
Tourism Entrepreneur Podcast
By Tourism Entrepreneur Network

Tourism Entrepreneur PodcastMar 30, 2022

The Fascinating World of VIP Travel with Johnny Vegas
Topics : VIP travel, Luxury travel, events & entertainment, , Johnny Vegas, Yohanes Zewdu, Dubai ,Kloudout Travel, Koob travel, covid19
Johnny Vegas, the founder of Dubai-based Luxury Travel agency Kloudout is our guest today. We talk about his childhood in Ethiopia, how he moved to the USA and set up what has become one of the most sought-after VIP travel and entertainment brands.
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[1:10] About Johnny: intro and background
[2:31] About Kloudout and Koob Travel
[4:24] Tips to grow and succeed in the VIP travel industry
[6:50] Challenges and impact of Covid19
[14:21] About Dubai and its tourism offering
LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:
Kloudout website: https://www.kloudout.com/
Johnny's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnny1vegas/?hl=en

Crowdfunding for tourism SMMEs with Phakamile Hlazo and Nnenna Fakoya-Smith
Topics: Women in Tourism, Nnenna Fakoya-Smith, Tourism SMMEs in Africa, Tourism funding, Phakamile Hlazo, South Africa, Nigeria
Do not miss this conversation on tourism funding and travel trends hosted by South African Tourism Strategist Phakamile Hlazo. Phakamile chats to Nigerian award-winning tourism promoter and visibility coach Nnenna Fakoya-Smith about her newly launched Tourism Crowdfunding platform and Walk For Love campaign.
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[1:42] About Nnenna: intro and background
[3:55] Impact of Covid19 in Nigeria
[6:08] Tourism Crowdfunding platform
[13:30] African SMMEs and the issue of funding
[17:50] The process of setting up a tourism crowdfunding platform in Africa
[24:00] Trends in African tourism
LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:
Nnenna Fakoya-Smith: https://www.instagram.com/ajalanene/?hl=en
Walk for Love: https://linktr.ee/WalkForLoveAfrica
Phakamile Hlazo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phakamile-hlazo-84843432/
Zulu Nomad: https://www.zulunomad.com/

The Rise of Travel Apps and the Future of Group Travel with Charlotte Franzellin
Topics: Trippers, New travel app, group travel, Charlotte Franzellin, Weekend getaways in Europe
Welcome to the tourism entrepreneur podcast, I am your host Vanessa Mbenoun and today we are taking a look at a new mobile app which is hoping to change the way travel is booked. Trippers allows you to spend less time on planning and more on experiencing. Its founder, Charlotte Franzellin is our guest so please stay tuned and don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast and visit tourismentrepreneur.com
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[0:53] About Charlotte: intro and background
[2:29] About Trippers: the group planning app
[3:40] Trippers target market and expansion plans
[7:10] The path to launch a successful travel app
[10:00] How the idea of Trippers came about: common issues with group travel
[12:40] What differentiate Trippers from other travel apps
[16:30] Trends and future of travel
[20:10] Lesson learned and words of wisdom
That’s it for today! In the meantime, visit tourismentrepreneur.com to join our community and monthly events! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur
LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:
Trippers: https://trippers.app/about-us/

Mergers and Acquisitions in tourism with Wolf Wӧrster of Acceso Europe
Topics: Acceso Europe, Mergers and Acquisitions in tourism, Buy a tourism business, vacation rentals, CertiStay, Wolf Wӧrster
Welcome to the tourism entrepreneur podcast, I am your host Vanessa Mbenoun and today we are going to take a closer look at the concept of acquisitions in the tourism industry and see what options are available to you as a tourism entrepreneur if you wish to sell or buy a new business. We chat to the founder of Acceso Europe, a firm which represents owners, companies and entrepreneurs in the selling and acquiring of travel and leisure related businesses. Wolf Wӧrster is our guest so please stay tuned and don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast and visit tourismentrepreneur.com
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[1:14] About Wolf: intro and background ( Volta Villas and CertiStay)
[8:52] About Acceso Europe
[11:05] Understanding Country licensing and Master Franchising
[12:54] How to join/register to buy and sell on Acceso Europe
[15:13] About the African market
[16:50] Future trends in the tourism industry
[19:00] Words of wisdom for tourism entrepreneurs
[20:10] What’s next for Acceso Europe
That’s it for today! In the meantime, visit tourismentrepreneur.com to join our community and monthly events! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur
LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:
Acceso Europe: https://www.accesoeurope.com/
CertiStay: https://www.certistay.com/
Volta Villas: http://www.voltavillas.com/

The Future of the MICE industry & the Rise of Hybrid Events with Andy McNeill of American Meetings, Inc.
Topics: MICE, Meetings, events, incentives, conferences, Andy McNeill, AMI global, hybrid events, COVID19, Destination Everywhere podcast
Today we talk about Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions ( also known as MICE) and the rise of hybrid events. Our guest this morning is the CEO and founder of A.M.I Global, an industry-leading meetings and events agency. He is also the co-host of the Destination Everywhere Podcast which I know you’ll want to check out after listening to this interview. Andy McNeill is on the Tourism Entrepreneur podcast, so stay tuned and don’t forget to subscribe and visit tourismentrepreneur.com
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[1:14] Andy’s intro and background
[2:50] About the Destination Everywhere podcast
[5:05] The State of the MICE industry
[7:14] Tips and tools to host successful hybrid events
[9:12] How can destinations carve their own space in the global MICE industry
[11:10] Trends that will impact the MICE industry in the future
[14:25] Words of wisdom and encouragements for fellow MICE entrepreneurs
[15:40] What’s next for the Destination Everywhere podcast
That’s it for today! Coming up next week: a conversation with Wolf Worster, CEO of Acceso Europe. In the meantime, visit tourismentrepreneur.com to join our community and monthly events! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur
LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:
AMI Global: https://americanmeetings.com/
Destination Everywhere podcast: https://americanmeetings.com/podcast/

Experience Creators and the Rise of Ex-commerce with Lisa Simpson of Easol
Topics: Easol, ex-commerce, experience economy, Shopify for experiences, Travel, tourism entrepreneurship, Tour operators
Welcome to the tourism entrepreneur podcast, I am your host Vanessa Mbenoun and today we are going to take a closer look at tours and experiences and talk about the rise of “ex-commerce”. Today we welcome the co-founder of EASOL, the first e-commerce platform dedicated to travel and experience businesses. Lisa Simpson is our guest so please stay tuned and don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast and visit tourismentrepreneur.com
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[1:00] Lisa’s intro and background
[9:50] What is Ex-commerce and how does it differ from E-commerce
[13:50] When could experience businesses start generating revenues again?
[20:30] (From Easol report) American travellers concerns regarding COVID19
[23:12] ( From Easol report) Group travel beyond the pandemic
[24:10] Growth tips for Ex-commerce businesses
[29:12] What’s next for EASOL
That’s it for today! Coming up next week: a conversation with Andy McNeill, CEO of AMI and co-host of Destination Everywhere podcast. In the meantime, visit tourismentrepreneur.com to join our community and monthly events! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur
LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:
EASOL: https://easol.com/
EASOL report: https://easol.com/easol-better-days-are-coming.pdf

Tourism Talks: Sustainability and the Future of Tourism in Africa with Judy Kepher-Gona of STTA Kenya
Topics: Sustainability, Responsible travel, Fair Trade in Tourism, Community conservation, Travel, tourism entrepreneurship, future of African travel
Welcome to the tourism entrepreneur podcast. I am your host, Vanessa Mbenoun and today we will conclude our series on sustainability. People, brands, destinations… It seems like everybody talks about it but what is it really about? To make sure we get the right answers this morning, we welcome one of the leading figures of sustainable tourism in Africa . She has over 20 years’ experience working with the tourism sector with a focus on community based tourism and community conservation. she was awarded the Sustainable Citizen Award by Forbes Woman Africa and she is the founder of the Sustainable Travel and Tourism Agenda (STTA Kenya). Judy Kepher-Gona is on the tourism entrepreneur podcast so stay tuned and don’t forget to subscribe and visit tourismentrepreneur.com
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[1:45] Judy’ s intro and background
[11:50] Sustainable Travel and Tourism Agenda ( STTA Kenya)
[32:10] Definition of sustainability and sustainable tourism
[44:20] Understanding the concept of community conservation
[50:10] What should Africa’s priorities be when it comes to making our tourism industry more sustainable?
[59:40] About the African Tourism Leadership Awards: challenges and next edition
[1:03:00] Advice for tourism entrepreneurs and responsible travellers
[1:09:40] What is next for STTA
That’s it for today! Coming up next week: a conversation with Lisa Simpson from Easol. In the meantime, visit tourismentrepreneur.com to join our community and monthly events! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur
LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:
STTA Kenya: https://sttakenya.org/
Kamaroutes: www.kamaroutes.com
SATSA: https://www.satsa.com/

The Benefits, Challenges and Future of Fair Tourism with Charlotte Louwman-Vogels of Fair Tourism NL
Topics: Fair Tourism, Sustainability, travel, travel trends, covid19, future of travel
Welcome to the tourism entrepreneur podcast. I am your host Vanessa Mbenoun and the next 2 episodes will focus on 2 amazing women, who are consistently striving to build a more responsible and sustainable tourism industry. This week we are welcoming Charlotte Louwman-Vogels, the CEO of Fair Tourism, a NPO based in Netherlands. Please stay tuned and don’t forget to subscribe and share the podcast!
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[1:00] Difference between Fair Tourism and Sustainable Tourism
[3:00] Charlotte’s background and the creation of the Fair Tourism foundation
[6:50] Unfair and harmful practices in the travel industry
[10:00] Community Based Projects the foundation is involved in
[17:30] Fair Tourism in Africa
[20:45] How can we make the tourism industry more sustainable and fair
[24:00] How to join/ collaborate with Fair Tourism NL
That’s it for today! Coming up next week: Judy Kepher-Gona of STTA Kenya. In the meantime, visit tourismentrepreneur.com to join our community and monthly events! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur
LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:
Fair Tourism: https://www.fairtourism.nl/en/
Kamaroutes: https://www.kamaroutes.com/
Tourism Entrepreneur: https://www.tourismentrepreneur.com/

T.E. Talks: sustainability and the business of tourism in South Africa with Phakamile Hlazo and Alesimo Mwanga
Topics: Travel, tourism entrepreneurship, sustainability, travel trends, covid19, future of African travel, inAfrica travel, PAWA Africa
Welcome to the tourism entrepreneur podcast. Today is Africa Day and we are welcoming not one, but two leading female entrepreneurs, to talk about sustainable tourism and running a tourism business in South Africa. My guests are Alesimo Mwanga, Executive director of PAWA Africa and Phakamile Hlazo, founder of Zulu Nomad and inAfrica Travel.
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[1:24] Alesimo’s intro and background
[3:50] Phakamile’s intro and background
[11:50] Definition of sustainability by Alesimo
[19:00] How to future-proof your tourism business by Phakamile
[23:08] About the long-term social and economic impacts of the pandemic in Africa by Alesimo
[30:58] How can SA tourism entrepreneurs secure investments by Phakamile
[39:18] About bootstrapping and starting small by Alesimo
[46:50] About diversity and inclusion in SA tourism industry by Phakamile
[57:45] Future plans and projects
That’s it for today! Coming up next week: we will be chatting to Charlotte Louwman-Vogels of Fair Tourism NL. In the meantime, visit tourismentrepreneur.com to join our community and monthly events! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur
LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:
inAfrica : https://inafrica.travel/
Zulu nomad: http://www.zulunomad.com/
Phakamile Hlazo: http://phakahlazo.com/
PAWA Africa; https://pawaafrica.com/
Tourism Entrepreneur: https://www.tourismentrepreneur.com/

The Path to Success for Black Travel Content Creators with Caroline Sande of TravelEatSlay
Topics: Travel, Black Travel, content creators, tourism entrepreneur, travel trends, digital marketing, covid19, future of black travel, TravelEatSlay, The travel Box
Welcome to the tourism entrepreneur podcast. I am your host, Vanessa Mbenoun and today is the 2nd and last part of our series on black content creators. Our guest today is an experienced travel content creator who has been featured in Conde Nast traveler and Travel Noire. She is a is the founder of TravelEatSlay, an apparel brand and community of travel enthusiasts.
Caroline Sande is on the tourism entrepreneur podcast so stay tuned and don’t forget to subscribe and visit tourismentrepreneur.com
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[0:44] Guest intro and background
[3:10] How to make your travel brand unique
[5:20] introducing Travel Boxx
[9:11] About diversity, inclusion and Black travel.
[17:13] Tips for travel content creators
That’s it for today! Coming up tomorrow: it’s Africa Day and we will be chatting to Phakamiile Hlazo of inAfrica and Alesimo Mwanga of PAWA. In the meantime, visit tourismentrepreneur.com to join our community and monthly events! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur
LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:
Travel Eat Slay: http://traveleatslay.com/
The Travel Boxx: https://thetravelboxx.co.uk/
Tourism Entrepreneur: https://www.tourismentrepreneur.com/

How to demystify travel in the black community and succeed as a travel content creator with Rachel V Hill
Topics: Travel, Black Travel, content creators, travel trends, digital marketing, covid19, future of black travel
Welcome to the tourism entrepreneur podcast. I am your host, Vanessa Mbenoun and this morning we are welcoming a travelpreneur who was one of Travel Noire’s “11 Influential Black Women in Travel You Should Know”, she’s been featured on USA Today, Huffington post and Lonely Planet. She is also a published author, a digital marketing strategist and if you haven’t guessed it yet, her name is Rachel V Hill and trust me, you don’t want to miss this chat. So stay tuned and don't forget to subscribe to the podcast!
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[1:00] Guest intro and background
[06:37] Demystifying travel in the Black community
[8:20] How to transform an idea into a valuable digital product
[12:28] How can we as an industry make Black travel content creators more visible
[16:20] Key points to consider in influencer marketing
[19:50] Marketing war room podcast and other resources available on rachelvhill.com
[22:50] Tips for travel content creators
That’s it for today! Coming up next week: we chat to Caroline Sande, founder of TravelEatSlay.com .In the meantime, visit tourismentrepreneur.com to join our community and monthly events! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur
LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:
Rachel V Hill websites: https://www.rachelvhill.com/ & https://www.racheltravels.com/
Tourism Entrepreneur: https://www.tourismentrepreneur.com/

The Future of African Travel with Katja Quasdorf of Jenman Safaris Group
Topics: Africa, travel trends, tourism marketing, covid19, future of travel
Welcome to the tourism entrepreneur podcast. I am your host, Vanessa Mbenoun and today we will be talking to a well-known figure of our industry about the future of African Travel. Her name is Katja Quasdorf, you might know her as the CEO of the Jenman safaris group but she is also a passionate leader and conservationist. I am petting sure she is going to share valuable insights regarding the crisis our industry is currently facing so please stay tuned and don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and our YouTube channel!
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[0:39] Guest intro
[01:31] Katja’s background and future career plans
[06:46] Jenman Safaris covid19 coping plan and internal procedures
[14:46] Suggestions on how to reopen travel successfully
[18:28] “ whether it’s in terms of recruitment or ability of Africans to travel, do you think out industry is inclusive or conducive enough?”
[21:45] Trends that will impact the future of African travel
[26:36] Katja’s final remarks and tips
That’s it for today! Coming up next week: we chat to Caroline Sande, founder of TravelEatSlay.com .In the meantime, visit tourismentrepreneur.com to join our community and monthly events! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur
LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:
Jenman safaris: https://www.jenmansafaris.com/
Chilo Gorge safari lodge: http://chilogorge.com/
Kamaroutes: www.kamaroutes.com
African tourism trends by Phakamile Hlazo: https://www.tourismentrepreneur.com/top-african-tourism-trends-for-2021/
Lightning Travel Recruitment: https://lightningtravelrecruitment.com/

The rise and future of digital nomads with Dan Rozenblum of Becomenomad
Topics: digital nomads, travel, remote work, nomad villages, digital nomad visa, future of work, covid19
Hello everyone and welcome to the tourism entrepreneur podcast. I am your host, Vanessa Mbenoun and we are going to talk about the rise and future of Digital Nomads. Our guest today is Dan Rozenblum, podcast and blog editor of BecomeNomad.com
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[0:36] Guest intro
[01:00] What is a digital nomad
[04:28] Can anyone become a digital nomad ( perks & disadvantages)
[08:18] Practicalities: taxes, insurances and how to ensure a steady income as a digital nomad
[13:00] The future of remote work
[15:30] What are the best destinations for digital nomads
[24:00] Is there an ideal length of stay for digital workers?
[26:30] How can African destinations position themselves as “digital nomad -friendly”?
[30:00] Tips for anyone wishing to become a digital nomad.
That’s it for today! Coming up next week: we chat to Katja Quasdorf, CEO of Jenman Safaris. In the meantime, visit tourismentrepreneur.com to join our community and monthly events! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur
LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:
BecomeNomad: https://becomenomad.com/

The Future of Employment in Tourism with Chris King of Lightning Travel Recruitment
Topics: tourism jobs, travel and hospitality, unemployment, labour market, covid19, recruitment in tourism, personal branding
Hello everyone and welcome to season2 of the tourism entrepreneur podcast. I am your host, Vanessa Mbenoun and we are going to talk about the current state of the industry and the future of the labour market post-covid. To discuss this topic which is even more sensitive if we take into account the inevitable wave of job losses that hit the industry since last year, we are welcoming Chris King, founder and CEO of Lightning Travel Recruitment in the UK!
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[01:00] the current issues with recruitment in tourism
[04:38] Adopting a human approach in recruitment
[05:40] How has the pandemic affected the labour market and what skills are now in demand
[09:25 The future of travel and employment in tourism
[14:05] The importance of formal education for your tourism career
[16:20] Tips to grow your personal brand in the tourism industry
[19:00] Inclusion and diversity in the travel industry
That’s it for today! Coming up next week: we partner with Chris King to launch the Own Your Brand webinar and you can book your seat for free HERE. In the meantime, let’s keep in touch! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur
LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:
Lightning Travel Recruitment: https://lightningtravelrecruitment.com/
Personal branding webinar: https://www.tourismentrepreneur.com/event/personal-brand-building-in-the-tourism-industry/

The State of Luxury Travel with Sarah Groen of the Luxury Travel Insider Podcast
This is the last episode of the year and the closing topic for this first season is luxury travel. A much coveted niche which according to some observers, has been the hardest hit by the pandemic. Our guest is the founder of Bell & Bly travel, a boutique travel advisory for entrepreneurs & executives. She is also the host of the luxury travel insider podcast and a contributing travel columnist for CEO World Magazine. Sarah Groen is our guest today!
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[00:37] Sarah’s background and how she started her tourism brand
[03:50] The Luxury Travel Insider podcast
[05:48] What is luxury travel and what differentiates luxury travellers from others
[08:43] The state of luxury travel before and after the COVID19 pandemic
[11:10] Future travel trends
[15:03] Tips for luxury travel entrepreneurs and startups
[18:33] That’s it for today! Coming up next week: the official launch of the tourismentrepreneur.com website! In the meantime, let’s keep in touch! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur
LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:
Luxury Travel Insider Podcast: https://www.stitcher.com/show/luxury-travel-insider
Bell & Bly travel: https://bellandblytravel.com/luxury-travel-insider/

How to make adventure tourism more accessible with Jezza Williams of Making Trax
Topics: Inclusivity in Travel, Accessible tourism, Jezza Williams , Making Trax, disability tourism, adventure travel, Diversity in travel
According to Making Trax, one in four New Zealanders have a disability and approximately 650 million people have a physical disability. This is the last episode of our series on inclusivity in travel and today we are talking about how we can make adventure tourism more accessible to travellers with special needs. Our guest is the man behind “LIMITLESS”, an award-winning documentary that depicts the life of a tetraplegic paraglider. He is also an international adventure guide, with more than 20 years’ experience and a world expert in inclusive tourism. The founder of Making Trax in New Zealand, Jezza Williams is our guest today!
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[00:37] New Zealand’s tourism in the covid-era
[02:40] State of inclusive tourism
[04:34] Tool: Making Trax’ inclusive directory
[08:05] Inclusive tourism vs accessible tourism
[11:28] Jezza’ story and personal experience
[15:40] Challenges of a tourism entrepreneur with special needs
[18:35] How to connect with travellers/clients with special needs
[20:26] That’s it for today! Coming up next week: A chat with Sarah Groen of Bell & Bly on the state of luxury travel In the meantime, let’s keep in touch! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur
LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:
Making Trax: https://www.makingtrax.co.nz/
Limitless the movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5p89DobXUo
We are explorers: https://weareexplorers.co/meet-jezza-williams-limitless/

How to stimulate diversity and inclusion in the Travel Industry with Martinique Lewis
Topics: Inclusivity in Travel, Martinique Lewis, Travel Magazine , The ABC Travel Greenbook , Black Travel Alliance, diversity in travel
We are still talking about inclusivity in travel and we are exploring more ways to make the tourism industry even better and more diverse. Today’s guest is an award-winning diversity in Travel consultant and the President of the Black Travel Alliance. She is also the author of The ABC Travel Greenbook which is the number 1 resource connecting the African Diaspora Globally. Yes, you’ve guessed right: Martinique Lewis is our guest today!
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[01:20] Martinique’s background and her role as a diversity in travel consultant
[02:16] The Black Travel Alliance
[04:10] Definition of the concept of inclusivity
[05:24] Tool for businesses: the diversity in Travel report card
[07:16] The ABC Travel Greenbook
[10:37] The Future of Travel
[12:20] Upcoming projects
[13:26] Marty’s advice to tourism entrepreneurs
[14:39] That’s it for today! Coming up next week: A chat with Jezza Williams of Making Trax in New Zealand. In the meantime, let’s keep in touch! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur
LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:
The ABC travel greenbook: www.travelgreenbook.com
Martinique Lewis: https://www.martysandiego.com/
Making Trax: https://www.makingtrax.co.nz/

How to make the travel industry more inclusive for LGBTQ+ with Robert Geller of Fabstayz
Topics: Inclusivity in Travel, Robert Geller, Fabstayz, LGBTQ+ , Vacation rental, Airbnb
We are still talking about inclusivity in travel and this week, we are going to focus on how to create a better industry for the LGBTQ+ community. It is clear that a lot of progress has been made so far, but truth is people who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender still face the harshest forms of discrimination, even in spaces claiming to embrace diversity. For instance, imagine having to disclose private information like your sexual orientation every time you book a room, to avoid any “bad surprise” when it’s time to check in… Well, our guest is the founder of a vacation rental company that brings an end to travellers having to come out to their hosts. His name is Robert Geller and he is the founder of Fabstayz.
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[00:58] Robert’s professional background and previous venture
[03:39] How and why Robert created Fabstayz
[06:35] What sets Fabstayz apart from other LGBTQ friendly vacation rental companies
[09:42] Importance of allies in the LGBTQ+ community
[13:24] The Airbnb polemic and how Fabstayz ensures the quality of their listings
[14:33] Upcoming projects
[16:20] Lesson learned and advices to entrepreneurs
[17:40] That’s it for today! Coming up next week: A chat with Martinique Lewis and the ABC Travel Greenbook. Let’s keep in touch! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur
LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:
Fabstayz: https://fabstayz.com/
Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com
MisterBnb: https://www.misterbandb.com/
Martinique Lewis: https://www.martysandiego.com/

Inclusivity in Travel: How to amplify the Voices of Black Travellers (with Ella Paradis)
Topics: Inclusivity in Travel, Ella Paradis, Travel Magazine , The Black Explorer, Black Travel, Tourism
For the next 4 weeks we are going to explore a new topic which is kind of important if like me, you hope for a better, more diverse tourism industry. I am talking about the concept of Inclusivity in travel. We are going to talk to four entrepreneurs who have been working tirelessly to make our industry more welcoming to all kinds of people regardless of their races , genders, abilities or sexual orientations. Our first guest is the woman behind a new publication designed to showcase the voices of underrepresented Black Travellers. Her name is Ella Paradis and she is the founder of the Black Explorer Magazine.
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[00:48] Ella’s background and why how The Black Explorer magazine was born
[04:30] The essence of the Black Explorer
[07:08] Challenges faced while creating a print magazine during a pandemic
[09:17] Sneak peek: What to expect from the upcoming editions of the magazine
[13:37] Trends: the future of solo female travel
[15:00] Upcoming projects
[16:47] Ella’s advice to new entrepreneurs
[17:23] That’s it for today! Coming up next week: A chat with Robert Geller of Fabstayz. Let’s keep in touch! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur
LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:
The Black Explorer magazine : www.theblackexplorer.com
Fabstayz: https://fabstayz.com/

Virtual Events: Coronavirus Fad or Here To Stay? - with Venicia Guinot
Topics: Virtual Events, Business tourism, Tropics Business Summit, Covid19, Venicia Guinot
According to Ruben Castano of virtual events solution platform 6Connex, the virtual event industry has increased by 1000% over the last few months. The covid19 pandemic badly impacted large and even small scale events worldwide so logically, organizers had to look for suitable alternatives. Although going virtual was one of the best options at the time, now borders are reopening and restrictions are slowly loosening up, and it is difficult to predict if the trend is here to stay. Today we are going to talk about virtual events and business tourism in South Africa with Venicia Guinot, the founder of the Tropics Summit (TBS) , one of the most prominent business meetings on the African Continent.
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[00:56] Venicia’s background and how the Tropics Business Summit was created
[03:54] The State of Business Tourism in South Africa
[05:02] Challenges of hosting virtual events
[07:52] Are Virtual Events here to stay?
[09:57] What to expect from the first virtual TBS
[07:57] Albert’s Advice to fellow tourism entrepreneurs.
[11:20] Upcoming projects and new ventures
[15:55] That’s it for today! For the next 4 weeks, we will focus on the concept of Inclusivity in tourism. Let’s keep in touch: connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur
LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:
6connex: https://www.6connex.com/
Tropics Summit website: https://tropicsbusinesssummit.com/

360 Stories: Reshaping Tourism through AR/VR
Topics: Virtual Reality, Virtual Reality, Albert Poghosyan, Augmented Reality, E-Tourism, Prof. Roman Egger, Google
Today’s episode is the last of our series on travel photography and Virtual Reality and I am very excited to chat to our guests, who are experts in the fields of VR and E-tourism. It’s quite an interesting topic and it is important to note last year already, the global virtual reality market size was valued at more than 10 billion dollars. It is also predicted in the near future, VR videos will become the ultimate tool in tourism marketing and travel planning. We will talk about how this specific technology can be used to revive the tourism industry and practical ways for small tourism businesses to adopt Virtual Reality. Albert Poghosyan, the founder of 360 Stories is our special guest and Prof. Roman Egger, head of the department of innovation and management in tourism of the university of Salzburg in Austria will be joining us later to answer our listeners’ questions.
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[01:05] Albert’s background and why 360 Stories was created
[03:19] How to implement/adopt VR as a small tourism business
[05:20] Opportunity: How to become a 360 Stories partner/content creator
[06:21] Opinion: will VR ever replace physical experiences?
[07:18] Upcoming plans/projects for 360 Stories
[07:57] Albert’s Advice to fellow tourism entrepreneurs.
[09:27] Prof. Roman Egger answers our audience’s questions about AR/VR and the future of tourism
[21:52] That’s it for today! Coming up next: A chat with Venicia Guinot on business tourism in Africa and virtual events. Let’s keep in touch! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur
LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:
360 Stories: https://360stories.com/
More on VR: http://www.virtual-reality-in-tourism.com/

Shoot My Travel: Redefining On-demand Travel Photography
Topics: Travel photography, Shoot My Travel, Valerie Lopez
Through our workshops, I have met a lot of young entrepreneurs who would love to create more opportunities for themselves but think because of their background, the colour of their skin or their gender, they shouldn’t be too ambitious. Our guest’ story is a reminder that nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself and your idea. She founded a global marketplace connecting travellers with on-demand professional photographers in more than 500 destinations around the world. Her company has raised over a million dollar in VC funding and if you haven’t read about her on The New York Times or Forbes, be sure to catch her today on the tourism entrepreneur podcast. Today’s episode is the third of our series on vacation photography and Valerie Lopez, the founder of Shoot My Travel is our guest.
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[00:55] Valerie's background and how Shoot My Travel was created
[05:10] Achievements: Shoot My Travel’s expansion, partnership with Apple and awards
[06:43] From bootstrapping to VC funding
[08:48] Challenges faced as a female founder in tourism
[09:59] Valerie’s insight on the future of travel
[13:19] Upcoming projects
[14:10] Valerie’s advice to new and aspiring tourism entrepreneurs
[16:16] That’s it for today! Coming up next week: Albert Poghoshyan of 360 Stories on AR/VR in tourism. Let’s keep in touch! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur
LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:
Shoot My Travel: https://www.shootmytravel.com/
360 Stories: https://360stories.com/

Explorest: The Travel App making Location Scouting great again
Topics: Travel photography, location scouting, Explorest, Justin Myers
While preparing episode #6, I came across some interesting stats that showed that in the UK only, 40% of millennials consider how instagrammable a location is before thinking about travelling there… Well let's be fair, it's not only a millennial thing, we can all agree that a great picture can make us dream about a destination we never had in mind before. That is why Explorest has been on everyone's lips or phones recently: this innovative location scouting app has been consistently making headlines and was described by Forbes as the ultimate instagrammers dream. Today Explorest co-founder, Justin Myers is our guest.
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
- [01:15] Justin's background and how Explorest was created
- [04:04] How Explorest differentiates itself from its current competitors
- [04:59] Exciting updates and new features on the Explorest app
- [06:50] Conservation: Explorest partnership with Leave No Trace
- [09:06] Challenges faced while building the Explorest brand
- [12:54] Justin’s take on the future of travel
- [14:22] Why Explorest was first launched on IOS
- [15:37] Justin’s tips to new and more experienced tourism entrepreneurs
- [17:06] That’s it for today! Coming up next week: Valerie Lopez of Shoot My Travel
- [17:37] Let’s keep in touch! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur
LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:

Travographer: The Rise of the Private Travel Paparazzi
The next 4 episodes will be focusing on a trend that was already huge before the covid19 crisis and which will certainly survive it: Travel photography and Virtual Reality in tourism.
As you may know, millennials are the fastest growing demographic of travel but they’re also the ones driving this trend. Indeed according to WeSwap, 31% of millennials said that posting holiday pictures online is just as important as the holiday itself and 90% of them share their vacation photos on social media during their trip ( https://crowdriff.com/resources/blog/travel-statistics)
The demand for Instagram-worthy travel pictures has paved the way for innovative services like Travographer, which aims to provide travellers with the best on-demand local photographers, to capture & preserve beautiful memories anywhere in the world. Travographer’s co-founder, Kapil Arora is our special guest today.

How to adjust your content marketing strategy post Covid19 with Peter Fabricius
As tourism restarts in an increasing number of countries, many companies are looking for effective ways to reconnect with their customers. This however might be more complicated for some businesses and today's guest, will help us figure out the best strategic steps to follow. His name is Peter Fabricius, he's been working with tourism brands across Asia and Africa and he is the co-founder of Springnest, an online marketing platform for tourism and hospitality businesses.

Mzansi Tourism Champion: A support network for those in need
Welcome to the Tourism Entrepreneur Podcast.
We are back in South Africa where according to the Tourism Business Council ( TBCSA) , a daily loss in tourism expenditure of R748 million has been recorded, as a result of covid19 pandemic. Up to 600 000 jobs or more could also be at risk... In order to uplift and meet the needs of tourism employees who have been left without an income during this time, the Mzansi Tourism Champions initiative was born. Its co-founder, Tim Louw is our guest today.

Wayaj: Tackling Climate Change Through Tourism
During a family trip to Togo (West Africa) , seasoned traveller Nelly Gedeon realised the devastating effects of global warming on the environment. When she returned to the United States, she started researching the impact of tourism on the environment and found out up to 9% of greenhouse gas emission originated from it. Nelly decided to create Wayaj, he first ecotravel app designed to explore and book sustainable and socially responsible destinations around the world.

How To Thrive in Tourism Marketing during a pandemic with Natalia Rosa
In August, South Africa celebrates Women's Month and today's guest started the brillant #IAmTourism campaign which aims to uplift women in tourism as herself. She will also share relevant and practical tips on how to market tourism brands in times of crisis. We are delighted to welcome Natalia Rosa, the director of Big Ambition Marketing.

Trailer-Tourism Entrepreneur Podcast
Hello everyone and welcome to the tourism entrepreneur podcast!
This is a platform for - and about - tourism entrepreneurs from Africa and beyond. Together, we are going to discover some of the world's most innovative tourism ventures. I am your host, Vanessa Mbenoun and I am the founder of 2 award-winning tourism companies: Creative And Moving and Kamaroutes Travel Designers.
Tourism is a multibillion industry and also one of the fastest growing in the world. Don't you wonder sometimes who are the mysterious men and women behind it? Well I do and I can't wait to meet them and learn from their journey. And ultimately get inspired by their stories.
One of the goals of the show is also to keep you updated on the current trends and developments in the tourism and hospitality industry
So please do not hesitate to join us and connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur!