In celebration of Women’s Month, we are shining a spotlight on women who continue to shape the way we engage with the tourism industry across Africa. We recently sat down with US-based travel curator Beatrice Kelly, virtually connecting across continents. Our conversation unpacked her love for Africa, her approach to creating meaningful journeys, and the importance of community, culture and supporting Black-owned businesses.
Beatrice shares what continues to draw her back to the continent, and why the most memorable journeys are the ones that weave authentic connection into the itineraries.
Camissa: You say that you’re “an executive by day and a curator by design.” Was travel always within your periphery? Did you have what people call wanderlust?
Beatrice: I would say that as a child, I grew up from very humble beginnings. We did not travel a lot, but when we did, it was a very magical experience with my family and sometimes extended family. I grew to love it.
As I got older and had more means, I was fascinated by different destinations and started travelling as a young adult. Fast forward to now, I have my own family who’s very inquisitive about the world and so I want to share that love for them around travel with them.
Initially, I wanted to do something really special for my birthday and I decided that I wanted to create an experience that you couldn’t get anywhere else and bring folks to the motherland. We’ve all been to the Caribbean and places like that; so I wanted to have all of my love languages satisfied. I curated this experience to Africa, which started a love for me. I’ve subsequently curated more experiences for a broader group and starting my own business.
Bitten By The “Africa” Bug
Camissa: Online, you mention that Southern Africa was the first place that you visited on the continent. Cape Town is an award-winning destination so coming here feels mandatory. What was it about other destinations like Victoria Falls that called to you?
Beatrice: The Wonders of The World. When I think about my love for senses, my love for food, my love for people, my love for culture, it seemed like the only destination that made sense. Starting in Johannesburg gave me the love for the culture, the love for the history, the love for food, the love for fashion and art. Then Vic Falls slowed it down and helped me enjoy my love for nature, my love for the falls.
As an American, we often go to Niagara Falls, but Victoria Falls is something different. It’s breathtaking – the rumbling. I am a big supporter of black businesses and to find Mbano Manor and learn the story of Doc (Mati) and her staff; it’s just the quaintest boutique luxury hotel that I love.
To end that trip in Cape Town, with the oceans meeting together with the food, the wines, the people, the history.
All of the senses were satisfied by the three destinations in one vacation.
Making Memorable Connections
Camissa: What I’ve come to know about a lot of your journeys, is that there’s an intention with connecting with the community to have that authentic experience. What about that was so important for you to provide for some of your clients?
Beatrice I’m always looking to create the most memorable experience, a take-your-breath-away experience, because if you’re investing your time and your dollars, I want the journey to be very unique. To do that includes actually being able to connect and understand where people come from, and that we all have something in common and to support one another. If I don’t do anything else on this earth, my legacy will be to make sure that I give back and support.
The things that I’m most proud about are the 12 young ladies from Capricorn School that I mentor now, and I continue to stay in touch with them and encouraging them on their journey.
My guests also have a heart for service. They enjoy bringing things to give back to the community; sitting down with locals, hearing their story. That changes people forever. Now, they want to go back, to continue to go back to the continent and invest in the continent.
Camissa: Yeah. I noticed that. Outbound tourists find Africa quite moorish. You come here once and you have to find a way to come back. You try to find ways to maybe make this a second base.
Beatrice: I agree. I wish the flight was shorter, I’m getting used to it now. What I’ve learned and love is connecting with people like Eulenda Lebese-Cusson, a property attorney in South Africa based in Cape Town. She and her team have been phenomenal.
We have curated a real estate investment tour. So we’ve been looking at properties in Johannesburg and I plan to fast forward that to other areas of South Africa. But yes, second base is ideal for me.
Finding The ‘Perfect Match’
Camissa: I think we can both agree that travel is a kind of education through exploration. Did you find that when it was your first time coming here, or even with some of your clients, when they first came to the continent of Africa, there were preconceptions?
Beatrice: I would say we were not very educated. I think they just trusted that this would be a great destination and going to the motherland was very intriguing. I made it easy for them. The amount of knowledge and history absorbed was overwhelming and hard to digest, but very eye opening about where we come from as a people. Being back home contextualises the language, the dance, the food, how we interact as families and how we’ve come to live in this world today.
We all learned a little bit something that will carry forward with us and that we’ve taken back to share with our families here.
Camissa: Do you find that there’s a kind of similarity with some of the cultures across the continent? Because you’ve been to South Africa and Zimbabwe, is there some sort of common thread in your opinion?
Beatrice: The beauty is in the diversity. You know what really resonated for me was the time we spent in Durban. KwaZulu-Natal was very different to Cape Town and Vic Falls but the common thread is community and the people.
Camissa: Now that you mention Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, are there any destinations ones across the continent that you were pleasantly surprised by?
Beatrice: it’s hard for me to narrow down just one thing. If I had to, I’m probably going to go with Vic Falls because as Americans, we’re always on the go. Our life is very fast-paced. When you’re able to slow down, connect to nature, connect to your thoughts and enjoy the surroundings, it changes you. So Zimbabwe for sure. I had the opportunity to slow down, take it all in, get my thoughts together, do some journaling.
Travel, With A Purpose
Camissa: Yeah, it is quite a privilege to slow down, to introspect. The sweet art of doing nothing invites your body recharge and let your mind exhale. We’re in such a consuming-dense time that we’re constantly just inhaling things. Sometimes it’s nice to have that moment of exhalation.
Beatrice: Yes, I would say that. I’m also going to add Table Mountain to the list of pleasant surprises. I am fascinated by the mountain. It’s so mysterious. It’s breathtakingly gorgeous.
I have not hiked it. I refuse to wake up very early to hike it. I prefer to hang out and enjoy the nightlife of Cape Town but some of my guests have hiked the mountain.
Camissa: Let’s chat a little bit about Camissa now. From the conversations I’ve had with Phil and Khonaye, you trusted them with a journey when Camissa was very young. What was it about the brand that resonated with you?
Beatrice: Being local and being Black-owned. Again, I’m really big on giving back and Camissa came to me as a referral from another executive. When I spoke to Khonaye, he spoke very highly of their connections to the people and places on the continent. That sold me. When I had the opportunity to meet Khonaye and Phil in person, they 100% understood my vision and carried it out flawlessly.
Camissa: What influences your decisions to go to the places that you go to? Do you do your own research on the side? Or are you having conversations with some of your clients, some of your friends?
Beatrice: I think it’s a mix of both. Travel trends come in waves; you might come across a Top 25 Places to Visit in 2026 or 2027, right? So I’m go, “oh, these are what people are going to be looking for.“ And then I decide, out of the places, where I can create an exceptional, breathtaking experience that people would buy into and trust me to curate for them.
Lately, it’s been all of Africa. So we’re going to Ghana in November 2026, but earlier this year, we did go to Thailand.
What’s Next…
Camissa: You spoke about the five senses earlier. You also mentioned particular love languages for yourself. Are there particular requests that you get from some of your clients that inform some of these touch points? Do you find yourself curating separate journeys or is there a way to find a middle ground in one journey?
Beatrice: I have learned to find a happy medium. I sell luxury journeys that are built on connection, community and thoughtful culture opportunities to connect.
So I’m really excited that I’ve made a connection with Christo Brand who was the prison guard for Nelson Mandela. I had an opportunity to meet him in South Africa and also host him here in Dallas, Texas. Now, I’m going to be able to have a sit-down dinner with him and my guest.
So you can go to Robben Island, which just a regular tour, but the added is my clients get to immerse themselves in a private setting with someone they otherwise wouldn’t have access to.
Camissa: There is a new wave of travellers who are intentional about how they financially engage with the industry. They want to know that their money is going to other black people and brown people; that it’s going to the communities that really need it. I assume this is a kind of assurance that you give your clients when you’re doing these journeys?
Beatrice: I would say it’s really a basis on who I am and I have always been that way. Growing up on the east side of Detroit, a predominantly black city, my job is to support under-resourced communities and minority businesses.
Nearly all of my life has been to dedicated to ensuring that I am always looking at under-resourced communities, minority communities, supporting businesses, creating access and opportunity. From my personal life to my professional life, I’m committed and always have been to supporting black-owned businesses. That is a staple of the journeys.
And I do believe that it’s great to support everyone. And I try to do that as well. But my first priority, if there is a black-owned business, I am a thousand percent there.
