Creating Global Spaces of Joy for Black Women 40+

 

Through Pack Light Global, we have created a nurturing space of connection for Black women over 40.

 

Travel as an expression of self-love and care.

We encourage and inspire Black women over 40 to have something that is just for them.  Black women travel for the same reason others travel, to see the world, to get away from it all, and to reclaim our time. By the time we have reached our 40s, Black women have cared for others, for decades. We want Black women in this season of life to discover spaces of joy and freedom...globally.  Our clients are wives, mothers, daughters and sisters who give generously to their families. They are also powerful professionals, community leaders and incredible friends who consistently show up for others.   And now, she is craving something personal...A time, place and space that is just for her.  We bring her to an environment where she feels cared for and emotionally nourished through sisterhood.  Simply put, we plan fabulous trips!  The kinds of trips she may never plan for herself, but she has always dreamed of.  We create the kind of trips where our guests might hike up a mountain to wade in a beautiful waterfall, sleep in a luxury tent in the Agafay Desert in Morocco, or take a magical balloon ride over the west bank of the Nile River in Egypt.

 

Global Travel as a Black Woman 40+

As an avid global traveler, I often found myself in spaces that felt uncomfortable and inhospitable to me as a Black woman.  Instead of experiencing joy while traveling, I often felt anxiety and stress.  Black women want to speak, move and travel freely in spaces where we feel welcome and can just breathe.   I constantly looked for but never found this type of space while traveling, so I created it.

I’m uniquely positioned to provide these experiences because I have been in their shoes but had an expansive career in this industry.

Much like the women who travel with us, in my mid-40s, I realized that I had spent most of my adult life working and caring for others.  So, at 46 and with a daughter in college, I moved to Paris to pursue my master’s degree in Global Communications.  This transformative experience inspired the women in my life to think about global travel.  When I returned from Paris, I realized that many Black women my age had similar feelings and desires to travel.  They were completely committed to family, career and community, however, they didn’t know where to start when it came to planning their travel bucket lists.  

So in 2018, I launched Pack Light Global with our first trip to Bali, Indonesia and Singapore; 16 women joined us on that trip. 

I leveraged years of marketing and event planning experience and applied lessons learned while exploring the world to create and curate travel experiences for Black women.

 

No more Travel Planning Anxiety

In addition to creating safe, welcoming spaces of joy for Black women, our seamlessly planned and thoughtfully curated trips remove travel planning anxiety that is often a barrier to global travel for women.  We manage logistics, provide convenient payment plans, and create outstanding world-class itineraries.  Then we get out of the way to allow the magic of a Pack Light Global trip to take over!  We are most often praised for creating a space of freedom, discovery, relaxation and fun.   

A Viable and Untapped Market

I also noticed that no one in the travel industry spoke to this vibrant and highly-resourced market. Everyone focused on younger travelers.   Black women, especially those that are GenX and older, are typically ignored by the travel industry and are rarely considered a viable market. At Pack Light Global, we disagree.  Not only is this segment ready to explore the world.  We crave the connection, freedom and joy that is found in spaces that specifically cater to and were created for us.

• U.S. Black travelers spent $129.6 billion on domestic and international travel in 2022*
• Generation X and Baby Boomer travelers represent more than 60% of Black leisure travelers.*
• The highest share of Black overnight leisure travelers falls into the Affluent Mature life stage (55+).*

Now Pack Light Global is Ready to Expand

Since our launch in 2018, we have curated, planned and led 12 trips to 12 countries.  Destinations include Morocco, Tanzania, an Island - Hopping cruise on a private yacht in Croatia, South Africa, Costa Rica, Paris and the French Riviera.  Despite the travel shutdown during the global pandemic, we have enjoyed steady growth and demand.  

We’ve come this far as a one-woman shop.  In 2024 we would like to extend our reach and serve more women. Here’s how you can help us grow:  We want to raise $50,000 to scale up operations and execute our vision for 2024 and beyond.

Our Vision

• Curate More Trips

• Streamline operations

• Spread the word-Marketing and Branding 

• Enhance overall travel experiences 

• Develop and curate more travel products and services

   

Thank you for being a part of our Journey.

Dawn Booker, Fearless Traveler and Founder

Pack Light Global Itineraries

_{* The Black Traveler: Insights, Opportunities & Priorities Report is the first in a series of MMGY Travel Intelligence market research studies to be informed by diverse travel advocacy organizations to identify better the needs, behaviors and sentiments of underrepresented travel communities. Featuring a combined sample size of 8,500 Black individuals, it is the most extensive travel research conducted of the Black traveling community.}