Luxury wellness trips aren't just for the wealthy. On today's episode we have on wellness travel expert, Sarah Adams from Quality Time Travels and we are talking about taking wellness abroad but for everyone's budget.
I this episode we will cover:
Also check out In Killing Color
If you want more self care tips along with daily affirmations, make sure to check out our FREE Self Care Guide to use daily.
Luxury wellness trips aren't just for the wealthy. On today's episode we have on wellness travel expert, Sarah Adams from Quality Time Travels and we are talking about taking wellness abroad but for everyone's budget.
I this episode we will cover:
Also check out In Killing Color
If you want more self care tips along with daily affirmations, make sure to check out our FREE Self Care Guide to use daily.
[00:00:00] Welcome and welcome back to the Behind the Silk podcast, where we have conversations about prioritizing self care in different aspects of our lives. My name is Ericka Nicole, the founder of Silkenn, and in today's episode, we are going to be talking about wellness traveling. If booking vacation plans to keep your mental sanity in check.
If the sound of your luggage rolling through the airport brings you peace, if going to a foreign country and doing all of the things brings you joy, if traveling is an essential in your self care arsenal, then this episode is for you. Today I am joined by travel wellness expert Sarah Adams, the founder of Quality Time Travels.
And we discuss what wellness travel is and why it's not only for the rich. We share our thoughts as to why life outside America [00:01:00] is simply healthier and happier. Why it's beneficial to travel to countries with their native wellness practices in mind, why so many people are now traveling outside of the U. S. to get medical procedures done, and so much more. I am a firm believer that health is wealth, so this conversation is a good one. But first, today's affirmation reads, asking for help is a sign of self respect and self awareness.
Take a moment and receive that. All right, without further ado, let's get right into this conversation.
Sarah Adams: I became involved in the wellness tourism industry,starting from a little bit of a younger age. My mom was always into like supernatural products.
Sarah Adams: when it came to food, she like threw out everything that had [00:02:00] like high fructose corn syrup. Like I went through like a whole transformation, I would say, in Probably my first year of high school. I think like last year of middle school and she's always taught me about self care growing up like how it's important to Make sure that you're scrubbing your ankles like scrubbing like you don't want to you don't want that ashy tint, you know
Ericka Nicole: For real
Sarah Adams: Really funny because I feel like wellness has always just been incorporated into who I was And it wasn't until I started traveling and became a digital nomad You That I was like, wow, you can actually incorporate both of them.
Sarah Adams: And what I love the most about traveling is the wellness, wellness that's true to the country that you're visiting, right? Because that looks different in every country. But that's something that I realized that I have fallen in love with. And I just wanted to make it a career because why not?
Sarah Adams: It's something that I love. And I feel like I found my passion. So that's how I ended up in wellness tourism.
Ericka Nicole: So what inspired you [00:03:00] to focus specifically on like wellness tourism? Because I feel like there's so many different types of tourism and you spoke a little bit about enjoying wellness in relation to the country that you're in.
Ericka Nicole: So what inspired that and why did you choose to focus on that sector?
Sarah Adams: Yeah, I think that a lot of times wellness is actually overlooked. I think that when we're traveling, we don't even realize that we are You know, doing wellness tourism activities, like when you are mindful eating and eating like the cuisine and like the country that you're in, like Italy, Japan, South Korea, when you are, going to a hamam in the Middle East, you don't realize that you're really just.
Sarah Adams: a part of their everyday like life there. And I think that we think about wellness as like just getting a facial or just getting a massage. And that's not it. And I think that my job in this industry is to just educate people on what wellness tourism is. So that's what it came [00:04:00] from, like me specifically focusing on wellness tourism because at first when I started Quality Time Travels, I was like, I want to be like a honeymoon planner.
Sarah Adams: I have a wedding planning background, but I realized that wasn't actually my thing. Girl, you
Ericka Nicole: missed, you left that whole part out.
Sarah Adams: Okay, we can back up.
Ericka Nicole: That makes so much more sense.
Sarah Adams: Yeah. So that's I think where I get like the planning, like love to plan, but just going back to the wedding planning super quick, like I realized that was not for me real quick, like real, real quick.
Sarah Adams: I actually did it for three years. Stayed three years too long, but yeah, it was just a lot. What about
Ericka Nicole: it was, what about it was not it for you?
Sarah Adams: I love being a part of somebody's special day, and I think that's why I love planning. I love making in ex. Experience, like the best experience that someone's ever had, whether it's their birthday, whether it's a vacation, whether it's their wedding.
Sarah Adams: But I think with wedding planning, a lot of times that people forgot why they were getting married in the first place. I would have sign a couple and [00:05:00] then. they would be like really excited. Like he's the love of my life. She's the love of my life but then as everything progressed as the Year progressed it was like what color are the napkins?
Sarah Adams: These roses aren't the same colored roses that are in this picture and it was just like minuscule details that okay for me Didn't matter and it was hard to get behind that. I
Ericka Nicole: That makes sense. you lose the passion when you get too caught up in the weeds. that makes sense.
Ericka Nicole: So you spoke about educating people and I think I need you to educate me because I didn't know that wellness tourism was a thing until I came across your page.
Ericka Nicole: So what exactly is wellness tourism and what makes it different from your traditional travel experience of like excursions and things like that?
Sarah Adams: Yeah, it's going on vacation with the mindset of I am here to enhance My overall wellbeing. I am here to focus on my health. I am here to get my mental health, right?
Sarah Adams: That is what wellness tourism [00:06:00] is. and I think the reason that I decided to go into wellness tourism specifically, just to kind of add on to your last question, was that. Basically, I actually wanted to originally go into medical tourism, and yeah, and that was something that I had, I actually in college did like a research paper on medical tourism because I was really interested in why do people go abroad to get surgeries, when they could get them done in the U.
Sarah Adams: S., and so for my paper I did a lot of research and I found out that A lot of,people of color in the U. S. are highly neglected when it comes to the healthcare industry. Not only that, but it's extremely expensive. It's a privilege to be able to afford healthcare. You have to have a good job, and even if you have a good job, God, you're the your company that you're working for, can provide health care, but that comes out of your own pocket.
Sarah Adams: So it's just it is so healthcare is so expensive. And [00:07:00] traveling you meet all these people that are like,My father had cancer and everything was covered. You have cancer in the U. S. You're paying like two hundred thousand dollars out of pocket for treatment,
Ericka Nicole: right?
Sarah Adams: and that's with insurance it's so interesting to me.
Sarah Adams: But all that to say is that I am not a medical professional. That is notand I felt uncomfortable giving people advice on where to go for medical procedures because I do not have that medical background. So the next step for me is okay, why do I like medical tourism? It's because it focuses on wellness and health.
Sarah Adams: And so that's when I found wellness tourism. And I was like, this is perfect. It's the best of both worlds.
Ericka Nicole: Yeah, no, I love how you were able to transition because I love when people are able to pivot and take aspects of what they like from one thing and then combine it with what they like from something else because I am so anti [00:08:00] staying one track minded like if something's not working for you girl you better get up and move and try something else until you find your thing and I'm glad that you were able to find your thing that's always The best thing possible So there's also a common misconception that based according to Google because I had to do some research for this that wellness travelers are a Small elite wealthy group of people you have to have a lot of money and very wealthy tourists who go to like Destination spas and health resorts and yoga and all these different types of retreats and basically you need a lot a lot of money because It's extremely expensive. What are your thoughts on that?
Sarah Adams: I have So many thoughts on that. I think that there's definitely a part of wellness tourism that can be really expensive, right? When I was doing, like I was doing research because I really wanna go to the Middle East. I really wanna go to Doha. I really want to go to Jordan because they're really up and coming in their wellness tourism industry, and I did that research and then I was like, oh my [00:09:00] gosh to stay here. It's 5, 000 a night like this is for somebody it's just not me So I definitely think that there are places that you can go Places that you can stay where it's going to be for the I guess like elite class or wealthy class Whatever you want to call it, but wellness tourism is so So affordable.
Sarah Adams: It is for everyone, and it is, it ranges again, from going to the gym and maybe going on a hike hikes depending on where, unless you're hiking Kilimanjaro, which, which can cost a couple thousand dollars, Like you can go on a hike in, Lake Como and you can do that and it's free.
Sarah Adams: You can go and get a facial in Columbia. Actually, I went and got mesotherapy yesterday. and that's when they inject like a bunch of needles into your face and it's filled with hyaluronic acid, vitamins, enzymes, all that good stuff. And in the States. [00:10:00] That is about 300 to 800 per session. I paid maybe I think it came out to like about 90 something dollars for my mesotherapy one session.
Sarah Adams: So it is extremely affordable to do like wellness tourism. you need to do research on, one, what you want to do, two, where you want to go, where you're open to going, right? And then three, accommodation, and that's basically what I help out with. very affordable.
Ericka Nicole: How long do you recommend someone stay or travel for? Is three days enough? Do you recommend five, seven days? How long do you recommend?
Sarah Adams: it really just depends. I'm working with a client right now who's doing two weeks. in Italy, But then if you want to just do a weekend trip and you just want to get away, you want some R& R, Three, four days, a long weekend is perfect. you can do that in Costa Rica. just, I just, moved from there actually. I was there for four months. And I have so many [00:11:00] friends. So hit me up, girl.
Ericka Nicole: Listen, I got you. So what are some emerging trends that you've noticed in the wellness torm industry recently?
Sarah Adams: Yeah, I think, in terms of trends, I would definitely say like different types of facials are definitely on the rise.
Sarah Adams: Like right now we have a bio repeal that is like so big in America, but it's actually going into different countries. And In South America, Central America. It actually originated in Europe. but it's traveling. So different types of facials. I would say red light therapy is a really big one too.
Sarah Adams: so a lot of people are looking for places or spas or with red light therapy and that's, Everywhere. and then there's this thing that I think is going to be on the rise soon, but don't quote me. It's called SIL therapy and it's basically bathing in nature. it's bathing in like a lake or Yeah, just in nature.
Sarah Adams: And, there's actually hotels, especially in Europe and Japan that cater [00:12:00] to those experiences. That's something that I really want to try doing, because it supposedly helps with, it has a lot of health benefits. it's known to like being immersed in like waterfalls or like bathing in nature has been shown to actually improve disease rates as well.
Sarah Adams: so that's really cool. those are some of the trends that I've been noticing.
Ericka Nicole: I love that. That makes absolutely sense because I'm sure our ancestors, that's what they used to do before there was bathrooms and plumbing and running water. So sometimes when you go back to the basics, it's for your benefit.
Ericka Nicole: Sometimes we overcomplicate things.
Sarah Adams: Yeah, we didn't have all this stuff. And I think that's sometimes what makes us sick. we forget like that. We're actually like pretty simple human beings. We don't need our phone 24 seven. We don't need the light on all throughout the day.
Sarah Adams: Like it's just simple things that if you change that throughout the day, that's improving your overall health.
So you spoke a little bit earlier about traveling for these experiences. [00:13:00] I believe that these experiences are a lot more cost effective outside of the country But then once you factor in travel and accommodations, I feel like those costs add up.
Ericka Nicole: So How does that work? is it still cost beneficial to travel to experience these wellness experiences elsewhere?
Sarah Adams: Yeah, honestly, it depends where you go. So i'll give you an example. I'm actually helping a friend come to colombia because she, her dentist told her that she needed two root canals done and was quoting her, I think, with insurance 3, 000
Ericka Nicole: Yeah, you think about right.
Sarah Adams: Yeah, and I told her I was like, hey, listen, like this is I've been to Columbia before a couple times like and I've gone to the dentist there dental cleaning, I think is like 25, 30 here. And then I reached out to some, some offices that would do the root canal for her and they're charging 250 to 300 per tube.[00:14:00]
Sarah Adams: And so factor in that I helped her find her flight was 300. That is a significant difference, from what you would have been paying right in New York. So I think it really depends, one, where you want to go, what your budget is, and the reason why you're going. but I always, I do believe that being outside of the U S and traveling and experiencing all these different things, I will look up the price at home and it'll be like at least twice the price, if not three times what I'm paying.
Sarah Adams: so it's a lot cheaper
Ericka Nicole: Yeah, i'm sure when you factor it all in I guess it really does come down to that cost benefit analysis as to what you're why you're going and what you're doing So do you think that there's been more of a demand for wellness tourism post pandemic or do you think it's evolved over the years?
Ericka Nicole: I feel like four years ago was like an unrealistic point in time. It's something that'll be in the texas books and that we'll be telling our grandchildren that we survived through, [00:15:00] but like traveling and all those things took a hit and now I think people are just starting to get back into the swing of things.
Ericka Nicole: So do you feel like the demand has increased or evolved based on your exposure and experience?
Sarah Adams: Yeah, I think the demand has definitely increased since COVID. It's so funny because I feel like COVID was just a time where we all were just at home and we Were scared for our lives that we were basically going to die and I think that's when a lot of people were like Okay, because there were like if you're pregnant predisposed to like these things.
Sarah Adams: And you're more likely to have a difficult time when you get COVID, like you could die, you could, people knew people that were healthy and still passed away from COVID. And it kind of made us think about okay, how am I living my life? What's important to me? How am I staying healthy?
Sarah Adams: And I think that wellness tourism really. Evolved since then. And I think that people now are traveling more [00:16:00] for wellness because they realize that it's more important when people were able to work from home. They realize I don't need to go into the office five days. I can actually go into the office two days and then take a four day trip somewhere and work from that place.
Sarah Adams: You know what I mean? So it's. It has definitely evolved, and I think it will continue to evolve, and I think everyone, yeah, is realizing how important it is to just get out now while you can, because during COVID, we didn't have that promise. We thought the world was literally ending,
Ericka Nicole: Yeah, literally.
Ericka Nicole: And it's funny because 2019 was my sabbatical year, that's what I call it. That's the year I like, quit my job and went to go travel and find myself and do all of these things. And I'm like, the timing couldn't have been any better. But now it's getting back into the swing of that. Like, how can I plan trips that are wellness focused, still get work done, that are cost effective.
Ericka Nicole: there's a lot that goes into that.
Ericka Nicole: So we spoke about pricing a little bit earlier, but how do you go about selecting destinations that align with the principles [00:17:00] of wellness tourism for your clients?
Sarah Adams: I first asked my clients, where do they want to go?
Sarah Adams: Where are they open to going and what do they want to do? You have to go to places that are native to what you are trying to experience. I'm not going to go to Australia to, necessarily like practice mindful eating. I'm going to go to Australia to surf and enjoy nature.
Sarah Adams: I'm not going to go to, Mexico and get like all these facials done. Not that their facials aren't good, but I'm going to somewhere that's native. Like, where do they? Practice good facials on black women. It's Columbia, it's Brazil, it's Africa, The certain places in Africa.
Sarah Adams: Yeah. So it's, I think it's about being honest, when booking clients. 'cause you can have a great vacation Anywhere, but where are you trying to go? What are you trying to do? And then [00:18:00] just going from there
Ericka Nicole: So what is your process start to finish? So you you get a feel for what they're looking for. Do you help with the flights and the accommodations? Do you book anything for them or do they kind of book it on their own? What's your entire process?
Sarah Adams: Yeah, so it's different for every client.
Sarah Adams: I am really flexible and I love my favorite client would probably be the client that's like, I want to go somewhere. I just don't know where because that gives me so much freedom to like, yeah, I love that. I love that. but it gives me the freedom to really craft a leg. something that they're really going to love.
Sarah Adams: so anyway, like for instance, if you're interested in like full planning, my first thing is a questionnaire. My questionnaire has about 40 personal questions. We hop on a meeting and I go through them from there. I create three different itineraries in that meeting. We solidify where you want to go, about how much your budget is.
Sarah Adams: how long you [00:19:00] want to go for, what time of year, like there's so many questions that I ask and then from there I'm able to really craft three different itineraries for you. Once I present those three itineraries, you choose one of them to move forward with. You can make changes to the itinerary and then I present you the final itinerary.
Sarah Adams: Once that's checked off, that's when we start booking everything. We book hotels, we book flights, we book activities. It's Like it's interesting because some people obviously depending on the type of traveler they are like, I'll create a full itinerary for the entire time that they're there, or I'll create three days of itineraries and then the other three days they just want to like chill and like do whatever.
Sarah Adams: So it really just goes from there, but it's a personalized approach. Is what I take to each client.
Ericka Nicole: No, that's important because like you said, everyone's needs are different. So the fact that you're able to craft something that's so specialized to the person who's looking to book it, I think that's the most important part because the reason that I travel may not be the reason that you travel and what I'm looking for may not be what you're looking for.
Ericka Nicole: [00:20:00] So personalization, I think is always key. So what has been your favorite wellness trip that you've been? I know that you're a digital nomad, so you're all over the place. I'm sure you have a million and one places that you've enjoyed, but what has personally been your favorite experience?
Sarah Adams: I've gone to a lot of places, but there are very few places that I've returned to twice. And it's not because I didn't enjoy it. It's just because Oh, I've already been there.
Sarah Adams: But Columbia is definitely one of those places that has everything you could possibly need, especially as a black woman traveling, or even if you're like a black male traveler, It has everything for us and I really enjoy this country. I enjoy it for its wellness. I enjoy it for its, its facials, its spas, its nature.
Sarah Adams: and it's also just like depending on where you go, you can go to the beach, you can be on the Caribbean. Chillin. Yeah. You could be in the city, you could be in Medellin, you can be in Bogota, you could [00:21:00] be in Cali learning how to dance. this country encompasses everything that I think that you could really need.
Sarah Adams: And it's close enough. It's a good, country to go to if you're uncomfortable in traveling super far, because I feel like it's close enough to the U. S. where it's like, okay, it's only like a four or five hour flight home. But it's also like far enough where it's just like, okay, I'm really out here.
Sarah Adams: You know what I
Ericka Nicole: mean? I feel like I'm actually on a trip.
Sarah Adams: Yeah, exactly.I would say like right now it's Columbia.
Ericka Nicole: Okay. It's funny because one of my best friends is from Columbia and I, If she's probably gonna listen to this episode, we need to go and plan a trip because she has a house out there and I'm like, girl, when are we going?
Sarah Adams: Tell me when
Ericka Nicole: to book a flight.
Sarah Adams: We
Ericka Nicole: need to go.
Sarah Adams: I'm like the worst because I literally, when someone tells me like, hey, do you want to go somewhere? hey, do you want to plan something? My flight's booked. Hello.
Ericka Nicole: So what do you think are some of the overall benefits of engaging in wellness tourism? Because I think traveling in itself, we [00:22:00] know, is a form of self care. It's a form of self love. There's just something about taking yourself out of your everyday environment and going somewhere else that just, I think, really shifts you.
Ericka Nicole: Like the aura of your body when you're just in a different environment. And that's why some people feel like you have to go to grow, which I think is very true. So what do you think are some of the benefits of just traveling? And then once you get to that location, really immersing yourself in the wellness culture there.
Sarah Adams: for me, it's my mental health. I noticed like a huge difference in, my mental health and every trip that I've booked for somebody else, they just come back so relaxed and ready and at peace. And I think that when you get to a state of peace, you're able to be the person that God intended you to be.
Sarah Adams: and want you to be, because that puts you in purpose. my like, underlying, mission for quality time travels is to have people. discover or understand or pursue their purpose. And I feel like if I'm able to plan these [00:23:00] trips where they come back and they have a renewed sense of who they are, like it could lead to things like, Oh, what do I want it to?
Sarah Adams: What does God, put me on this earth to do? I feel like I always have these moments when I'm traveling where I just stop and I just like, look around and I'm like, wow, this earth that God created is actually, Absolutely, amazing. he spoke this into existence. Imagine what he can do in my life.
Sarah Adams: And so I think when it comes to traveling and the benefits, I think that you're getting your mental health right. It's probably the best thing. biggest benefit. because I think that's hard to do when you're just like in your everyday life and you're just like you're going through the motion, You forget like what you want. and there's not enough pausing and breathing and appreciating.
Ericka Nicole: I love how you related that back to purpose because that's something that I talk about all the time And what you said is very true. I could not have said it any better myself when you're in [00:24:00] this mundane routine Doing the same thing over and over again.
Ericka Nicole: It's so easy to lose sight of Again, why am I here? What am I here to do? what impact do I want to have? And there's something about again leaving your environment and being somewhere else and slowing down I think that's something that we underrate Because, as someone who travels, and when you're able to compare, no shade to America, we love America.
Ericka Nicole: But, like, when you're able to compare America to different places, it gives you a very different perspective. So, example, like, my family's from the Caribbean, so I go there a lot. And, The pace of life is just so much slower and people seem so much more calm and they're not as angry and they're not as In such a rush and you feel completely different there versus when you know You're rushing to work and you're on the subway and you've got to get here on time and there's horns beeping and there's smog in the air and the sun isn't shining because of all the pollution in the air.
Ericka Nicole: It's a completely different thing. And I think sometimes we have to step outside of that to just regroup. And even how sometimes your body feels when you're just out of the [00:25:00] country, like again, no shade to American or GMO processed foods and stuff like that. But like the physical transformation, your body goes under, like my sinuses feel better.
Ericka Nicole: I'm more regular. My skin looks good. You're a whole new person. And when you're able to have that time, it gives you that opportunity to slow down, to reconnect, and to be intentional, which, that in itself is transformative.
Sarah Adams: Definitely. Girl, we can do a whole nother episode on food in America versus food everywhere else.
Sarah Adams: I am lactose intolerant, and when I tell you I can eat cheese anywhere I go, other than America, I feel bad.yeah, I'm just I'm I had a yogurt bowl this morning
Ericka Nicole: It's a thing. even the funniest things, I traveled with one of my friends who had just got her passport, so this was all new to her.
Ericka Nicole: And we, went to go get chicken somewhere. Where were we in DR in Mexico? We were in one of them. And the chicken wings were so small, and she was just flabbergasted. And I'm like, no, this is the average size of a [00:26:00] chicken. what we eat back home is not real.
Sarah Adams: Right. Like,
Ericka Nicole: this is actually, farm raised. And it's funny because even the term organic, we're getting way off topic, but even the term organic doesn't exist in other countries. Like, what the hell is organic? and so what does that mean? Organic isn't.
Sarah Adams: the fact that there's something as organic in the States is crazy because everything should be organic.
Sarah Adams: Like you shouldn't be putting pesticides in our food or like things to make it last longer. Like. Why do bananas, why do avocados, why do all these fruits and vegetables last two weeks? Like it's insane. Bread was a huge
Ericka Nicole: one for me like to see like bread in the caribbean It's like fresh made and it'll go bad like in three four days if you don't eat it But like I had a loaf of bread above the fridge for maybe four weeks because I completely forgot about it And like not a lick of mold it's wild, but yeah, and then that just ties into everything else. So not only is your environment, the food that you're consuming, the content that you consume, like, you know, the consumption of TV and [00:27:00] stuff like that is a lot less and people are a lot less connected to their devices because people are out enjoying life.
Ericka Nicole: They're going and shopping at farmer's markets. They're going for hikes. They're in the ocean. They're in the water, lake, river, whatever, a whole different thing. when you have that time to slow down, you can really. Get that mental clarity like you spoke about early to really Understand your purpose and I think that is just such a gift.
Ericka Nicole: So you're really providing a gift for people overall
Sarah Adams: Couldn't have said it better myself, honestly
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Ericka Nicole: So what are [00:28:00] some of the challenges you've faced in operating a travel agency that specializes in this niche of wellness tourism?
Sarah Adams: Yeah, it's so interesting because I feel like all of my challenges have actually just come from being an entrepreneur and this being like my first business.
Sarah Adams: I don't know if it's specifically related to wellness and like the tourism industry, but it's just figuring out like, How do I price things? all of those like first questions and just figuring that out. do I hire someone for this? How do I like make a website?
Sarah Adams: Those were all of my honest challenges. I think. When it comes to also it's just getting out of this mentality. Actually, my therapist was telling me this, getting out of the mentality of being the employee to being the business owner. That has been a really big challenge because I'm used to like, just like accepting.
Sarah Adams: and not standing my ground in a lot of situations and I've come across situations in [00:29:00] quality time travels and owning my own company to be like, okay, I don't have to accept this, I don't have to put up with this. I actually have a voice. in this circumstance. So it's, yeah, getting out of that employee mentality.
Ericka Nicole: Yeah. That's such a huge shift that I feel like a lot of entrepreneurs, but service based entrepreneurs who have clients, I feel like there's a very similar ground there. One, pricing things is difficult because you're still trying to figure out your value and your worth, especially when you're new, while you're building up your clientele.
Ericka Nicole: And then it's adjusting your clients to your needs. Like the elevated version of you because like yesterday's prices are not today's prices because we're getting better every day So introducing that concept is also a shift and then knowing when to delegate I think that's something that i've struggled with because again like When you're running at least a product based business There are so many different aspects and being able to understand your strengths and being able to operate in your zone And that's what something that one of my business coaches like really [00:30:00] stressed like you have to know your zone of You of greatness.
Ericka Nicole: So I'm great at casting vision and raising money that like those two things I got, but strategy, marketing, client relations, all of them. That's not my zone of excellence.
Sarah Adams: I tell myself all the time. I'm like the day that I'm able to hire someone for social media is the happiest day of my life.
Ericka Nicole: Literally, literally.
Sarah Adams: I'm barely on my own personal account, let alone like now I have to run like a business Instagram and I'm not, I'm trying, but I'm not, it doesn't naturally come. To me, like it's not natural and it's not something I thoroughly enjoy. And I think that, yeah, like the challenge is also okay, like I know that I don't enjoy it right now, but it's also I have to push through until I'm able to get to that level where like I can have someone come in. teach them like the ropes and then just give it to them. Like I want, yeah, I want to be able to do [00:31:00] that.
Ericka Nicole: Absolutely. And then building your team is hard too because you want to partner with people who are in line with your vision. So like you don't just want to hire anyone, it has to be that right person.
Ericka Nicole: And then finding that fit and then knowing when to hire and when to fire. The trial and error process, embarrassing. it is a process for, it's a process for sure. But yeah, I think that's one of the, just the growing pains of being an entrepreneur, but I think from what I hear, you're navigating it very well.
Ericka Nicole: So in due time, you will have that social media manager.
Ericka Nicole: So where do you see the future of wellness tourism heading? I feel like it's a very, it's not a new space, but I feel like it's new to a lot of people being able to travel with intention. So where do you see it heading in regards to like consumer preferences and industry developments?
Ericka Nicole: do you think people are preferring like tropical places or do people want to go for short or long periods of time?
Ericka Nicole: And then industry developments in regards to, You mentioned like health wellness trips, is that gaining a little bit more popularity than the wellness that you may think or like [00:32:00] things in that capacity, like where do you see the future of the space going?
Sarah Adams: Yeah, I definitely think that It's just an industry that's going to continue to grow, just all around.
Sarah Adams: I definitely see that, in terms of wellness, like I think that working out and hotels having a gym, I see them like building like spas, hotels that have been around for a while, when I say a while, I mean a hundred years are like now incorporating, like using old rooms and like building.
Sarah Adams: spas and building gyms because that's what people want. right now I have another client who does not want to stay in a hotel that does not have a spa and I don't blame them. They want that like access. They want that time or at least the option. To go and relax and not have to travel outside of where they're staying to have that so I think that a lot of hotels need to rethink what is important.
Sarah Adams: Why are people traveling? because a lot of times we [00:33:00] travel And we get out of our daily routine. Whereas a lot of people don't want to have to do that anymore. They want to continue working out when they wake up. they want to be able to eat a healthy breakfast. So places are going to have to be more like farm to table.
Sarah Adams: restaurants are going to have to provide vegan meals, vegetarian meals. when we talk about like wellness, tourism, and the industry, we have to think of all of those aspects. So I think that's where I see it going.
Ericka Nicole: I love that you phrased it that way, because that's a mindset that I used to have.
Ericka Nicole: Like, when I go on vacation, I want to be completely out of my element. But now when I travel, I still want to have the same, schedule. I still want my schedule to be able to wake up at a certain time. Maybe check a couple emails if that's the vibe that I'm in, go for that workout And then convenience is everything I want to be somewhere that's centrally located I don't want to have to travel a half hour for a massage or a facial or To have a healthier meal than like the burgers and fries that room service offers So being able to continue your daily routine and [00:34:00] have the conveniences Of what you're used to I guess I think that's super important.
Ericka Nicole: So that would make a lot of sense
Sarah Adams: And then also I think about my life, right? The last two years I've been a digital nomad and wifi is really important. and there are a lot of places that have lost, I feel like a lot of destinations that have lost a lot of money in like past years prior to COVID when people weren't working remotely as much because they didn't have access to wifi.
Sarah Adams: And I feel like now it's like a strong component when people are going to travel. Does this place have wifi? Because people can't always. Or to take off a full, even week from work.
Ericka Nicole: Absolutely.
Sarah Adams: Especially with the vacation days we get as Americans. We get what, maybe like average 11?
Ericka Nicole: Girl, that's a whole nother issue.
Ericka Nicole: That's a whole nother topic. America is looking down in bed right now, but it's all right. But yeah, we have to prioritize, being able to have that balance of, [00:35:00] working remote and Wi Fi is extremely important, even if you're not working, just conveniences, being able to use WhatsApp or use your phone, even if you don't want to use roaming data, like just in simple ways, it's super important.
Ericka Nicole: exactly. what life lessons do you think that wellness tourism has taught you?
Sarah Adams: We're getting
Ericka Nicole: deep and philosophical here.
Sarah Adams: Yeah. Without your help, you have nothing. And I know that's so cliche to say, but I've seen the healthiest people get sick. I've seen people my age go through really be hospitalized for months on end, have to have a catheter, have like a surgery, And. My thing is I've been able to experience, I'm so blessed to be able to have traveled as much as I have to have experienced as much as I want to experience, but I all, I know that's all because God has protected my health. and so [00:36:00] when I think about wellness travel, I think about just the importance, that health plays in your everyday life and you don't even realize it.
Sarah Adams: You don't realize it. I don't think until it's too late sometimes and I never want to get to that point in my life where I could have been more on top of X, Y, Z, working out, going to Pilates, but I wasn't. Instead I was doing this. And I think that's just like my overall.
Ericka Nicole: That was beautiful. That was beautifully said health. Is wealth because like you said when you don't have your health you have nothing else You know, you can have all of the money in the world the riches the fame, but I mean without your health It's really all pointless So outside of traveling because we already know that you are a travel girl What is your top tier?
Ericka Nicole: self care secret
Sarah Adams: Water.
Ericka Nicole: Period.
Sarah Adams: What?
Ericka Nicole: Hydro [00:37:00] hottie. Okay.
Sarah Adams: Oh, I love that! Wait, how have you not heard about that until now? I love that.
Ericka Nicole: I am a self proclaimed hydro hottie. I mentioned that in, episode four or something like that, and it's stuck ever since. Love you. Welcome to the club. yeah.
Sarah Adams: No, for real, like water is so important. You, we don't even realize how important it is. Honestly, like our skin is an organ. Our skin needs water. every part of us needs water, but yeah, it's insane.
Ericka Nicole: That's it. That's all she wrote.thank you so much for coming on. I really appreciate you just coming and just sharing all of your knowledge.
Ericka Nicole: Where can people connect with you online and learn more about your services?
Sarah Adams: Yeah, you can connect with me on Instagram at quality time travels, or you can go to my website, quality time travels. com to reach out book, a vacation, feel free to email me Sarah S a r a [00:38:00] h at quality time travels.
Sarah Adams: com as well.
Ericka Nicole: And we'll make sure that we have everything linked below so that it's so easy for everyone to connect and find you.
Sarah Adams: Awesome. Thank you so much, Ericka.
That's a wrap for today's episode. All of Sarah's information will be linked below. Behind the silk family, where are we going? My passport is itching for some stamps. Super random, I had to renew my passport last year and you know when you get a new passport, you have to turn in the old one, which I despise because I feel like I'm handing over proof of my travel experiences.
But I digress. I say all that to say that We need to book some flights. I hope you feel inspired to put that trip on your credit card, use that tax return money. No, I'm joking, I'm joking. Kind of, sorta. I do not condone financial irresponsibility. But if you found value in this episode, please leave a rating and [00:39:00] review on whichever platform you're listening on right now It really makes a difference in helping this platform grow DM me some of your dream travel destinations on Instagram at behind the silk pod And share this episode with your travel besties.
Drop it in the group chat and make sure you take that trip out the group chat too, okay? But most importantly, remember that the best part of today is you. Bye.