Leading Gap Year Travel Experts

I am an ex travel agent who has worked in the travel industry for over 11 years, with an overlap into travel writing for the past 5 years. Focusing on solo, female travel through a decade of gap years and working holiday visas, I help people plan their own trip of a lifetime.

For the past six years, my family and I have lived and traveled continuously around the world, visiting every continent in a 13-month span and documenting the experience as full-time travel creators. Along the way, our YouTube channels have grown to more than 700,000 subscribers, drawn not to glossy brochure travel, but to the real version: the logistics, the decisions, the tradeoffs, and the moments that don’t fit neatly into an Instagram square. After decades spent running digital marketing agencies, I co-founded ABC Trips, a luxury and adventure travel agency focused on high-touch, experience-driven travel—polar expeditions, African safaris, expedition cruising, private yachts, and deeply cultural itineraries designed for solos, couples, groups, and families. The work sits at the intersection of brokerage, storytelling, and logistics, with a strong bias toward knowing what’s genuinely worth the splurge—and what’s just good marketing. Along the way, I’ve served as a quoted travel industry source for major publications, appeared on network news segments and podcasts, and collaborated closely with leading travel brands, lodges, and expedition operators worldwide. My commentary often focuses on luxury and expedition travel, family and multigenerational travel, travel trends, and what it actually takes to design a location-flexible life that works long-term. These days, my time is split between: - Advising clients on exceptional luxury and adventure travel through ABC Trips - Serving as a media source and collaborator for journalists and brands - Continuing to explore the world with my family—still learning, still curious I’m not especially interested in chasing trends or shouting into the void. I value thoughtful questions, smart conversations, and people who care about doing things well—and enjoying the ride while they’re at it. If our paths cross, there’s a good chance we’ll have something interesting to talk about.

Passionate traveller and co-founder of CheckinAway.com, where I share detailed reviews and guides for upscale hotels and unique destinations. Exploring the world one trip at a time—here to share insights and help you plan unforgettable adventures!

I am a trekking Guide and adventure traveller from Nepal. I have been Handling Adventure Trekking, Expeditions, cultural, and Wildlife Tours in Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan since 2006. I love showing new people new places and giving them experiences they'll never forget. I have several past and current clients recommending me and my team, whom you can contact directly. This is, in fact, our best advertisement. Now I am working with smaller and more private groups through this. I love to travel around the world and share my experiences.

With 25 years in the travel industry across Europe, I have recently started my own business as a travel consultant. Leveraging my experiences as a tour guide in France, Norway and the Benelux, as well as resort work in other countries, I now help plan itineraries for independent travelers to Europe,

Luxury travel advisor, 500hr yoga-trained, aerial instructor, community leader of 150K, international resort leader

Hannah Snyder Wernecke is a Partner at Snyder Funeral Homes, Ohio’s largest family-owned funeral group, and a fourth-generation funeral director who has written thousands of obituaries published nationwide. She helps families across Ohio through life’s hardest moments while also leading the firm’s digital strategy and brand innovation. Outside of funeral service, Hannah is a world traveler (38 countries, all Seven Wonders), keeps a digital scrapbook at SeeThePyramids.org, co-creates the musical duo Vin Fiz (streaming everywhere), and co-founded the history-inspired apparel brand GhostedbyHistory.com (👻⏳🪡). Hannah speaks Spanish, ranks among the top 10% of Unsplash contributors for her travel photography, and is proudly married to Dantan Wernecke—a historian, French and Farsi linguist, and superb home chef. Her favorite film is Clue—because life rarely has just one ending.

* Ex-Finance analyst who left NYC job to backpack around the world for 5+ years, visiting 70+ countries* Featured in CNBC Make It, Buzzfeed "Top 20 Black Travel Bloggers to Follow", Popsugar "Top 50 Black Travel Influencers to Follow", CNN, Lonely Planet, Signature Bride, Thrillist* Travel Blogger with 16K followers* Worked on several campaigns with clients like Skyscanner, High West Whiskey, Memrise, GRAYL, CDC gov, Seven Corners Insurance, Flyaway

Maina is a tourism professional with extensive experience working at eminent East African brands such as Elewana Collection, Soroi Collection and Angama. She has a love for storytelling, and for the behind-the-scenes intersections where travel, conservation, and relationships converge.

I'm a travel blogger based in Prague, with expert insider knowledge on Prague and Czech Republic travel. I dabble in online marketing and write for my own travel blog, TravelGeekery.com, which I founded in 2014, as well as for other outlets. My work has appeared in Lonely Planet, and I authored the full Prague section in The Secret Cities, a book highlighting hidden corners of major world destinations. My travel writing has also been published by outlets such as AOL, Yahoo, and The Daily Gazette. As a Prague local, I share insider knowledge that goes beyond guidebooks, while my travels across Europe and beyond give me a broad perspective on culture, food, and unforgettable places.

My name is Kristen and I have traveled, lived and worked all across the globe for over a decade. In 2013, after nearly a decade building a career in corporate marketing in NYC, I left it all behind to travel solo across 3 continents and 26 countries. From there I became a scuba diving instructor, and spent the next 10 years living and working in Thailand, Mexico, St. Croix and Florida. In 2017, I was voted PADI's Inspiring Woman Diver of the Year. Beginning in 2024 I joined Fora as a luxury travel planner and have launched my own travel brand and blog, Dear Destination Travel, so that I could help inspire others to make their travel dreams and goals come to life. I have now traveled to 6 continents and over 35 countries. My website, deardestinationtravel.com, is a complete travel resource and inspiration hub.

I'm Phillip, and I'm a marketing consultant focused on SEO. I've been a digital nomad traveling around Europe, mainly in Lisbon and Portugal. I fell in love with the city and the country, which made me start a website to share all my knowledge and let other people have a fantastic time in Lisbon. Toda,y I live in Denmark, visit Lisbon multiple times a year, and help my amazing clients grow organically on Google and through email marketing.

International Business Management Student | Entrepreneur Welcome to my LinkedIn profile! I am Laura Bernazano, an aspiring entrepreneur and marketing enthusiast, I strive to make an impact by combining my academic expertise with hands-on experience in the floral industry.Founder at Vermont Flowers Europe: A thriving wholesale company specializing in preserved flowers. I established this venture to bridge the gap between the European market and our company in Kenya who invented preserved flowers 40 years ago. With a focus on quality, sustainability, and customer service, we cater to a diverse range of clients seeking flowers, foliages and moss to create unique floral arrangements or moss walls.Continuous Learning:In my pursuit of excellence, I am a firm believer in continuous self-learning. Whether it's staying up-to-date with the latest digital tools, attending industry conferences, or engaging in online courses, I am dedicated to expanding my knowledge base to deliver optimal results.

Sue Calvert is the founder of Sojourns With Sue, a travel blog and YouTube channel inspiring women over 50 to embrace solo travel with confidence, humor, and curiosity. She covers solo adventures across Europe and the U.S., with a special love for big-city energy and the charm of small-town escapes. By blending safety advice, practical tips, and a touch of wit, Sue helps midlife women discover destinations, hotels, and strategies that make traveling alone not only doable but deeply rewarding.

As the Senior Travel Writer and Content Marketer at Zicasso, I leverage my MFA in Creative Writing and over 10 years of experience in the leisure, travel, and tourism industry to create engaging and informative content that connects travelers with authentic and personalized experiences. I have established hundreds of articles, sample itineraries, bulletins, emails, blogs, and social media posts that showcase the diversity and richness of global destinations and cultures, while also developing and implementing SEO and advertising strategies that drive traffic and conversions. I manage and mentor a team of writers, researchers, and editors, and collaborate with travel partners and stakeholders to ensure quality and consistency across all platforms and channels. My passion is to build connection and trust through storytelling, and to inspire others to explore the world with curiosity and wonder.

Maina is a safari travel specialist, dedicated to helping travelers from around the world experience Africa’s wild beauty safely and authentically. With years of hands-on experience exploring Kenya’s national parks and working closely with trusted safari operators, Maina combines insider knowledge with a passion for wildlife conservation.

Rob McIntosh is an avid skier and has worked in winter sports tourism for over 20 years.

I’ve spent over seven years at Yonder Travel Insurance mastering the 'fine print' so travelers don't have to. My expertise lies in deconstructing complex policy language into clear, actionable advice, whether I’m recommending the ideal plan for a unique itinerary or guiding a client through the intricacies of the claims process. By maintaining key partnerships with top insurance providers, I stay at the forefront of industry trends to provide unbiased, expert insights that help travelers maximize their benefits and navigate the unexpected with confidence. I use this experience to craft insightful responses on behalf of Yonder to further educate the public on travel insurance, which you can explore in my featured articles section.

Christina Gales is a luxury travel advisor and founder of Christina Gales Travel, a boutique travel consultancy specializing in European itineraries, Caribbean escapes, elevated family travel, milestone celebrations, and luxury ocean and river cruises. A Fora and Virtuoso-affiliated advisor based outside Chicago, Christina has planned hundreds of trips across 20+ countries and serves over 100 clients nationwide. With extensive destination training across Europe, the Caribbean, Iceland, Hawaii, and Mexico—plus specialist certifications in luxury travel, cruise planning, and ecotourism—she brings both breadth and depth to every journey. Her preferred status with 8,500+ hotels, resorts, and cruise lines globally allows her to secure exclusive perks and VIP experiences for clients. As both a travel professional and mother of five, Christina is frequently sought after for her expertise in family travel strategy, multi-generational trip design, and making luxury travel approachable for real families. She speaks regularly on European travel planning, destination trends, the psychology of travel, and the shift toward meaningful, purpose-driven travel experiences. Her itineraries favor local culture, boutique hospitality, and personalized experiences over mass-market tourism. Known for her warm, collaborative approach and concierge-level support, Christina helps travelers feel confident, connected, and inspired—from dream to departure to memories that last a lifetime

Licensed, insured, and bonded professional travel agent. I love to travel whether it be for adventure or relaxation. I love to share my passion of traveling with others. I have experience in booking travel of all kinds.