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5 examples of innovative women-owned travel businesses

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Women-owned travel businesses are at the forefront of innovation in the industry, offering fresh approaches and diverse insights into travel. In this article, you’ll discover five exceptional companies founded and led by women entrepreneurs. From sustainable adventure tours to luxury wellness retreats, these businesses are redefining travel for the modern explorer.

Luxe Tribes

Founded by travel blogger Chidi Ashley, Luxe Tribes is a luxury tour company offering global travel experiences, including group trips and private, personalized adventures.

Luxe Tribes specializes in curated experiences, avoiding a cookie-cutter approach. They collaborate with a select group of trusted service providers, local creatives, and small businesses who possess unparalleled expertise in their respective countries to craft unique travel itineraries. Luxe Tribes operates worldwide, offering trips ranging from iconic European destinations like Rome and Venice to exotic locales like Bali and Brazil.

While these curated, in-depth experiences may come at a premium compared to standard trips, Luxe Tribes strives to make them accessible. They offer payment plans with monthly installments to enhance affordability and convenience. For solo travelers, Luxe Tribes has cultivated a travel community that brings together like-minded individuals eager to step out of their comfort zones and forge new connections.

Luxe Tribes exemplifies a story of organic growth. Initially, they relied on a simple web form for trip requests, with agents manually processing each inquiry. However, as demand grew, Ashley recognized the need for automation and integration. She hired Zoftify to build a booking platform for her travel agency. This strategic move propelled Luxe Tribes to new heights, resulting in a fourfold reduction in booking processing time and solidifying their position as a successful luxury travel business.

Kind Traveler

Kind Traveler, co-founded by Jessica Blotter and Sean Krejci, is a “give + get” hotel booking platform. What does it mean? Through this platform, travelers can unlock exclusive hotel rates and perks by making a donation to charity. The minimum donation is 10% or more, which goes to the vetted local charity of your destination, positively impacting the place you’re going to visit.

Kind Traveler is totally transparent — 100% of donations are going to charities. You can see exactly where it goes — be it wildlife conservation, funding education programs, or aiding local communities. The platform is constantly growing and has partnerships with 350+ hotel, destination and charity partners in 25 countries, so you’ll always have options to choose from.

And they’re not just random hotels or places to stay — it’s fancy destinations, boutique gems, glamping experiences, and luxury resorts. Kind Traveler also actively vets its partners, to make sure they advance environmental sustainability, bring a substantial community impact, and promote individual wellness at a local level.

Since their start in 2016, Kind Traveler has had some impressive results around the world. Here are some examples: they provided 686 students in an after-school program with Abriendo Mentes in Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica with school supplies, gave 2,893 families in need food in Sri Lanka, and planted 2,731 carbon-sequestering breadfruit trees in Hawaiian Islands.

Eat Like a Local

Eat Like a Local is a culinary adventure platform in the heart of Mexico City. It caters to travelers who want to experience the city’s authentic flavors beyond tourist traps and overpriced restaurants. Instead of settling for inauthentic dishes, visitors can discover affordable local spots that cook for loyal regulars rather than quick profits. This platform helps you explore Mexico City’s culinary scene as if you were a resident who knows all the best-hidden gems.

On this platform, everyone who travels to Mexico City can book food tours that they find most interesting. It’s not just an endless run of tacos — these tours will take you off the beaten path, where you can eat at family-owned eateries, local markets, and street food vendors. If you didn’t book in advance, don’t worry — there are also a lot of last-minute deals, so you can join the tour in the heat of the moment.

Eat Like a Local, founded by Mexico City native Rocio Vazquez Landeta, has roots in her childhood. Growing up with a chef mother, Rocio developed a deep love for good food, eventually becoming a food blogger herself. The platform is more than just a culinary venture; it’s a women-only business born from Rocio’s personal experiences as a survivor of domestic violence. By employing only women, Rocio aims to provide financial independence, hoping to prevent others from facing similar situations she once endured.

Also, her tours primarily highlight other female-owned businesses, embracing responsible tourism practices. This approach includes educational programs for women at markets and providing food for homeless individuals during each tour.

MiHotel

MiHotel, located in Lyon, France, is a unique blend of technology, style and hospitality. Owned by Nathalie Grynbaum and Céline Falco, this woman-founded business combines high-end apartments with classic luxurious hotel services, offering guests the feeling of living in a modern home with all the conveniences of a real hotel.

The main difference between MiHotel and regular hotels lies in the details. Their spacious suites are equipped with everything from bathtubs to fireplaces and espresso machines, each personally designed by an interior designer. Guests enjoy complete autonomy, checking in through an app and accessing services via a digital concierge. Moreover, everything can be customized for each stay, ensuring a unique experience every time.

MiHotel’s suites are strategically located in prime neighborhoods within the city center, close to business and tourist attractions, with easy access to train and metro. For the environmentally conscious, e-bikes are available, and those seeking a touch of luxury can opt for Tesla valet services.

Grynbaum and Falco’s success story goes beyond just creating a successful hotel. It serves as an inspiration for aspiring women entrepreneurs, demonstrating how the right combination of ideas, innovation and determination can disrupt traditional business models and improve the experience for everyone involved, especially travelers.

Sojrn

Sojrn is a platform for adult study abroad programs. It caters to people who want to travel and work remotely while learning new skills, offering them the flexibility to choose what they want to learn and where they want to travel.

Here’s how it works: you pick a Sojrn Chapter that interests you most. After payment, Sojrn arranges your housing, connects you with local hosts, and provides a variety of curated activities. Each chapter has its own theme, such as art and architecture in Barcelona or wine arts in Tuscany. Sojrn then provides activities and resources to help you learn a new skill or deepen your knowledge of the overall theme.

The platform is built on the philosophy of slow and mindful travel. This approach encourages respectful and open engagement with the local culture, mindful exploration, and taking time to appreciate the details. Sojrn is also committed to climate neutrality and sustainable travel, not just in words but by actively investing in these initiatives.

Sojrn was founded by Tara Cappel and is part of FTLO Travel, a fast-growing group travel firm for young professionals aged 25-39. As a fully remote travel company, Sojrn is something of a passion project. Drawing from their own experiences of living and working abroad, they aim to share this lifestyle with the world and make it more accessible.

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