Map&Move came out of our own experience looking for like-minded travel partners.
In 2011, founder Jennifer Li went on her first solo backpacking trip to Kenya. But she didn’t travel alone by choice. She felt stuck in her career, needed massive change, and couldn’t find anyone with the same vacation time as her.
But what unfolded was a life-changing six months that later gave her the perspective and drive to reroute her personal and professional life. When she came home she looked obsessively for travel partners and services she could relate to. But there were a few dilemmas:
She was often the only female traveler of color in the most places.
The only travel services out there emphasized checking off bucket-list items and not the experiences themselves, or the people she wanted to meet.
Many major travel operators and businesses were foreign-owned, meaning tourist dollars were not going to the local people or destinations.
Here’s what Map&Move solves:
We create belonging.
We consciously design experiences for and with people who have traditionally been underrepresented in travel. We start from the top down––from making sure people of color and women lead from the front to working with Experience Leads with a long history of creating inclusive communities.
2. Our trips are hosted by hand-picked guides.
We make sure we know where our money is going and that our guides are paid fairly. We work with people who are like-minded in preserving the culture and places that bring in tourism in the first place.
3. We stress long-term wellness.
We design trips and experience with the end in mind. We choose locations based on the diversity of experiences they offer, immersion in nature, and our unique access to local connections and experiences. We look for the best opportunities for seeing different ways of living and creating serendipitous moments.
“I became enlightened about how unique trips and adventures can shape you personally by enhancing your self-awareness, happiness, and motivation. ”
2019
They host their first trip to the continent of Africa and commit to working with local expert guides and communities.
2018
They are invited to attend Airbnb’s first Africa Travel Summit, a conference to discuss how to accelerate inclusive and sustainable economic growth through tourism. Map&Move expands their local trips to include different locations around New York, Philadelphia, Vermont, and also add in a new international trip to Mexico.
2017
They make their first trips to Iceland and through Southeast Asia. They include community-led volunteer events on their calendar and also expand their signature 3-day long weekend trips to include international destinations like Montreal. They start a sister chapter, Women Making Moves to support female travelers making moves in work, life, and travel.
2016
They host their first trip to Iceland and also commit to hosting trips to less accessible places like Cuba. They also start hosting local events in New York City to encourage people to invite more adventure into their daily lives.
2015
Map&Move is founded. Their first trip is a cross-country road trip in 3 RV’s through America’s most historic highway, Route 66. This is followed by a whirlwind 8-country trip through Scandinavia and countries surrounding the Baltic Sea. They launch host their first-ever local retreat in New York City to bring adventure-minded people.