5 Black-Owned Travel Services to help you explore the world

Despite the media’s misrepresentation, there is a large, fast-growing community of black travelers. African-Americans’ intent to travel reportedly increased by 19 percent just from 2015 to 2016. According to the Mandala Research Firm, 17% of us take one or more international trips a year, and we spend $48 billion on travel in the United States alone.

From securing lodging to booking flights and reserving excursions, there's a lot of work that goes into planning the perfect trip. To get you that much closer to your desired adventure, I've rounded up some of the best black-owned travel apps and companies to get you started.

1. Innclusive

Created after one of the founders experienced discrimination while try booking an Airbnb. While Airbnb has made efforts to counter discrimination, Rohan Gilkes and Zakiyyah Myers has taken that opportunity and created an online booking platform where people of all backgrounds can travel the world and stay with respect, dignity, and love. They now have accommodations in over 130+ countries.

2. Airfordable

Just as the name suggests this company makes traveling easier and more affordable. How? By allowing customers to secure their desired flight with an upfront deposit, and then pay in bi-weekly, recurring, installments until their flight is paid off.

3. Moovn

Call Moovn for a smooth ride. This ride-sharing app allows you to hail a ride immediately or pre-schedule one to your destination. A key difference between Moovn and the more popular rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft is that it does not employ private drivers. Instead, the system taps into existing transportation services like taxis and town cars. They also don't engage in surge pricing.

4. Travel Noire

An online community that has become the go-to place for black travelers in search of ideas of where to go, where to stay and deals to get there. Travel Noire founder and CEO Zim Ugochukwu created the community as a way to shake up the travel industry for black millienials. They offer a service called Travel Noire Experiences that will offer guided tours in several destinations around the world.

5. Nomadness

With a community of 15,000 members, Nomadness is a pioneer of the black travel movement. Members can chat travel and trade tips on the forum, arrange international meetups, participate in group trips, and rock branded merchandise that identify them as part of the “Tribe” The only requirements to join must have at least one passport stamp and complete a Newbie Bootcamp.