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THE BLACKLIST:
TRAVEL EXPERTS

2020 saw a racial reckoning within the travel industry as it did across most industries is in the US. Magazines made public statements to do better in future and, while we are seeing more coverage by and on Black travelers, the annual lists recommending travel experts is still shockingly and overwhelmingly white. These lists are not just void of Black representation, but any representation of any of the countries being sold by these experts.

 

Inclusions on these lists translates into increased bookings and revenue for the named experts, including more diversity would be directly supporting minority owned companies. So we are forced to ask, why is more effort not being made by companies who pledge to do better?

 

So we, a collective of Black travel media and publishers who formed this group to lift each other up, have gathered a list of Black Travel Experts who deserve to be on these lists, who deserve the business advantage that they provide. We hope this list serves as further inspiration for magazines to give Black and other minority-owned businesses the same recognition as their white counterparts. We call on them all to do better. 

The Blacklist: Text

AFRICA

TIFFANIE ANDERSON
AWAY TO AFRICA

Away to Africa is a destination management company dedicated to providing guided, cultural tours throughout select countries in Africa. Experience the best, the hidden gems & everything in between throughout 14 countries in Africa.

SHERWIN BANDA

AFRICAN TRAVEL INC

As the longest established luxury safari operator focused exclusively on the African continent, African Travel, Inc. is dedicated to creating and providing the ultimate African experience.

MONA BOYD
LANDTOURS

Landtours Ghana Ltd. is a premier, full service Destination Management company that is based in Accra, Ghana. Landtours features over fifty customizable itineraries and travel choices spanning six West African countries.

BHEKI DUBE
CURIOCITY

Curiocity is a network of African design hostels & hotels, sharing an authentic experience of this continent, one city at a time. As an accessible, design hospitality offering Curiocity gives travellers the chance to stay in spaces that are not only affordable but also amazingly designed

RONDEL HOLDER
GLOBAL ROYALTY

Global Royalty is the ultimate travel concierge company curating full-service, tailor-made itineraries for solo travel, romantic travel, group travel and family travel to Africa and the diaspora.

LINDA IRIZA
NURU TOURS

On every tour, we are conscious of supporting local businesses and participating in cultural tours that are sensitive and respectful towards the history of the country we visit. Additionally, we collaborate with African-run organisations that are creating positive impact within the country we visit.

RACHEL JOHNSON
THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT

The Butterfly Effect reintroduces the diaspora to their homeland through cultivated travel experiences, self-discovery and philanthropy.

JUSTA LUJWANGANA
CURIOUS ON TANZANIA

Founded by a Tanzanian-Brooklynite, storyteller and curious traveler is on a mission to visit every corner of Tanzania. Leaving no stone unturned while sharing with her audience/ guests the beauty of her homeland has to offer.

MINAZ MANJI
TWIGA TOURS

Twiga Tours focus is mainly concentrated on offering high quality safaris experiences within East Africa and in particular Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda.

ALIOUNE MBOUP
AFRICA TOURISM SOLUTIONS

Africa Tourism Solutions (ATS)  is a  travel agency  that aims to offer a true experience of the  African continent  by offering inclusive and innovative solutions.

TINGO MTAMBALIKA
SANTACRUISE TOURS

Santacruise Tours offers a team of specialists that work with passion, discipline and knowledge. Each tour is meticulously crafted to fit every one of your interests.

PENNY NDLELA
SOUL TRAVELLER TOURS

Soul Traveller Tours is a provider of immersive, authentic group experience packages that bring people together to live in the moment and unite South Africans and internationals alike.

EYITEMI POPO
GIRLS TRIP TOURS

Girls Trip Tours hosts trips to various African destinations with the goal of empowering future female leaders through mentorship, while taking in the sites and dining around town with high profile business women and local industry leaders.

CHERAE ROBINSON
TASTEMAKERS AFRICA

Tastemakers Africa's ultra-curated trips give you an insider’s take on the continent. Packed with authentic experiences and like-minded folks, your 4-star hotel, locally-led tours, transport, VIP nightlife, and planning are taken care of.

VIKA SHIPALANA
VS LUXURY GROUP

VS Luxury Group is a one-of-a-kind Luxury Concierge Service. Services extend beyond luxury travel or glamorous event planning. They also help our clients with managing their day-to-day activities, big or small.

SEBASTIAN TETTY
GHANA TOURS

Ghana Tours offers a variety of tour packages including: Educational, Cultural, Eco, Historical, and Adventure Tours. We also offer the Cape Coast Castle Dungeon Experience which includes the ancestral Door of Return Ceremony and Naming Ceremony.

The Blacklist: List

CARIBBEAN

CARL NAPOLEON

CARNIVAL JUMPERS

Carnival Jumpers' mission is to increase access to the Carnival experience by facilitating trips to these quintessential island celebrations. They help streamline the process of Carnival for all enthusiast levels.

LAMIN NGOBEH
RENAISSANCE CARNIVAL

Renaissance Carnival is a premium experience lifestyle brand that specializes in Caribbean Carnival events and destination experiences.

SHEILA RUFFIN
SOCA CARIBBEAN YACHT CHARTERS

Soca Caribbean Yacht Charters is a boutique travel agency that coordinates personalized, stress-free, all-inclusive yacht vacations to a Caribbean oasis.

EBONY STARR
TRAVEL STYLZ

Travel Stylz is dedicated to offering you the best prices and advice, while maintaining an emphasis on customer service. This travel agency focuses on providing excellent service, while focusing on unique vacation budget and needs.

The Blacklist: List

EUROPE

JULIA BROWNE
WALK THE SPIRITWALKING THE SPIRIT TOURS

Black Paris travel expert Julia Browne founded Walking The Spirit Tours in 1994 and pioneered the genre of Black heritage tourism in Paris. Visitors get an in depth, unique French travel experience so that they can effortlessly discover the soul of France.

NAKY GAGLO
AFRICAN LISBON TOUR

The African Lisbon Tour is a touristic platform with the goal to share about the lost, covered, unknown or silenced history of Portugal and the African Continent.

SHEREE MITCHELL
IMMERSA GLOBAL

Immersa Global is an upscale American-owned inbound full-service tour operator and destination management company that specializes in exclusive food, wine, art, and faith-based programs as well as small meetings and events in Portugal.

DR. MONIQUE Y. WELLS
ENTREÉ TO BLACK PARIS

Explore African Diaspora in Paris with our signature Entrée to Black Paris tours and activities or experience the best of epicurean Paris with our gourmet walks and activities.

The Blacklist: List

GLOBAL

ROSE & JANE AIELLO
RA TRAVEL

Whether organizing package tours to Africa or international trips for our celebrity clients, founder Rose Aiello has built RA on a philosophical belief in the power of travel.

COLE BANKS
SISTERS TRAVELING SOLO

Sisters Traveling Solo trips have been curated to provide extraordinary travel experiences. Whether it's connecting to the local culture in India or visiting the islands of Africa, each trip is designed for travelers wanting a deeper connection.

KRISTA BETTS
BALBOA TRAVEL

Krista Betts has a reputation for creating innovative and immersive trips. Understanding how precious her clients time is, Betts takes great steps to customize each vacation to suit each clients wishes.

KRISTIN BRASWELL
CRUSHGLOBAL TRAVEL

Crush Global works directly with locals around the world to create authentic experiences that strengthen local economies and allow you to plan less so that you can enjoy more.

CATHY BROOKS-OLIVER
MAKE TIME TO TRAVEL

The team at Make Time for Travel provides immense value by providing superlative knowledge & expertise, travel inspiration, and relationships to an exclusive network of more than 1,700 of the top luxury travel providers all around the world.

JULIA BROWNE
WALKING THE SPIRIT TOURS

Starting with just two African-American history tours, we now offer a full range of Black Paris & Beyond vacation and travel services that help share our passion for Black heritage and give travelers an authentic taste of traditional France and Europe.

AMINA DEARMON
PERSPECTIVES TRAVEL

Perspectives Travel exists in order to bring personalized luxury to people who have the desire to travel constantly but not the time to plan travel expertly.

JACK DUNCAN
BLANK CANVAS

Blank Canvas' expertise and personal knowledge of all their travel experiences will enable you to create your perfect tailor-made trip.

JIDE EHIMIKA
NOIRBNB

Noirbnb is a global travel community that provides experiences and events with a focus on including and celebrating travelers of color.

RASCHINA FINDLAY
PROTRAVEL NETWORK

Raschinna Findlay is an expert in high-end, luxury travel - whether you are looking for a luxury villa and yacht, cruise, adventure travel, or cultural destination, Raschinna creates experiences that transcend the ordinary.

Culture Traveler is a boutique luxury travel service for discerning individuals and groups inspired by diverse cultures, fine arts, exquisite cuisine and unique global destinations.

BRIANNA GLENN
MILK + HONEY

Milk + Honey's goal is to make sure they know who you truly are and what you are looking for. Your vacation will be curated specifically for you, and they’ll utilize their expertise and contacts around the world to make sure you are treated like the VIP you are.

GAYNELLE HENDERSON
HENDERSON TRAVEL

Henderson Travel Service has a long and distinguished history in African travel and tourism. Henderson Travel first opened its doors in Atlanta, GA in 1955 as the first fully appointed African American owned travel agency in the U.S.

CLÉ HUNNIGAN
THE WIND COLLECTIVE

The Wind Collective is a global travel community expressing freedom through adventure and creativity. They travel not to escape but to truly discover how to be better, do more and embrace this beautiful place that we call Earth.

TILLIE & JOSEPH JAMES
TILLIE JAMES TRAVEL

Tillie James Travel's focus lies in the group and luxury travel market. In addition to servicing individual client bookings, Tillie James Travel has successfully designed travel experiences for groups as intimate as ten and as large as 150 travelers. Tillie has been invited to lend her group travel expertise to symposiums and speaking engagements.

KENNEDY JOHNSON
GREEN BOOK TRAVEL

Based in the U.S. and Nigeria, Green Book Travel is a full service travel company that specializes in hosting culturally immersive Ancestry & Heritage trips with an emphasis on the African Diaspora, while serving as an online source for travelers to connect with global black businesses in the tourism sector.

VINCENT JONES
CITIZEN JONES TRAVEL

Citizen Jones Travel is passionate about connecting unique travelers to curated experiences around the world and to each other.

TIFFANY LAYNE

LAVON TRAVEL

LaVon Travel & Lifestyle is a full service luxury travel collective, providing bespoke services to sophisticated jetsetters.

THOBEKA MAETELETJA
YELLOW HAT TRAVELS

Yellow Hat Travels merges the art of connections with incomparable travel experiences to create memories, milestones, and magic for individuals looking to explore their own country and world at large.

MAYLA MELO
FIRST IN SERVICE

Mayla Melo is director of leisure travel at First in Service Travel, curating every last detail of your leisure holiday from offering up inspiring destination ideas to booking flights and hotels to coordinating all the creative elements that make a trip truly special.

ASHLEY MILANI
MELANIN ON THE MAP

Dedicated to the travelers of color with a lust for life, the ones with a never ending desire to create lifelong memories, the ones who never let their circumstance limit their life experiences.

NIK MORALES
THE TRAVEL AGENCY (THE TRAVEL GODDESS)

Travel goddess and travel industry guru Nik Morales, specializes in creating once in a lifetime experiences for discerning individuals. She is renowned for her hands on, out of the box approach and her effortless ability to connect with clients.

COURTNIE NICHOLS
TRVLB

Through their member services, TRVLB provides custom travel guidance, planning, and on the ground expertise and connections to make luxury travel as much a part of your life as your skincare routine.

ALLYSON OWENS
ALLONS VOYAGE

Allons Voyage has planned fabulous experiential travel for clients to 6 of the 7 continents: Europe, Africa, Asia, North America, South America and Australia.

XAVIER OWONA
BLACK VOYAGEURS

Blackvoyageurs is an online discovery and booking platform that curates one-of-a-kind travel experiences to Afro-descendant travelers, in destinations around the world.

CHRISTINA RICE
OMNOIRE

OMNoire is a social wellness community for women of color dedicated to living well from the inside out. Through workshops, events and retreats, they aim to empower women to find wellness on their own terms and what works best for their lifestyles.

KECHI RICHARD SHEIDU
KAHERA TRAVELS

Kahera Travels' specialists utilize their extensive global connections, first-hand experience and local knowledge to personalize your ultimate holiday. Whatever the budget, they ensure a luxury travel experience.

JALYN ROBERSON
JAUNTS AND GEMS TRAVEL

Jaunts and Gems Travels helps travelers take amazing trips without the hassle & stress of planning and logistics. Jaunts and Gems is a full-service travel firm that provides premiere travel consulting & booking.

EVITA ROBINSON
NOMADNESS TRAVEL TRIBE

The NOMADNESS Travel Tribe, started by Evita Robinson, was the first to break ground in the urban travel movement in September 2011. NOMADNESSis the travel experience for the adventurer with creative edge.

JANELLE RUHUMULIZA
LILACS & CHAI

Lilacs & Chai is a boutique travel company. We focus on high end luxury travel with a holistic approach. An affiliate of EMBARK Beyond, a Virtuoso agency, travelers can expect tailor-made itineraries, added value, special perks and VIP recognition.

STEPHEN SCOTT
TRAVELHUB 365

Travel Hub 365 is a luxury-focused leisure and corporate travel agency. We are a team that focuses its efforts on solving and simplifying the needs of corporate, entertainment, sports, and leisure customers globally.

CLAIRE SOARES

UP IN THE AIR LIFE

Up in the Air Life is a great option to meet like-minded individuals that like lux travel.  They design and lead lavish group trips that invite you to submerge your senses. Trips are planned down to the last detail with great surprises along the way.

AYASHA TEAGUE
YOUR BLUEPRINT TRAVEL

Your Blueprint Travel creates a detailed trip which aligns perfectly with your individual travel style while exceeding all dreams and expectations, leaving no questions unanswered.

LAVERNE WALKER
SACKVILLE TRAVEL

Sackville Travel Services Limited is an independent travel agency and tour operator established in 1976 specialising in the Caribbean, USA and West Africa.

SHANNON WASHINGTON
PARLOUR TRAVEL

PARLOUR has been a top online destination for Black Women in search of the ever better. And through the lens of global travel and style. From planning her next trip, to creating the hottest itinerary and arriving in style, the editors and contributors of PARLOUR work in earnest to make sure that we are providing the very best in a manner that no one else is.

KEMI WELLS
WELLS LUXURY TRAVEL

Wells Luxury Travel is a collective of luxury travel designers who are incredibly passionate about travel. Whether you are looking for a once in a lifetime trip to Africa on safari, a bespoke gastronomic tour of Spain, cultural immersion in Argentina, or a wellness getaway, Wells is here to help you every step of the way.

NATASHA WILSON
TRAVEL GODDESS INTERNATIONAL

Travel Goddess International strives to provide an ease to the process of vacation planning, through personalized solutions at an affordable price. Our friendly, knowledgable and well traveled team, help educate, inspire and bring "vacation goals" to life, for each and every client.

The Blacklist: List

NORTH AMERICA

NEDRA DEADWYLER
CIVIL BIKES

Civil Bikes offers cycling tours of Atlanta’s Civil Rights history, local culture, and art — from a bicycle seat.

RASHAD FRAZIER
CAMP YOSHI

Camp Yoshi's vision is to create a space for Black folks and Allies to unplug, in order to reconnect with the wilderness.

GODFREY KHILL
GULLAH GEECHEE TOURS

There is no other tour offered in the city of Charleston that comes close to giving such a unique and genuine experience about the city’s history.

KEVIN KNIGHT
URBAN EVENTS GLOBAL

UEG is a collective group of people looking for a fun and exciting time while networking and checking off their bucket list items.

JAVIER WALLACE
BLACK AUSTIN TOURS

Black Austin Tours offers walking tours to individuals and groups. Black history has never played a major role in Austin’s tourism landscape so these tours were created to fill that space.

SID WILSON
A PRIVATE GUIDE

Sid Wilson is one of the best known and most beloved tour operators, guides and entrepreneurs in Denver’s tourism industry. A Private Guide offers more than 150 different Denver and Colorado itineraries.

The Blacklist: List
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