Anja Geithner was born in Pößneck [and grew up in Neustadt an der Orla] before graduating in 1994 alongside her peers with the first all-German Abitur after reunification. Today, she has fulfilled her lifelong dream—running her own travel company in Canada, where she has firmly put down roots.

Listening to Anja Geithner, one is immediately captivated. She vividly and passionately describes her journey from being a child of the GDR to becoming a global citizen, and she has an incredible ability to pass on this enthusiasm to those she speaks with.

After completing her Abitur, she trained as a travel agent and began working for a tour operator in Thuringia. For ten years, she spent 300 days a year on the road, traveling professionally to 60 different countries—a lifestyle that many, especially former East Germans, could only dream of. Her profession allowed her to embrace her thirst for freedom, but she never forgot her roots—her Thuringian homeland, the rich cultural diversity within a small space, the dialects, and the food.

She furthered her education with a degree in tourism management before setting her sights on Canada—a country she had already visited more than 50 times. There, she worked and trained in top-tier hotels and resorts. During the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, for instance, she was responsible for assisting the Austrian national team. She continued learning, building connections, and staying engaged in the industry.

In 2009, she took the logical next step—founding her own travel business. She developed her own vision for travel experiences in and to Canada, her new home. To her, Canada is more than just a country; it’s a feeling—an endless, vast land filled with freedom and incredible opportunities. What makes it truly special, she says, is the people—their warm, selfless friendliness and helpfulness. Canada is multicultural in the best sense of the word.

Together with her partner, Peter Wolf—also a seasoned traveler—and their son, Benjamin, she lives in the breathtaking city of Vancouver.

Anja Geithner runs Go Kanada Travel Inc. in British Columbia, offering tailor-made travel experiences rather than off-the-shelf vacations. The goal is to combine the wishes of travelers with the expertise of true Canada specialists. After all, many European visitors come to Canada only once in their lifetime, and when they do, they should truly experience the land and its people.

She has chosen a fitting motto for her company: “Arrive as clients, leave as friends.” And anyone who meets her and her partner will have no doubt that they live up to this promise.