On a day-to-day basis, avenues for brief mental escapes are aplenty, whether it’s taking an extra long lunch break, zoning out to a marathon of your favorite TV show or indulging in a mid-week spa day. While those relaxing activities can provide a much-needed respite from the daily grind, there comes a point when having a glass (or two) of wine to recover from a hard day’s work just doesn’t cut it anymore, and only a vacation will do the trick.
Fortunately there is a unique travel niche that consists of Black travel groups run by individuals who use their passion for international traveling to encourage and enable other blacks to embrace a global mindset as well.
Here are four Black travel groups:
The Mobile Mamas Crew
For the young, Black single mothers coming dangerously close to depleting that source of super-heroine strength required for solo parenting, the Mobile Mamas Crew wants to provide a remedy for your frayed nerves. Blogger Paula Montgomery designates her creation as the “Single Parent Travel for Black Women” that reminds single mothers to prioritize self-care. Through Montgomery’s group, members have a way to connect with other single mothers on group trips, or get help planning individual trips if they prefer. Through the #CrewLove system, members earn points by referrals or promoting the site’s services on social media. Those points are then redeemed for cash to finance an upcoming trip. Another great thing about Mobile Mamas Crew is that there are no member fees. Travelers are only responsible for costs associated with the trips they actually take.
National Association of Black Scuba Divers
Ric Powell and Dr. A. Jose Jones are the two African-American certified divers behind the National Association of Black Scuba Divers, an organization that promotes awareness of the marine environment and serves as a way for African-American divers to convene and indulge in their passion for exploring the marine environment. NABS offers student, family or individual memberships and boast over 2,000 members nationwide and globally. They have regional clubs located all over the U.S., and an international club located in Mozambique.
Black Boaters Summit
In the midst of the grappling with life’s responsibilities, it’s easy to dismiss the thought of relaxing on a luxury yacht as some unfulfilled music video fantasy or a location for a magazine photo shoot that you weren’t invited to. Luckily, Paul Mixon of Black Boaters Summit makes this swanky vacation idea a reality by providing a way for solo travelers and couples to set sail and explore the waters surrounding the British Virgin Islands. This travel group will appeal to those who enjoy an active vacation as much as lounging and getting a tan. Guests also partake in bareboating, a true hands-on experience in which they assist with cleaning, cooking and even sailing the yacht in order to help foster an increased interest in sailing amongst the black community.
Black Girls Travel
If Black Girls Travel were a novel, its synopsis would read something like, “A group of happy-go-lucky, sophisticated exploratory sistas gather and set out to see the world.” Founded in 2008 by Fleacé Weaver, Black Girls Travel caters to the “fun-loving, progressive” Black woman by arranging one-of-a-kind group tours to international destinations such as Italy, Dubai, France, Brazil and South Africa. Black Girls Travel also pairs traveling with other interests such as family time like with “Divas & Daughters,” which exposes girls ages 8-15 to international travel. The group also combines the adventures abroad and fitness with “Bella Bootcamp,” a weight-loss tour in which participants explore the sites while working up a sweat.
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