From Alabama To Cape Town: Black Girls Travel Too
This series highlights African-American entrepreneurs impacting the hospitality and travel industries in both minor and significant ways. This week TravelCoterie is highlighting Dianelle Rivers-Mitchell, founder of Black Girls Travel Too, a travel company focused on creating once in a lifetime experiences for African-American female travelers and their allies.
Dianelle Rivers-Mitchell’s challenging upbringing in an under-served community of Mobile, Alabama never dampened her wanderlust. After a school trip to Washington, DC Danny knew nothing would deter her from pursuing a life – and later career – in travel.
Dianelle likes being called “Danny” – it’s a modest simplification that may save her a few seconds in daily conversations. And those seconds for this full-time mother, wife, entrepreneur, business owner, influencer and traveler are precious.
Danny’s calming external demeanor stands in contrast with her military background. But it’s her training in the armed forces during her early 20s that today helps her operate one of the most successful Black-owned tour companies in the world. Danny is the founder of Black Girls Travel Too, a company that meticulously plans and safely operates multiple, annual international group trips. Danny has led experiences for thousands of African-American women from India to South Africa and Paris. The travel guru’s experiences are tailored around sisterhood, cultural immersion and self-empowerment.
Those messages often translate to her brand’s messaging, which resonate particularly well on social media. BGTT has grown an Instagram presence of over 130k followers utilizing useful travel information and tips to build a supportive community. Not one to limit ambition, Dianelle’s expanded her tourism empire to include what she’s calling the “Expat Experience.”
Danny smartly noted that the problem with vacations for most is that they end. The dawning of the WFH era sparked her to create the “Expat Experience,” which provides an opportunity for travelers to visit vacation destinations for three months instead of one week. Having successfully launched the pilot program in Barbados, Danny looks to connect more Black travelers with expat experiences in the countries of Thailand, South Africa and more.
Eric has revolved in and out of passport controls for over 20 years. From his first archaeological field school in Belize to rural villages in Ethiopia and Buddhist temples in Laos, Eric has come smile to smile with all walks of life. A writer, photographer and entrepreneur, the LA native believes the power of connectivity and community is enriched through travel.