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In this episode, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with award-winning travel and tourism executive Carla Campos, who served as the Government of Puerto Rico’s Tourism Minister.

Through her own consulting practice, Carla supports governments and organizations as a destination manager, strategist, and sustainability specialist. Carla’s practical experience in tourism development throughout Latin America and the Caribbean has positioned her as a fiercely determined and purpose-driven industry leader capable of transforming challenging circumstances as catalysts for tourism growth. 

Carla is recognized as a key driving force behind the recent transformation of Puerto Rico into an avant-garde destination that has overcome historical challenges, including Zika virus, Hurricanes Irma and Maria, earthquakes, political unrest, and most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the implementation of destination management plans, sound public policy, and building strategic public-private alliances, the island has been able to bounce back and report record-breaking travel and tourism performance repeatedly.

Carla is a strong supporter of women’s leadership in travel and tourism and believes that sustainability must serve as a pillar for operational excellence in travel and tourism.

Christine and Carla discuss:

• Sustainable tourism and shifting perspectives
• Mindset shifts we can make when responding to crises
• Navigating transitions in our career and personal life
• Experiencing early career success
• Aligning our work with our purpose, values, and identity

Join Christine now for this soulful conversation with Carla Campos.

🌎​​​​​​​​

To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website. 

LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  

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Connect with Carla on LinkedIn! 

Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!

Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women.

Follow us on Instagram: @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast.

Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Carla Campos (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo.

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Welcome to the final installment of this special interview series on the Soul of Travel Podcast. We are excited to partner with Women in Travel (CIC) to bring you exclusive conversations with their community members to set the stage for the upcoming International Women in Travel and Tourism Forum to be held on June 22nd at Google headquarters in London. 

This partnership is important because of the aligned missions of Soul of Travel and Women in Travel, founded by past podcast guest and award-winning founder Alessandra Alonso. Women in Travel (CIC) is a UK-based social enterprise dedicated to empowering all women using travel, tourism, and hospitality as a force for good. They offer employability, entrepreneurship, mentorship, and male allyship programs and communities. 

In this episode, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Christina Lawford, Founder and CEO of Diamond Air International and Co-Founder and CEO of Evolve Car. In 2022, Christina became part of the book Unstoppable Women, telling the story of Female Entrepreneurs and their respective journeys through business and life. She also serves on the Executive Board for Women in Travel CIC. 

Christine and Christina discuss:

• Improving the air and rail travel experiences with custom meet and assist services
• Women in leadership in travel and aviation
• Creating meaningful and reliable employment in the travel industry for women who have experienced homelessness, domestic abuse, or gender violence
• Resilience in business through challenging moments

Join Christine now for this soulful conversation with Christina Lawford.

🌎​​​​​​​​

To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website. 

LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes!

Listener reviews help expand our reach and help us rise up the ranks! Rate and review your favorite episodes on Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast app.

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To learn more about Diamond Air International, visit the website!

Connect with Christina on LinkedIn, or follow Diamond Air International on Twitter or Facebook! 

Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!

Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women.

Follow us on Instagram: @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast.

Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Christina Lawford (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by

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In this episode, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Shay Sane, Founder and Executive Director of Black Girls On The Go, Inc. ®, an innovative wellness brand for ambitious, conscious, dynamic, trailblazing, Strong Black Women (SBW) to Live in Wellness, Exuberance & Happiness™. Their mission is to help women prioritize their mental health through advocacy work, conferences, facilitating seminars, delivering training and workshops, and facilitating Therapeutic Travel Experiences aka (TTraVsperiences®). After being diagnosed with high-functioning major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and epilepsy, Shay became a Mental Health Advocate. She is currently in training to become a Facilitator with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and is also a Brand Ambassador for Invisible Disabilities. Her work of creating an outlet for black women to heal has been featured in Black Enterprise, Rolling Out, Travel Noire, Madame Noire, and Work Your Business Magazine, and she was selected to participate in Facebook’s Leadership Summit. To date, Shay has amassed a tribe of over 30,000 women who desire to heal and build sisterly bonds through travel. 

In the episode, Christine and Shay discuss:

• How her personal journey has inspired the community and experiences she creates for black women to heal through travel
• Therapeutic travel experiences
• The increased need for more mental health support in recent years
• Getting out of the box when creating your business
• How women can create communities of support in their affinity spaces
• Upcoming events by Black Girls On The Go, Inc. ®

Join Christine now for this soulful conversation with Shay Sane.

🌎​​​​​​​​

To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website. 

LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  

Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes!

Listener reviews help expand our reach and help us rise up the ranks! Rate and review your favorite episodes on Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast app.

🌎​​​​​​​​

To learn more about Black Girls On The Go, visit the website!

Connect with Shay on LinkedIn, or follow Black Girls On The Go on Facebook or Instagram!

Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!

Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women.

Follow us on Instagram: @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast.

Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Shay Shane (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by

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Welcome to the third installment of this special interview series on the Soul of Travel Podcast. We are excited to partner with Women in Travel (CIC) to bring you exclusive conversations with their community members to set the stage for the upcoming International Women in Travel and Tourism Forum, being held on June 22nd at Google headquarters in London. 

This partnership is important because of the aligned missions of Soul of Travel and Women in Travel, which is founded by past podcast guest and award-winning founder Alessandra Alonso. Women in Travel (CIC) is a UK-based social enterprise dedicated to empowering all women using travel, tourism, and hospitality as a force for good. They offer employability, entrepreneurship, mentorship, and male allyship programs and communities. 

In this episode, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Eljesa Saciri, General Manager at the Zetter Townhouse Marylebone. 

Eljesa is a pioneer in the hospitality industry who passionately advocates for women in business, equal pay, and gender equity. She has been recognized by a number of media outlets, including Top50Boutique Hotels, Inspiring Women in Hospitality, and The Independent Hotel Show. 

Christine and Eljesa discuss:

• Women in leadership in hospitality management
• Breaking down barriers
• Women taking leadership roles in the workplace
• Getting comfortable with taking up space and being more visible
• Acknowledging and celebrating our successes and accomplishments

If you are inspired by this conversation and want to connect with other women influencing change, be sure to join us for the International Women in Travel and Tourism Forum. 

Join Christine now for this soulful conversation with Eljesa Saciri.

🌎​​​​​​​​

To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website. 

LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  

Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes!

Listener reviews help expand our reach and help us rise up the ranks! Rate and review your favorite episodes on Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast app.

🌎​​​​​​​​

Take a look at Women in Travel (CIC)! https://www.womenintravelcic.com/

Register for the International Women in Travel and Tourism Forum and Awards here!

To learn more about The Zetter Hotels & Co, visit the website.

Connect with Eljesa on LinkedIn, or follow The Zetter Hotels & Co on Instagram.

Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!

Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women.

Follow us on Instagram: @lotussojourns an

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In this episode, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Eyitemi Popo, Founder of Girls Trip Tours, an alternative tourism economy driven by women that will change how people travel in Africa. Eyitemi’s companies have been featured in National Geographic, Forbes, Talks and Google, Business Day, and in a United Nations case study on travel and tourism. She is a dedicated global traveler and cultural curator as well as a Forbes-listed social entrepreneur invested in the products, services, and ecosystems that help women thrive.

Christine and Eyitemi discuss:

• Influence of our family history on our own work
• Ecosystems of women-led businesses
• Curating custom, purpose-filled itineraries
• Importance of catering to women of African ancestry
• Sharing perspectives that center African women in social, cultural, and historical contexts

Join Christine now for this soulful conversation with Eyitemi Popo.

🌎​​​​​​​​

To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website. 

LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  

Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes!

Listener reviews help expand our reach and help us rise up the ranks! Rate and review your favorite episodes on Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast app.

🌎​​​​​​​​

To learn more about Girls Trip Tours, visit the website!

Learn about The Girls MAP Foundation here.

Connect with Eyitemi on LinkedIn, or follow Girls Trip Tours on Instagram or Twitter!

Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!

Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women.

Follow us on Instagram: @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast.

Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Jo Hendrickx (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo.

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Welcome to the second installment of this special interview series on the Soul of Travel Podcast. We are excited to partner with Women in Travel (CIC) to bring you exclusive conversations with their community members to set the stage for the upcoming International Women in Travel and Tourism Forum on June 22nd in London. 

This partnership is important because of the aligned missions of Soul of Travel and Women in Travel, founded by past podcast guest and award-winning founder Alessandra Alonso. Women in Travel (CIC) is a UK-based social enterprise dedicated to empowering all women using travel, tourism, and hospitality as a force for good. They offer employability, entrepreneurship, mentorship, and male allyship programs and communities. 

In this episode, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Sofya Muhrer-Muromets, Sustainability Lead at Tour Radar, an online adventure booking platform offering over 50,000 organized adventures by trusted global operators. Sofya holds a BA in political science specializing in climate politics and an MBA  in sustainable management. She has set a personal goal to show, guide and support the journey of change toward a better future. Sofya strongly believes that everything is connected and the current climate challenges can be overcome collaboratively. 

Christine and Sofya discuss:

• Connections between gender equity and sustainability
• Climate challenges and a collaborative approach to solutions
• The transformational power of travel
• The positive impact of tourism and the force in our collective power

Join Christine now for this soulful conversation with Sofya Muhrer-Muromets.

🌎​​​​​​​​

To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website. 

LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  

Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes!  Be sure to rate and review.

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To learn more about Tour Radar, visit the website!

Connect with Sofya on LinkedIn, or follow Tour Radar on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, or Facebook! 

Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!

Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women.

Follow us on Instagram: @lotuss

wmnsWORK
The tourism industry’s first business accelerator

for women & non-binary early-stage entrepreneurs.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

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In this episode, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Jo Hendrickx, Founder and CEO of Travel Without Plastic and Horeca Sustainability Solutions. Jo has worked in plastic reduction in the hospitality industry since 2007 after spending her career in tourism, from tour operations to health and safety auditing. Travel Without Plastic creates personalized toolkits and support packages for the hospitality industry with the goal of reducing and even ending the use of single-use plastics without compromising on the travel guest’s experience. 

Christine and Jo discuss:

• Ways to reduce our single-use plastic as we travel
• Jo’s experience collaborating with tour operators and collaborating organizations to eliminate and reduce single-use plastic items in Mallorca and Ibiza
• Plastic-Free Laos - a project that aims to reduce the top five single-use plastic in hospitality by supporting hotels, restaurants, and coffee shops
•  Hospitality goals in the context of plastic reduction and the considerations to be faced when it's time to scale

Join Christine now for this soulful conversation with Jo Hendrickx.

🌎​​​​​​​​

To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website.

LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  

Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes!

Listener reviews help expand our reach and help us rise up the ranks! Rate and review your favorite episodes on Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast app.

🌎​​​​​​​​

To learn more about Travel Without Plastic, visit the website!

Learn about Plastic Free Laos and reducing single-use plastic in Mallorca and Ibiza.

Connect with Jo on LinkedIn, or follow Travel Without Plastic on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook! 

Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!

Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women.

Follow us on Instagram: @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast.

Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Jo Hendrickx (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo.

Support the show

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Welcome to this special interview series on the Soul of Travel Podcast. We are excited to partner with Women in Travel (CIC) to bring you exclusive conversations with their community members to set the stage for the upcoming International Women in Travel and Tourism Forum to be held on June 22nd at Google headquarters in London. 

This partnership is important because of the aligned missions of Soul of Travel and Women in Travel, founded by past podcast guest and award-winning founder Alessandra Alonso. Women in Travel (CIC) is a UK-based social enterprise dedicated to empowering all women using travel, tourism, and hospitality as a force for good. They offer employability, entrepreneurship, mentorship, and male allyship programs and communities. 

In this episode, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Zina Bencheikh, the Managing Director of the EMEA region of Intrepid Travel, the world’s largest travel B-corp regarded as a leading advocate for gender equality. 

Christine and Zina discuss:

• Driving innovation toward more responsible ways of travel
• Increasing inclusivity in travel
• The intersection between travel and social justice
• The International Women in Travel and Tourism Forum
• Intentionally creating jobs for women in efforts to eradicate poverty and eliminate the gender opportunity gap

Join Christine now for this soulful conversation with Zina Bencheikh.

LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  

Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes!

Listener reviews help expand our reach and help us rise up the ranks! Rate and review your favorite episodes on Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast app.

🌎​​​​​​​​

Take a look at Women in Travel (CIC)! https://www.womenintravelcic.com/

Register for the International Women in Travel and Tourism Forum and Awards here!

Learn more about Intrepid! Connect with Zina on LinkedIn. Follow Intrepid on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!

Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women.

Follow us on Instagram: @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast

To read a complete transcript, see full show notes, and access resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to wmnsWORK
The tourism industry’s first business accelerator

for women & non-binary early-stage entrepreneurs.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

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“If we are saying that we are here to do storytelling for impact, and storytelling in solidarity, then we would want to tell stories that would be best suited to further the work of our collaborators in country.” - Aubrie Canfield

In this episode, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Aubrie Canfield, Founder and Managing Producer of Actuality Abroad, an educational travel organization that leads purpose-driven travel experiences with a focus on ethical collaborative documentary storytelling. Actuality Abroad teaches storytellers to seek the knowledge of local experts, leaders, and changemakers with the purpose of listening and learning from them, then documenting and sharing their work and wisdom. Aubrie also moonlights as an advertising producer, partnering with marketers and creatives on meaningful storytelling campaigns. 

Christine and Aubrie discuss:

• How to make travel and storytelling more meaningful and impactful
• Traveling to consume versus traveling to connect
• Distinguishing concepts of “your job” and “your work”
• Finding and following what lights you up – while keeping the lights on
• Types of storytelling projects within Actuality Abroad
• Storytelling as co-creation and collaboration
• Responsibly sharing photos, videos, and stories after traveling

Join Christine now for this soulful conversation with Aubrie Canfield.

LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  

Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes!

Listener reviews help expand our reach and help us rise up the ranks! Rate and review your favorite episodes on Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast app.

🌎​​​​​​​​

To learn more about Actuality Abroad, visit the website at https://www.actualityabroad.org/.

Connect with Aubrie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aubrie-canfield-134b014a/

Follow Actuality Abroad on your favorite social media network!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aubriecc/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ActualityAbroad

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ActualityAbroad/

Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!

Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women.

Follow us on Instagram: @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast

To read a complete transcript, see full show notes, and access resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to https://www.lotussojourns.com/podcast-episodes/episode125-aubrie-canfield

Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Aubrie Canfield (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by

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“Learning to be okay in your own company is one really big factor of solo traveling, because once you feel confident with your own company, then you can take on anything else.” - Nabila Ismail

In this episode, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Nabila Ismail, founder of the Dose of Travel Club and solo female traveler, entrepreneur, and pharmacist. Nabila is a Pakistani-American who is originally from New York and calls the world her home. She’s been solo traveling for the past ten years with the mission to educate herself about the world and inspire other women of color to follow their dreams. Her personal travel brand is Dose of Travel, which combines all of her interests from healthcare, pharmacy, entrepreneurship, and travel into content and idea sharing online. 

Nabila founded the Dose of Travel Club to create a safe, accessible, and inclusive place for travelers on a mission to see more diversity and representation in the travel space. 

Christine and Nabila discuss:

• The drive to create a welcoming space for other South Asian women travelers and entrepreneurs
• How our passions can intertwine
• The role of a different background (like pharmacy!) in giving us unique connections to destinations
• How journaling while you travel can help you track your shifts in perspective
• Sharing travel experiences as a content creator
• Making travel meaningful and impactful

Join Christine now for this soulful conversation with Nabila Ismail.

LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  

Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes!

Listener reviews help expand our reach and help us rise up the ranks! Rate and review your favorite episodes on Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast app.

🌎​​​​​​​​

To learn more about Dose of Travel and check out Nabila’s upcoming group trips, visit the website at https://www.doseoftravel.co/!

Connect with Nabila on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nabila-ismail-pharmd/

Follow Nabila on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doseoftravel/.

Find Nabila on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@doseoftravel

Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!

Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women.

Follow us on Instagram: @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast

To read a complete transcript, see full show notes, and access resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to https://www.lotussojourns.com/podcast-episodes/episode124.

Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Nabila Ismail (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo.

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