Inspiring Conversations with Stefan Terwindt of NuVia Travel

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stefan Terwindt.

Hi Stefan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Travel has always been central in my life. Growing up in the Netherlands with family roots also in Austria, I spent summers with my grandparents in Vienna and explored much of Europe. But what really sparked my love of discovery was a four-month overland journey from the Netherlands to Kenya with friends when I was 20. It was an adventure where that taught me that the best travel moments aren’t always planned – but the logistics behind them absolutely should be.

I moved to the United States for my MBA at UGA (Go Dawgs!) and met my wife. My initial career was in organizing educational conferences for cancer doctors and nurses around the world. This experience gave me additional exposure to many new countries and cultures that I otherwise would not have encountered. It was deeply meaningful work, but over time I began to feel a quiet pull toward something different.

For years, I was the go-to person for friends and colleagues who wanted help planning their vacations or travel recommendations. I loved creating itineraries, uncovering hidden gems, and making sure every detail was seamless. At some point, it clicked: travel wasn’t just a hobby, it was a calling.

Today, as the founder of Nuvia Travel, I help busy professionals and families create extraordinary European journeys.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
To leap from a career in cancer education to building a travel business was not without challenges. It meant starting over, learning the world of entrepreneurship, and establishing trust in a new industry.

My challenges were multifold: defining a niche, educating clients on value, managing cash flow, navigating supplier and airline upheaval, and taming technology. But by working with expert-colleagues and surrounding myself with great travel partners, those hurdles were the catalyst for building processes, transparency, and relentless client advocacy. That’s how I’ve built a resilient, premium-focused practice that delivers trips my clients can feel, not just do.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about NuVia Travel?
Nuvia Travel is a boutique travel business that specializes in creating premium, tailor-made journeys. I focus on Europe travel and European cruises, but I also design trips to destinations worldwide – from diving in Thailand, to viewing northern lights in the Arctic Circle, to cultural explorations in Albania.

What sets me apart is my insider perspective as a European with a lifetime of international travel (55 countries and counting); and second, my professional background. The same skills I developed in conference planning are now at the heart of my travel practice.

I am part of a global network of 4,000 travel advisors which gives me leverage in pricing, superior service-levels and access to a global network of quality partners in pretty much every country around the world. They know the hippest restaurants, and authentic, local experiences that my clients wouldn’t find on their own. I’m most proud that my clients describe their trips as “exactly what I wanted” and “effortless.” Behind the scenes, I handle the complexity so they can simply enjoy, knowing that every detail has been thoughtfully planned.

What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me is time – and how we choose to spend it. The world is full of beautiful places that are yearning to be explored. So why not – with intention – find the places that make your heart sing and spend time there? This doesn’t have to be on the other side of the world, but I can assure you that you’ll have a more meaningful experience in places that are different from your own. Whether that’s culture, cuisine, language, nature, or climate.

I want my clients to come home with more than just photos. I want them to feel they’ve lived something special, built connections, and added richness to their lives. As I like to say: “Your bucket list gets longer the more you travel.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://nuviatravel.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/@nuviatravel
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/@nuviatravel
• LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/nuviatravel