Celebrating Women in the Travel Industry for Women's Equality Day

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Today is Women’s Equality Day and commemorates the day that women in America were given the right to vote. The importance of ending discrimination toward women and providing equal opportunities for education and employment is significant in America and globally. In honor of Women’s Equality Day and how far women have come, here is a spotlight on some female-owned and female-run businesses in the travel and hospitality industry and the women behind them. Read on and support whenever you can!

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Lauren Bates, Founder and Owner of Wild Terrains
Showing support for businesses aligned with women's equality and rights, Wild Terrains is a boutique travel company specializing in small, curated group trips for women. The company is owned by Lauren Bates, a female entrepreneur who has made it her mission to create the very first travel company to be entirely fueled by and for women. Wild Terrains crafts unique trips to places like Mexico City and Portugal, where their itineraries entirely support women-owned businesses. Lauren's vision for Wild Terrains came from examining the itineraries of many other women-only travel companies, most of which were supporting male-owned and operated businesses. 

Amanda Keidan, Owner of Casa Delphine
Opened in April of 2019, Casa Delphine is a boutique hotel in San Miguel de Allende, designed and owned by Los Angeles designer Amanda Keidan. The five-room hotel focuses on a curated clean lined design aesthetic that is meant to make guests feel relaxed and inspired as they experience all that San Miguel de Allende has to offer. Amanda started her first company at the age of 22, Keidan Jewelry, a high-end jewelry company focusing on private commissions and one of a kind engagement rings. Casa Delphine is Amanda’s second business venture and the boutique hotel showcases her love of design and affinity for creating spaces that bring warmth, beauty and color together. Casa Delphine will be hosting retreats this fall that will cater to women travelers, including design and architecture tours in San Miguel de Allende, wellness cooking classes, mediation retreats and more. The hotel is perfect for a group of friends, colleagues and family to come down, take over the property and building enriching memories together. 

Rocio Vazquez Landeta, Founder and Owner of Eat Like A Local Mexico City
The founder and mastermind behind Eat Like a Local Mexico City, Rocio Vazquez Landeta was born and raised in Mexico City. A world traveler with more than 23 countries and 65 cities under her belt, Rocio is a sustainable tourism researcher, an avid reader, a food expert and entrepreneur. Eat Like a Local Mexico City has an all-women team and employs talented women as local guides and creates opportunities for single mothers and their kids. As a female-owned and operated company, Eat Like a Local Mexico City’s mission is to empower other women and create job opportunities that allow women in the local community to take care of their children and explore economic opportunities. Rocio shares the city that she grew up in and is committed to supporting the community in her city.  Eat Like a Local Mexico City is the only Mexican-founded food tour agency that actively promotes economic growth and creates opportunities for families within the traditional markets. I have personally had the pleasure of touring the city with her on a neighborhood street food experience and can attest to her knowledge of the area and ability to entertain and educate you the whole time with her familiarity of her people, place and palates.

Gina Lozada, Co-owner of Ignacia Guest House
Born and raised in Mexico City, Gina Lozada went to law school and practiced law for more than 10 years. She suddenly became aware of an entrepreneur drive and intuition within her, so she trusted her gut, quit her job as a lawyer and started a flower business that quickly became quite successful. Later, she partnered with some friends and opened a restaurant and then came up with the idea of transforming her home into a boutique bed and breakfast, Ignacia Guest House. Ignacia Guest House was once Gina’s family home for ten years, a 1913 mansion in the Roma Norte neighborhood of Mexico City. The namesake of this restored 1913 colonial house was the home’s beloved housekeeper, Ignacia. Gina decided to convert her home into a five-room design hotel and name it in honor of the beloved housekeeper who tirelessly took care of the casona for 70 years. Opened in February of 2017, Gina employs an all-women managerial team with Manager Magda Navarrete and Assistant Manager Romina Arguelles. Together, they oversee the daily operations of this beautiful property in one of city’s trendiest neighborhoods and love welcoming guests into their “home-away-from-home”. The hotel is the host property for Wild Terrains’ women-only group trips in Mexico City. 

Laurie Smith, Managing Consultant at Les Ilets de la Plage
Built in the traditional island style by The Ledée family, a prominent Saint Barths family in 1990, Les Îlets de la Plage was run as a family property for many years. In 2003, the family leased the property to hoteliers David Henderson and Laurie Smith who ran the business together until David’s departure from the island in 2012. Laurie has continued to oversee the management of the property since 2003 as the managing consultant. With her loyal team of co-resort managers Carine Chateau and Mélane Dullin, Les Ilets de la Plage is women-operated and women-run with Laurie, Carine and Mélane overseeing the day to day operations of this boutique resort. The team work tirelessly to ensure all guests have a wonderful vacation and appreciate the beauty and exceptional qualities that Les Îlets de la Plage and St Barths have to offer. Many improvements have been made over the years, but in keeping with the Ledee family’s concept, the resort is committed to maintain the simplicity and keep it as low key and as relaxing a place as it can possibly be. Les Îlets de la Plage is far removed from the glitzy glamour of Saint Barths - it is peaceful, relaxing, simple and beautiful. 

Have you experienced travel with any of these women or their businesses? Share away in the comments below so we can support them more and encourage others to enjoy their gifts to the travel world as well!

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