Regina Winkle-Bryan: Empowering Women, One Trip at a Time

Approximately 56% of leisure travelers are female, but a small proportion of these women are brave enough to travel solo. There are various obstacles, including safety, security, cleanliness, and cultural concerns, that affect their eagerness to travel. Moreover, many women are deterred by the fear of traveling alone. In light of these barriers, Regina Winkle-Bryan set out to create Bold Spirit Travel LLC in 2019 with the goal of unifying women through exciting adventures and addressing the disparities faced by female travelers. In this interview, she shares her journey to becoming a travel facilitator and the story behind the creation of Bold Spirit Travel.

Finding Her Calling

Regina's background in travel, education, and journalism has led her to many different places, including Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Spain. While working as a journalist, she received many requests for travel advice, leading to a lightbulb moment where she realized she could take women to the amazing places she had visited and show them new cultures that had inspired her. She dreamed up the idea of Bold Spirit Travel and felt like it was a divine download that she couldn't ignore. With her extensive travels to over 35 countries, Regina is well-equipped to lead women to amazing destinations and experiences.

Connecting Women Through Adventure

Bold Spirit Travel is a company that caters to women who prefer to travel solo or encounter difficulties while traveling in groups. She places great importance on the fundamentals of each trip and specializes in organizing customized, small-group tours and private tours. One of the rules followed by Bold Spirit Travel is to steer clear of discussing US politics on trips and openly discuss the expectations of each tour to constantly improve the travel experience for all participants.

Bold Spirit Travel is all about curing boredom and loneliness for women. Many women are bored with their routines and want to explore the world but don't have anyone to travel with. On the other hand, some women have partners or friends but don't share the same interests in travel. Bold Spirit provides a solution for both by offering trips to various destinations and fostering a community of women who can support and learn from each other.

Regina Winkle-Bryan is passionate about empowering women and creating a supportive community where women can help and learn from each other. She views the company as a sisterhood where women can come together and offer guidance to one another. Her goal is to create a nurturing environment where women can grow and succeed together. Regina truly believes in the power of women supporting women and is dedicated to making this a reality through her work.

Philanthropic Efforts

Regina is committed to positively impacting her community and regularly donates a portion of her earnings to non-profit organizations. She is associated with two such organizations, Girls Inc. and SeeTurtles.org. Girls Inc works to empower girls to become leaders in their communities, while SeeTurtles.org focuses on protecting and preserving sea turtles, which are facing challenges such as poaching, climate change, and plastic pollution. Regina also encourages her clients and friends to adopt eco-friendly habits, like using reusable water bottles, to reduce plastic waste.

Advice for Women Travelers and Entrepreneurs

Regina shares her insight on the challenges that come with every step of traveling and provides advice for women who aspire to become travel enthusiasts and entrepreneurs . She emphasizes the importance of starting small and gradually building up and recommends reading "Big Magic" by Elizabeth Gilbert for inspiration. Regina also highlights the challenge of curating food itineraries for travelers, especially for those with specific dietary needs. To ensure the safety and comfort of solo women travelers, Regina advises carrying two credit cards and keeping some cash separately. She emphasizes the importance of being prepared for the unexpected and making smart decisions while on the road.   

Regina Winkle-Bryan is a woman who followed her dreams and turned them into reality. With Bold Spirit Travel, she connects women through adventure and provides a cure for boredom and loneliness. Regina's personal travel experiences and advice make her an expert in the field, and she continues to lead women on exciting journeys to destinations all over the world.