Make Your Next International Trip A Breeze with Helloworld and Travelex

As Travelex’s Head of Marketing for Australia & New Zealand, Rob Dempsey has plenty of experience traversing the globe. But even the most seasoned travellers get caught out every now and then. Catching a taxi to Paris’ Gare du Nord on a family trip to Europe last July, he flashed his Travelex Money Card at the taxi driver and was greeted with the dreaded reply: “Allez, allez – cash only.”

“Luckily, we were staying by the Paris Opera building and there were plenty of banks,” he recalls, “so I took my Travelex Card and withdrew some cash – which I didn’t have to pay any fees for – while the concierge, my wife and child stalled the taxi driver for a bit.” Crisis averted, they made it to the station with time to spare and were able to enjoy the rest of their holiday as planned.

The widespread availability of ATMs and the advent of the Eurozone have helped make international travel much simpler since Travelex launched in 1976. That trend is continuing thanks to innovations like the award-winning Travelex Money Card, which can be loaded with foreign currency so you can spend like a local, avoiding the fees and charges often associated with using a credit card overseas.

While there are plenty of products available online, Dempsey knows that “one of the great benefits of having a physical store is the opportunity to speak with a knowledgeable adviser in person. They can provide valuable insights, such as which currencies are used in different regions, how much currency you might need, whether you should bring cash or use a card, how much to tip, and the cost of a meal.”

Travelex exchanges more than 50 currencies without commission fees, and with more than 600 stores in over 20 countries, you’re never far from one of their stores. If you venture way off the beaten track and lose your Travelex Money Card, funds can often be made available for pickup at the nearest Western Union branch. On top of that, there’s a 24/7 call centre based in the UK that is always manned by real people – no chatbots – who can assist with any issues that may arise. The result is a level of personal service that their competitors simply cannot offer.

Offering a truly worldwide service means that Travelex is continually scouting out new locations and recently opened a booth in Helloworld Travel Norwood on the corner of The Parade and George Street. Together, the businesses are able to offer a comprehensive suite of services and support for international travellers. “We aim to establish ourselves in lively communities where residents are active and eager to travel abroad, and Norwood fits this description perfectly,” says Dempsey, who describes The Parade as “an ideal location for us. It's a vibrant, cosmopolitan area filled with excellent restaurants, boutique shops, and coffee houses.”

But it’s not just about location – when assessing potential sites, Dempsey also looks for “teams that are engaged, eager to work collaboratively, well-liked by customers, and have the logistical capacity to accommodate a Travelex store.” He adds, “I was particularly impressed with the Norwood store when I saw the initial photos featuring suitcases in the window. It was a great display, perfectly capturing the essence of travel, the experience, and the memories. We were excited straight away.”