Meet Tonia Osborne | Travel Curator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tonia Osborne and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tonia, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I’ve always been an avid writer, and it was my love for writing and traveling that would manifest into Travels by Tonia. In 2015, a close friend and I launched a lifestyle blog called The Sparkles Files, and I quickly discovered that my niche was travel. After being featured on multiple travel social media pages and publications like Soul Society, Blavity, Essence, The Shade Room, Travel is the New Club, etc, and receiving many inquiries about personal travel planning services, in 2017, Travels by Tonia was founded to curate client’s travel experiences from start to finish.

As an avid traveler that has been to almost 30 countries with multiple travel certifications from many of the most popular travel destinations and brands, Travels by Tonia clients receive personalized customer service from a knowledgeable travel professional. In 2021, we also launched our Wanderlust Journal, a travel planner, to assist travel enthusiasts with curating their own travel experiences. Travels by Tonia is a full service travel planning company, and through travel blogs and vlogs and thoughtful content creation, we hope to continue to inspire minority travel around the world.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Born and raised in Houston, Texas, my passion for a career in writing and love for travel bloomed during my college years at Louisiana State University. My college experiences would provide the background for three bestselling fiction novels and later Travels by Tonia.

When I’m not working on my next novel, I am traveling the world, blogging, and helping others to curate memorable travel experiences. Through my frequent international and domestic travels, I give readers access to not only competitive prices, but also recommended travel accommodations, must visit locations, and tips to make the most out of any vacation.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
In recent years, Houston has become a city filled with tourists from all over the world, and I love being able to introduce first time visitors to some of our notable staples. Below are my usual top recommendations for friends that visit the city:

Restaurants:

The Breakfast Klub
Lost and Found
Taste Bar and Kitchen
Lucille’s
Thirteen
Kiss
Max’s Wine Dive
Hopdoddy
51Fifteen (Saks Fifth Avenue)
Mike’s Seafood
Mico’s Hot Chicken
Traveler’s Table

Entertainment:

Prospect Park Sports Bar
Discovery Green
Erma Rose Winery
Pur Noire Winery
Sable Gate Winery
Electric Feel Good
C Baldwin Hotel
City Centre (Memorial)

These are a handful of my favorites, but Houston has an amazing foodie culture, and there are various seasonal popups and events that are always happening around the city.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Since the inception of Travels by Tonia in 2017, the outpour of love and referrals from clients, family members, and friends has been a Godsend. Even in the midst of COVID, we have been able to maintain steady clientele and that would not be possible without the blog/vlog shares, word of mouth, and the return clients that continue to patronize us. And I would like to send a special to thank you to Sunni, the owner of Executive Sweet, for the recommendation for this interview,

Website: www.travelsbytonia.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travelsbytonia

Twitter: https://twitter.com/travelsbytonia

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/travelsbytonia/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxmctGBykl0AVlXd4F87bsA

Image Credits
Ahmad Sweeney @sweenshots