastic organization working to help restore the coral reefs in the Dominican Republic.
Each year I am making it a point to spend time with local dive shops in Bayahibe, Dominican Republic, like Slow Dive Casa Chihuahua, that partner with Fundemar to clean the reefs and assist with the coral spawning.
This is not only a very rewarding experience, but I have so much fun giving back and getting a unique perspective in the oceans.
Demi Collier
Chief Administrative Officer & Travel Concierge
Originally from a small village in the Netherlands but moved to Ohio for the love of my life in 2018 and now we 2 children together and a fur baby. Growing up in Europe, my parents always made sure I got to experience everything the continent has to offer. Therefore it is important to me to show our children different countries and cultures.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Engineering and a master’s degree in Teaching. But after traveling and moving to the other side of the world I knew I wanted to do something different with my career. At Zone Travel I got the opportunity to learn from the best and found my calling in building personalized trips for other people. I love giving others the best travel experience they can have, and with my previous degrees I am set on getting all the details right and making sure people can go on their trip without a single worry.
Being from Europe, planning trips to any of these countries has a special place in my heart. I love to offer people an ‘out of the box’ experience by using local businesses and finding the hidden gems that sometimes only locals know about.
Connect
As someone who has moved to another continent I had to connect with a lot of new people around me. Because of this I got to hear all their experiences and vision on life.
I love to hear the views and believes of people who grew up in a different culture than me, and this has taught me a lot. And this is why while traveling I love to interact with the locals and learn from their culture as well.
Help
As a dog mom I support the organization The Humane Society.
I also support the organization KIKA, a children’s cancer foundation based in the Netherlands.
Love
Project NICU is an organization led by NICU parents for NICU parents.
As a mom of a premature baby I have seen the emotional and financial problems for other parents with premature babies that come with having a baby in the NICU. Just to be able to help take some of the financial load off these new parents is very rewarding for me.
Lonny Keels
Destination Analyst
I grew up in a small Ohio town but there was enough culture to instill a sense of adventure. I couldn't wait to move to a bigger city so like a lot of other Ohio kids, I moved to Columbus and eventually ended up in Olde Towne East where I enjoyed the historic homes and energetic crowd for over 30 years. Three years ago, we decided we needed more nature and adventure so we moved to the quiet life of rural Maine where we enjoy easy access to the ocean and mountains.
I'm an animal lover and haven't spent much time in my life without at least one dog, currently my fiancé and I have three. Dogs in need somehow always find me and I couldn't be happier about it. I'm an active environmentalist, recycling, natural gardening practices, and a vegan diet are my ways to help the earth recover. If you have any good vegan recipes, I wanna hear about them!
My lifelong quest for adventure has led me to many cities and nature spots all around the United States and the world, which I do whenever I can. I love to be in or near the water, on a mountain trail, and I'd even be a space tourist if given the chance! When I'm not traveling, I'm often dreaming about it or experiencing other coultures in VR. Before I worked at Zone Travel, Christian planned my trip to Greece. It was such a great experience that I wanted to get involved so I joined the team. The way I like to travel lines up perfectly with the company's ethos so it's a great fit!
Connect
I’m a confirmed introvert but love to talk to local people along my travels. I find that is the best way to really learn about a culture, and the best places to visit.
My oldest connection is with my family of course. My siblings and my fiancé also happen to be my best friends!
Help
I enjoy supporting locally owned businesses and spreading the word about their Awesome food, products and services.
I’m highly interested in science and medicine and how the innovations can help people. This led me to becoming a living kidney doner recently. I think I benefited personally from the experience as much as the recipient did medically. I hope by doing this and talking about it will allow more people to consider it too. You can connect and find out why living donation is so important at support.kidney.org.
Love
I truly believe everyone has the right to nutritious food. I love growing my own organic fruits and veggies but there’s always way more than we can eat! I give the extra food to The Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine.
I know this food will go to the people who need it because they are a member of Feeding America, an organization I really trust and support financially.
Shawnie Kelly
Travel Guide, Writer, Chef
I am a Columbus-based author, and a travel and food writer who has published four books, as well as hundreds of history, food, and travel related magazine articles. I attended Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA., where I received a Bachelors Degree in History, after which I pursued graduate studies at The Ohio State University in Columbus, OH. After receiving a Master’s in Art History with a focus on Medieval and Renaissance architecture and sculpture, I embarked on a post-graduate fellowship at the The University of Edinburgh in Scotland. My academic background afforded an opportunity to work in Europe for five years with English Heritage and Historic Scotland, during which time I traveled extensively throughout Europe and Great Britain for research purposes. My work took me all over France, Spain, and Italy and needless to say, I fell in love with all the food.
During these years, I began taking cooking classes as a social outlet - everywhere from Istanbul, Tuscany and Stockholm to the Caribbean and Mexico, seeking out seasonal ingredients and local cooking techniques. As a food and history lover, I am particularly interested in regional culinary traditions and how food connects us with a culture and with each other. I have been teaching travel and cooking classes for the past 18 years and has been conducting culinary and cultural tours throughout Europe and the U.S. since 2008.
I am a popular Chef Instructor at Columbus State and, in recent years, I’ve hosted weekly cooking segments on local television, participated in cooking competitions, and I’m passionate about my guests having a great culinary experience.
I’m an avid runner, herb gardener, wine enthusiast, and cat lover.
The hashtag #foodislove is the mantra my family and I live by, daily!.
Connect
I connect with people and places through food and architecture. Each provides a sense of place and speaks to both history and current times.
Real food has connected me with so many interesting business owners during my three decades of travel, I sniff out people and businesses serving local, seasonal, sustainable food.
And as a former architectural historian, I enjoy visiting UNESCO sites and protected landscapes.
My travel mantra is to maintain the integrity of place, tangible heritage, and show respect for other cultures.
Help
I regularly donate to several hunger and animal-focused charities, but the two nearest and dearest to my heart are the Children’s Hunger Alliance- an Ohio-based non-profit dedicated to ending childhood hunger in more than 88 countries.
Cat Welfare of Columbus is where I feel that my money, supplies, and time has been most immediately impactful.
Love
My best friend is the Finish-Line Captain at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon. I have been her right-hand man for 12 years (as of October 2023). We spend time through the year helping the organizing committee plan the Marathon weekend, making sure the Finish Line is safe, restorative, and most of all celebratory.
It is so inspirational seeing tens of thousands of people meet their goal of finishing a Marathon (or half) and participating in an event that has raised millions of dollars for Children’s Hospital.
It is super inspiring watching the winners cross the finish line, but it is even more important to be there to cheer on the very last person to finish!