Women in Travel: Simla Sooboodoo, Hands On Journeys

We chat with Simla Sooboodoo, Founder and Managing Director, Hands On Journeys about supporting women, making a difference and surviving against all odds, IN CONJUNCTION WITH TRAVEL WEEKLY’S WOMEN IN TRAVEL AWARDS IN NOVEMBER.

Back in 2007 I had a brain haemorrhage. I didn’t gain consciousness for 36 hours. The doctors said I only had a 10% chance of survival.

Not long afterward I found myself facing a mirror with a bald head. I remember walking out of the bathroom; I was a mess and confused. From there somehow I made it through.

This was my second chance. The time in the hospital made me stop and take stock. I wrote my bucket list and it was Hands on Journeys. I wanted to make a difference. I sold my house and at that moment I knew this was my baby, this was my dream and nothing interested me more.

I used to hide behind my story. But the team on my first tour made me change all that.

My first year in the business I was putting everything together. It was more about the content and marketing, I didn’t realise how much it was about my life – it only came out last year when someone drilled it out of me.

Empowerment tourism is about giving people your time. Our travellers teach communities skills. When they are hungry that’s not the time to fill them with knowledge, you need to provide them with a fishing line.

We support women to be more powerful and leave the house whether that be through knitting or candle making. We buy pads and take them to the village and we get the ladies on the tour to share. You don’t need a degree. It comes down to humanity.

All they want is your time and your smiles and company. Just sit with them.

It’s a mutual exchange of feelings.

Travel Weekly is proud to present the Women in Travel Awards in Sydney on 17 November, and are calling on women from any level across the industry to enter.

You don’t have to be nominated to enter, it’s open to all women at any level, and entries are FREE.

Or, if you know or work with any exceptional Women in Travel, be proactive and acknowledge excellence in their field by nominating them to enter.