We had the good fortune of connecting with Maggie Espinosa and we’ve shared our conversation below. Hi Maggie, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of? Since I began as a travel journalist twenty years ago, the industry has significantly transitioned. In the beginning, I predominately wrote for newspaper and magazines, peppered with radio interviews and television appearances. Now, everything has segued online — blogs, podcasts, and videos. Because of these changes, I’ve needed to create a personal website/blog to showcase my work, as well as continually curate content for my social media platforms. Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally? As I write this, the world is in the midst of a pandemic and unrest. All aspects of my travel brand — curating content about far flung destinations for readers, hosting guests at my San Diego Airbnb, purchasing foreign indigenous items to sell on my online store (Global Personal Shopper), etc. — are on hold. For now, along with my travel contemporaries, I’m treading water to see what steps the industry will take next. Because my demographics are women ages 45-65, I cater to those who may be more trepidatious about venturing abroad at the first sign of border openings. The challenge will be determining their comfort level and providing them with the needed information to travel comfortably. I’ve learned through my years in this profession, in order to survive one must learn and then pivot to stay relevant. What ever will become of the travel industry after COVID-19, I will adapt and move forward. If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to? I’m fortunate to live in San Diego, California. The
We had the good fortune of connecting with Maggie Espinosa and we’ve shared our conversation below. Hi Maggie, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of? Since I began as a travel journalist twenty years ago, the industry has significantly transitioned. In the beginning,
Summer is upon us. That means vacation time for two and four-legged family members! Pet-friendly vacation rentals are perfect when traveling with your beloved pooch. Having a house with a fenced backyard for your pet's to romp, and your own kitchen where you both can chow down feels like home. You care about where your pet's vacations. I run a pet-friendly Airbnb in San Diego, California. As a dog lover, providing a home to families and their mutt is important. Getaways aren't as fun if your sweet pet is at home, so I offer a rental where pups are welcome. A dog bed, bowls, and toys are provided for your hairy-heartthrob. The quarter acre backyard is a plus when traveling with your beloved pooch. Within the past year, over 20 dogs, and even three cats, have enjoyed the house. In this San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyle magazine article I outline five questions a pet owner should ask when considering a vacation rental: 1. Does the home have an adequate fenced yard? 2. How many pets do you allow at the property? 3. Is there a size limit for my pet? 4. Do you provide food and water bowls? 5. Is there a pet fee? To make sure you are staying within the Airbnb's pet policy, I suggest you message the owner and tell them your dog's size and age. Some hosts don't host puppies due to house-training issues. If traveling outside the country the pet will need proof of vaccinations and a health certificate from their veterinarian. Since rules for traveling out of the country with pets change frequently, I suggest you contact your veterinarian to inquire about what else is needed to travel to their particular destination. See ya in San Diego! Related Posts: Tips for Managing Isolation Stress During COVID-19
Summer is upon us. That means vacation time for two and four-legged family members! Pet-friendly vacation rentals are perfect when traveling with your beloved pooch. Having a house with a fenced backyard for your pet’s to romp, and your own kitchen where you both can chow down feels like home. You care about where your
Thank you SDVoyager for including me in your choice of San Diego's most inspiring stories! Extremely grateful and honored. In 2001, I ventured into my amazingly fun freelance travel journalism career and haven’t looked back. I had copywriting experience from years in the advertising field, so I segued those skills into producing content for destination articles. The SDVoyager publication asks pertinent questions about the road taken to get ahead in a particular field: Has it always been smooth? Nope. nada, non, it hasn't. But as with any career, there were learning curves along the way. There still are. But, my passion and tenacity to forge ahead get me to the next level. Today, with the loss of numerous newspapers and magazines, I’ve had to delve into digital and social media. Its ever-changing nature makes it a struggle to master. The constant content requires curating good daily posts and blog articles. It’s imperative I remain current in the travel industry, and online is where it’s at now. They ask how I think the travel industry will change over the next decade. I think within the next five years, the travel industry will be solely digital — videos, online content, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence. This will demand another learning curve to stay relevant. But, algorithm-generated numbers allow me to better target my customers’ needs and deliver exactly what they want. To stay ahead of the curve, I went to graduate school at San Diego State University for a master’s in hospitality and tourism management. The provided tools are propelling me to project where the industry is going and how to keep in step. Here is the link to read more of the article: http://sdvoyager.com/interview/meet-maggie-espinosa-travelwithmaggie-com-san-diego/ Related Posts: San Diego Zoo Opens Wildlife Explores Basecamp 5 Places to Volunteer During a San Diego
Thank you SDVoyager for including me in your choice of San Diego’s most inspiring stories! Extremely grateful and honored. In 2001, I ventured into my amazingly fun freelance travel journalism career and haven’t looked back. I had copywriting experience from years in the advertising field, so I segued those skills into producing content for destination
Could the skull in San Diego's Natural History Museum be related to a White River monster in Arkansas? The Travel Channel's "Mysteries at the Museum" interviewed me about this creature's tie to San Diego, and how for decades it terrorized a small town. San Diego reporter, Diane Bell, spoke with me to try and reveal the possible identity of this menace. Click here to read article: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/columnists/diane-bell/sd-me-bell-20180111-story.html
Could the skull in San Diego’s Natural History Museum be related to a White River monster in Arkansas? The Travel Channel’s “Mysteries at the Museum” interviewed me about this creature’s tie to San Diego, and how for decades it terrorized a small town. San Diego reporter, Diane Bell, spoke with me to try and reveal
I'm thrilled the San Diego Union Tribune profiled me as one of the city's notable people for my 800-mile mission walk. Reporter Lisa Deaderick asked me great questions about the best advice I ever received, what would surprise readers about me, and what it took to complete this long walk. Click link to read Q&A: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/lifestyle/people/sd-me-one-espinosa-20171101-story.html
I’m thrilled the San Diego Union Tribune profiled me as one of the city’s notable people for my 800-mile mission walk. Reporter Lisa Deaderick asked me great questions about the best advice I ever received, what would surprise readers about me, and what it took to complete this long walk. Click link to read Q&A:
Train travel has come a long way, as you'll hear in my interview on America Trends Podcast about riding the rails. We start with a conversation about a vintage train excursion in Amish country and then lay down tracks about the possibilities for those who want a few hours of escape or others who would prefer to spends days going across vast swaths of land. Enjoy! Click to listen here:
Train travel has come a long way, as you’ll hear in my interview on America Trends Podcast about riding the rails. We start with a conversation about a vintage train excursion in Amish country and then lay down tracks about the possibilities for those who want a few hours of escape or others who would
It was an absolute blast talking with Jim Christina & Bobbi Bell on L.A. Talk Radio's The Writer's Block! Their show is a series of conversations with writers of fiction, non fiction, music, poetry, history and, well pretty much whatever people write and for what reasons.They both have great sense of humors. We chatted about my 800-mile mission walk from San Diego to Sonoma, and the subsequent book on my amazing hike. So fun! Click here to listen:
It was an absolute blast talking with Jim Christina & Bobbi Bell on L.A. Talk Radio’s The Writer’s Block! Their show is a series of conversations with writers of fiction, non fiction, music, poetry, history and, well pretty much whatever people write and for what reasons.They both have great sense of humors. We chatted about my
The brand, shiny new California Frontier podcast asked me to be their first guest. Producer Damian Bacich read my book about the mission walk and wanted to interview the woman crazy enough to WALK 800 miles?. What prompted me to hit the trail? What challenges did I meet along the way? Do I have a favorite mission? We covered it all in this podcast. Plus, how you can plan your own mission walk. Listen here: Mission http://bit.ly/2nwJpnq
The brand, shiny new California Frontier podcast asked me to be their first guest. Producer Damian Bacich read my book about the mission walk and wanted to interview the woman crazy enough to WALK 800 miles?. What prompted me to hit the trail? What challenges did I meet along the way? Do I have a
The TSA...our opinion on the airport security providers is mixed. One one hand, they diligently inspect each passenger and bag passing through security, making sure there are no items that would allow travelers to carry out nefarious acts against fellow passengers or terrorist attacks. On the other hand, we've all seen new stories on weapons passing through the gauntlet of TSA officers with nary a problem. Not sure how to solve the discrepancy, but I was happy to contribute to this Reader's Digest article on 13 things that will get you flagged by the TSA. http://www.rd.com/advice/travel/tsa-security/
The TSA…our opinion on the airport security providers is mixed. One one hand, they diligently inspect each passenger and bag passing through security, making sure there are no items that would allow travelers to carry out nefarious acts against fellow passengers or terrorist attacks. On the other hand, we’ve all seen new stories on weapons
Yep, you read that correctly. I landed a big smooch on a 35 ton ballena’s schnoz in Mexico’s San Ignacio Lagoon. Gray whales begin migrating from Alaska’s Bering Sea in January to give birth to their calves in the warm Pacific Ocean off Baja. The beautiful behemoths winter roughly 550 miles south of San Diego, California, until they head back north in April. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/58c83999e4b05675ee9c5ad8
Yep, you read that correctly. I landed a big smooch on a 35 ton ballena’s schnoz in Mexico’s San Ignacio Lagoon. Gray whales begin migrating from Alaska’s Bering Sea in January to give birth to their calves in the warm Pacific Ocean off Baja. The beautiful behemoths winter roughly 550 miles south of San Diego,
