I describe myself as an industry outsider because I don’t come from a travel background—and that’s one of my biggest strengths. 

I wasn’t able to travel when I was younger, which is probably where my obsession began. The idea of travel was built up in my head from all the books, magazines and blogs I avidly consumed. When I finally was able to go away, there was a sense of disappointment. I had been in love with the idea of travel and instead I found the reality of tourism. 

This was the beginning of questioning the myths vs the realities of travelling, and it led me to start Reset Travel, an online platform that sought to make slow travel an exciting alternative to ‘fast travel.’ I ran it in my spare time while I worked full-time as a digital marketing executive. Some of my highlights included creating destination giftboxes during Covid-19 to raise money for tourism businesses, running a slow travel event in collaboration with climate charity Possible, and launching a product line to encourage people to focus on connection rather than consumption while away. 

Eventually, I realised I could have a much bigger impact working within the industry instead of trying to target individuals. So I decided to go back to university where I spent two years studying Responsible Tourism Management (PG Dip) learning about local economic development, destination management, responsible travel marketing, and culture and heritage.

The knowledge I gained during my course combined with my skills and cultural awareness has given me a unique perspective that is one of my most valuable assets as a travel writer and consultant.