How Sheenco Travel Built a Luxury Empire on Three Strategic Pillars
Ireland Luxury 16 users
“Tourwriter replaced spreadsheets, centralised planning, & now syncs with Xero accounting.”
Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel
Summary
Company: Sheenco Travel (Ireland, Scotland, England & Wales)
Challenge: Scale bespoke luxury travel across multiple markets while maintaining authentic, relationship-driven service
Solution: Tourwriter tour operator software integrated with a strategic tech stack
Results: 12+ year growth across 4 countries, 9.75 internal NPS, 4.9 Google rating, 100% bespoke itineraries
Those three pillars Sheenco is built on? A counterintuitive understanding of what luxury really means, relentless agility in responding to market shifts, and strategic technology choices that compound into competitive advantages.
Thirteen years later, with operations across Ireland, the UK, the US, and Canada, Sheenco’s 9.75 internal NPS score and 4.9 Google rating prove these aren’t just buzzwords. They’re the blueprint.
Pillar One: Redefining Luxury (And Why Most Operators Get It Wrong)
Genevieve recently stayed at two Mexican resorts. One had 90 rooms, the other 900. The larger offering butlers, WhatsApp concierge, and every amenity imaginable. She felt more like a VIP at the smaller one.
“The 90-room resort didn’t have all the whistles and bells, but everywhere you went, you felt like you were just being looked after.
That personal connection, that close welcome, that’s way more important than having a butler run your bath.”
Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel
The Ashford Castle Principle
This philosophy crystallised for Genevieve years ago at Ashford Castle, before their renovations.
“That place was falling apart, rain coming in the windows, but they were still an incredible five-star hotel because of the welcome you got and how amazing the staff were.”
Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel
Most operators chase amenities. Sheenco chases connection. The team treats clients as guests, not customers, a distinction they rigorously check with every partner.
Guest testimonials reflect this: “Quick replies to emails, personal calls, rearranging the itinerary and hotel suggestions was truly unbelievable.”
Why This Understanding Drives Everything
Here’s how:
Pricing strategy
They confidently charge premium rates because they deliver a unique and premium service. When a businessman calculated their margin, Theresa’s response was specific: Instead of defending herself with numbers, Theresa gave a real-world example that showed why their service is worth it.
She explained that their long-term contact at one luxury hotel (Sheen Falls) had moved to another (Ballyfin). In other words, their value isn’t just in booking hotels. It’s in the depths of their connections and the trust they’ve built that give their guests superior access.
“First class lands on the runway at the same time as economy. You’re not paying for the product, you’re paying for the service.”
Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel
Technology requirements
They need systems that enhance human connection, not bureaucratise it. Mass-market solutions optimise for standardisation, but Sheenco works in a world of suite upgrades, private driver guides with custom routing, behind-the-scenes castle access, helicopter transfers, and real-time flexibility.
Partnership criteria
For Sheenco to deliver at these levels, technology vendors must be long-term partners who understand luxury, not product vendors optimising for volume.
“Glenn (Tourwriter’s founder and CEO) has always been ready to come to the table and work with us,”
Genevieve Sheehan says of Tourwriter’s 12-year partnership.
Pillar Two: Market Agility as Competitive Advantage
Understanding luxury creates the vision. Agility executes it.
Between 2012 and 2025, Sheenco evolved through constant recalibration:
- 2012: Ireland-only inbound operator
- 2015: UK expansion after guest demand
- 2016: Rebrand to Sheenco Travel (trademarked, Google-unique, international-ready)
- 2020: US franchise framework developed
- 2024: Contractor model launched in the US to seed the market
- 2025: Canadian incorporation in light of geopolitical shifts and opportunities
The Canadian Pivot: Agility in Action
When January 2025 brought US-Canada political tensions and Canadians started emailing “we’re not buying American” Sheenco responded immediately.
“We recognised it was time to celebrate our origin and added ‘Irish owned since 2012’ to the logo. That was our first strategic move. Then I thought, well, why not go into Canada now?”
Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel
Within months: Canadian incorporation, first contractors hired, Enterprise Ireland trade mission scheduled.
“You can’t stay in business without being agile. Pivoting and staying agile means constant readjustment.”
Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel
The North American Education Opportunity
“I find that particularly with the North American market, education is key.
We do coast-to-coast travel shows, and frequently get asked, ‘what is luxury?’ Some don’t even realise you can get private driver guides in Ireland and the UK.”
Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel
The insight: There’s a massive middle market of travellers booking coach tours who could afford bespoke experiences if they knew the option existed.
“They’re always surprised that private driver guides are actually a lot more affordable than they think. People think they can’t afford it and then realise, well, actually, if I push the boat out a bit, I can.
Chauffeur-driven is all the freedom of a self-drive, but with your own private driver guide. You can relax at the whisky distillery and they’ll take you to dinner.”
Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel
Creating the right environment for success
Genevieve has built Sheenco on the belief that success comes from growing people, not just systems. She has always looked for the right people, then created the space for them to thrive. Eithne became General Manager after two promotions in a single year. Liz took on the role of Head of Product and Partnerships. Isabella returned as Co-founder. Their Head of Sales in Connecticut earned three promotions in 18 months. Genevieve says she is finally taking hats off left, right, and centre because she has a team that can scale with the vision.
Her approach is rooted in curiosity and constant learning. She is not afraid to change direction when the facts demand it. After investing heavily in complex US franchise legal frameworks, Genevieve recognised that success was not about defending sunk costs but about adapting quickly. She changed course, choosing to build a contractor network first, prove the model with the right people, and then offer favourable conversion to franchising.
Going with the contractor model, she says, gives her the freedom to find the right people and prove the system. Once they have ten in place, that foundation will let them expand the franchise with confidence.
Genevieve’s leadership shows how a company grows when its founder stays agile, mentors generously, and never stops learning. It is this mix of empowerment and adaptability that has built the culture, and now, the castle.
Pillar Three: Strategic Technology Leadership
“One of our founding principles was staying on top of what’s in the marketplace and how technology is developing and not getting left behind.
So many companies set up and get all the best tech day one, but then they stick with it and fail to keep adapting.”
Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel
This might be Sheenco’s most important competitive advantage: treating technology decisions not as one-time purchases but as ongoing strategic choices that either compound into advantages or calcify into bottlenecks.
The Integrated Ecosystem Powering Premium Service
- Tourwriter for itinerary creation and product management
- Infusionsoft by Keap to provide extra automation
- Xero for accounting
- Stripe and Flywire for payment processing
- Learning Zen for contractor training
- Custom ChatGPT instances for brand voice consistency
As one reviewer wrote: “The itinerary was clear and concise. Just click on the next location, and Google Maps would open with directions.”
The AI Strategy: Sophisticated and Protective
Genevieve has built custom ChatGPT instances for Sheenco, but with clear strategic boundaries.
“We utilise our own ChatGPTs so they’re in our voice. We have a lot of fun with AI.”
Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel
AI at Sheenco is used for marketing content, standardising team communications, and hotel and product descriptions.
Strictly off-limits: Itinerary creation.
“The team are absolutely forbidden from doing anything in relation to itineraries.
We want to maintain the personal touch and connection, and we must protect our unique IP that we have built up around our carefully crafted itineraries.”
Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel
This nuanced approach reflects sophisticated thinking about technology’s role in luxury travel: embracing AI where it adds efficiency while protecting the human touch and intellectual property where it matters.
Why Bespoke Operators Need Purpose-Built Tools
“100%. When it’s bespoke, you’re not booking standard rooms. A lot of channel managers only have standard rooms, or standard hotels in general. You don’t tend to have the more boutique luxury hotels on there.”
Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel
Mass-market solutions can’t handle the complexity of luxury operations, including suite upgrades, private driver guides with custom routing, behind-the-scenes estate and castle access, helicopter transfers, private jet arrangements, advance restaurant reservations at exclusive venues, and real-time itinerary flexibility.
The Tourwriter Partnership: Technology That Scales With Vision
Sheenco’s 12-year partnership with Tourwriter exemplifies their technology leadership philosophy.
“The longevity of the relationship is massive.”
Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel
What Tourwriter enables:
Speed and flexibility:
“The agility of being able to have your basic resources and then go into the itinerary and edit them is phenomenal. That flexibility is what I like best about the platform.”
Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel
This translates directly to guest experience. As one reviewer shared: “We gave vague ideas, they delivered a fabulous itinerary.”
Pricing confidence:
Complete markup control at multiple levels, transparent cost management, and the ability to customise without rebuilding from scratch.
“I would say that’s pretty unique. Most software is like ‘this is our way.’ How agile Tourwriter are is huge.”
Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel
Digital excellence:
Interactive itineraries that guests can access throughout their journey, integrated with mapping tools so travellers spend less time on logistics and more time experiencing what Sheenco has planned.
Future-ready capabilities:
Tourwriter’s AI roadmap includes supplier loading automation and intelligent hotel description generation, exactly the efficiency gains luxury operators need without threatening their competitive advantage.
The Compounding Effect: Where Three Pillars Meet
Sheenco’s success isn’t about executing one strategy brilliantly. It’s about how their three pillars reinforce each other.
Their understanding of luxury requires technology that enables customisation at scale, which demands partnership with vendors who understand bespoke operators. Their market agility requires systems that adapt quickly without breaking, which demands technology leadership in choosing partners who evolve alongside their business. Their technology strategy enables the premium service that justifies luxury pricing, which validates their understanding that guests pay for relationships, not just products.
When a businessman calculated their entire margin, Sheenco could respond confidently because their technology enables the relationships that create genuine value. When political tensions shifted markets, they could capitalise on a new opportunity in Canada in days because their systems support agility. When guests give “vague ideas” Sheenco delivers “fabulous itineraries” because their tools make personalisation scalable.
This is the blueprint: clarity of vision, responsiveness to change, and strategic technology choices that compound over time.
Results: The Numbers Behind the Strategy
- 12+ years of continuous partnership with Tourwriter since 2013
- 4 countries: Ireland, UK, US, Canada
- 9.75 internal NPS score
- 4.9 Google rating
- 100% of itineraries created with flexible, bespoke customisation
“We’ve built the foundations. We’re finally ready to build the castle.”
Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel
The Sheenco Blueprint for Luxury Travel Success
Sheenco’s journey from local Irish operator to international luxury brand wasn’t accidental. It happened through:
✓ Redefining luxury: Authentic relationships over amenities, creating a differentiator that shapes every business decision
✓ Relentless agility: Treating pivots as readjustments, responding to market shifts in days, not quarters, and continuously evolving the business model
✓ Strategic technology leadership: Choosing partners over vendors, embracing innovation while protecting IP, treating tech decisions as ongoing competitive advantages
✓ Long-term partnerships: With vendors who listen, adapt, and grow alongside you, because scaling excellence requires scalable systems
One of Sheenco’s core values is “build lasting relationships.” In an industry built on trust, that applies to technology vendors too.
Frequently asked questions
What does Sheenco Travel specialise in?
Sheenco Travel specialises in bespoke luxury travel across Ireland, Scotland, England & Wales. Founded in 2012, they create highly personalised itineraries featuring private driver guides, boutique luxury hotels, exclusive access to estates and castles, and authentic relationship-driven experiences. Their approach treats clients as guests, not customers, focussing on human connection over amenities.
What is Sheenco Travel’s definition of luxury?
Sheenco defines luxury as authentic, relationship-driven experiences rather than amenities. Founder Genevieve Sheehan’s philosophy: “First class lands on the runway at the same time as economy. You’re not paying for the product, you’re paying for the service.” They prioritise personal connections, trusted partnerships with venues, and the feeling of being genuinely looked after over features like butlers or concierge services.
How long has Sheenco Travel been using Tourwriter?
Sheenco Travel has been partnering with Tourwriter for over 12 years, since 2013. Genevieve Sheehan describes it as a true partnership where Tourwriter’s founder Glenn has “always been ready to come to the table and work with us,” allowing Sheenco to scale from a local Irish operator to an international luxury brand.
What markets does Sheenco Travel operate in?
Sheenco Travel operates across four countries: Ireland (where they were founded in 2012), the UK (expanded 2015), the United States (franchise framework 2020, contractor model 2024), and Canada (incorporated 2025). They’ve evolved from an Ireland-only inbound operator to an international luxury travel brand through strategic market agility.
What technology does Sheenco Travel use to deliver bespoke service?
Sheenco uses an integrated technology ecosystem including Tourwriter for itinerary creation and product management, Infusionsoft by Keap for automation, Xero for accounting, Stripe and Flywire for payments, Learning Zen for contractor training, and custom ChatGPT instances for brand consistency. However, they strictly forbid AI use for itinerary creation to protect their intellectual property and personal touch.
How does Sheenco Travel use AI in their business?
Sheenco has built custom ChatGPT instances for marketing content, standardising team communications, and creating hotel and product descriptions—all in their brand voice. However, the team is “absolutely forbidden from doing anything in relation to itineraries” with AI. This protects their unique intellectual property and maintains the personal connection that defines their luxury service.
Why can’t mass-market travel software work for bespoke luxury operators?
According to Genevieve Sheehan, “100%” bespoke operators need different tools. Mass-market channel managers only handle standard rooms and standard hotels, but luxury operators need systems that can manage suite upgrades, private driver guides with custom routing, behind-the-scenes estate access, helicopter transfers, private jet arrangements, exclusive restaurant reservations, and real-time itinerary flexibility—complexity that generic systems can’t handle.
Who is the typical Sheenco Travel customer?
Sheenco attracts culturally curious travellers seeking authentic luxury experiences. Many are middle-market North American travellers who assume bespoke travel is unaffordable, but discover that private driver guides are “a lot more affordable than they think.” Genevieve notes: “They’re always surprised…and then realise, well actually, if I push the boat out a bit, I can.” These guests value relationships and experiences over standard amenities.
Where is Sheenco Travel headquartered?
Sheenco Travel was founded in Ireland in 2012 and maintains operations across Ireland, the UK, the US, and Canada. The company rebranded from their original name in 2016 to “Sheenco Travel”—a trademarked, Google-unique, internationally-ready name that supports their expansion strategy.
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