travel insurance masterGet to know one of our Travel Insurance Master Affiliates, Stephanie of blacktrekking.com. Based in Tampa Bay, FL, Stephanie is a travel blogger, author, journalist, and content creator. She founded the family travel blog, blacktrekking.com in 2018!
Blog: blacktrekking.com
IG: instagram.com/blacktrekking_
Facebook: facebook.com/blacktrekking
T-shirt line: @sleepmoneytees
Stephanie, walk me through how or why you started your blog?
I started it because I wanted to share my travels around the world and also to build an audience in preparation for the debut of my travel memoir, “Blacktrekking: My Journey Living in Latin America.”
Do you feature a specific type of travel or area?
I focus on family travel and destinations highlighting Black History and Culture.
What is your favorite part about being a blogger?
I love being able to inspire people to visit places outside of their comfort zones. My goal is to encourage more black Americans to obtain passports and travel the world. I also want to inspire more non-blacks to visit destinations highlighting black culture so they can learn more about it and our history.
What is your favorite or dream destination?
My favorite destinations are Ghana and Bora Bora. Bora Bora was an incredible honeymoon trip for my husband and I and the perfect place to go for rest and relaxation. I loved my solo trip to Ghana because I had been longing to visit Africa for awhile. It was a trip full of emotions learning about the culture and also the extreme hardships my ancestors endured during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.
What is your favorite travel tip?
Mention special occasions when you visit hotels. They will often upgrade your room and provide you other things like free breakfast during your trip.
What other suggestions do you have for travelers?
Don’t let having food restrictions such as a dairy allergy prevent you from traveling. I am lactose intolerant. I just ask a lot of questions when I eat out to insure I don’t get sick because sometimes ingredients aren’t listed on the menu. Often times, the chef will create special meals for you.
Negotiate. When purchasing souvenirs and other things, make sure to negotiate as this may save you money.
Take public transportation as it will save you money.
Engage in food and walking tours. Oftentimes AirBNB has some great options.
Remember to support black owned businesses. Share the love.
What suggestions do you have for bloggers or what has been the biggest obstacle you have had to overcome with your blog?
I wish I had known about search engine optimization when I started. I’d definitely recommend reading, “Make Traffic Happen.” I’ve struggled with page views and making ad revenue.
Also it seems doing a blog on wordpress is slightly easier.
Always get your subscribers email addresses because you can lose your Instagram at any time.
How can our readers follow your travels?
They can check out my blog, www.blacktrekking.com and subscribe to our e-newsletter so they don’t miss a post.
They can also order a copy of my travel memoir, “Blacktrekking: My Journey Living in Latin America,” which tells the story of my time as a young black woman living in Colombia and the Dominican Republic.
The link to order an autographed copy is: www.blacktrekking.com/book/blacktrekking
Be sure to follow Stephanie's travels!
Blog: blacktrekking.com
IG: instagram.com/blacktrekking_
Facebook: facebook.com/blacktrekking
