UNCG Zim Ugochukw alumna founded Travel Noire, a multidimensional platform focusing on travelers of the African diaspora and designed to guide them through key stages of travel: dreaming, planning and experiencing.

1. THE ADVENTURE CAPITALIST
Global traveler Zim Ugochukwu founded Travel Noire to encourage discovery
Ask Zim Ugochukwu ‘11 how many countries she’s visited and she sheepishly chuckles. The jet
setter with an inked­up
passport has never paused to count.
But ask her what stands out about her collective travels, and a repeated experience resonates: The
solitude of being one of the few — if not the only — black person on the journey.
Looking around while in foreign lands — or even flipping through travel magazines at home in the
United States — Zim became hyperaware of the lack of representation of black travelers.
“You often think you are one of a few,” Zim says.
That perceived loneliness was the genesis for Travel Noire, a multidimensional platform focusing on
travelers of the African diaspora and designed to guide them through key stages of travel: dreaming,
planning and experiencing.

2. Despite spending $48 billion annually in travel, blacks remain underrepresented by the industry, Zim
said. “When I look at travel magazines, and I don’t see one person of color on any of these ads, I
wonder why. If we’re one of the top consumers in America, why aren’t we represented?”
A known go­getter
during her UNCG days — as UNCG’s first Luce Scholar, she spent a year abroad
in India post­graduation
— Zim decided to do something about it.
“I could have started a blog on my own travels, but with my community organizer background, I
thought it’d be cool to get a collection of voices who were inspired by travel,” she says.
The website, travelnoire.com, reaches out to savvy, experienced travelers and rookies alike.
Sometimes the goal is to awaken a desire to travel. Other times, it’s to help would­be
travelers with
advice to overcome obstacles such as limited funds or vacation days.
Travel Noire Academy helps people plan their trip, with advice on topics such as purchasing
affordable plane tickets or packing for vacation. “It’s like an online travel school for people who are
interested in taking their dream — that destination dream — and moving forward,” Zim says.
The world has taken notice. In less than a year, Travel Noire has carved out a distinct position in the
market. “We have our finger on the pulse of this black travel market,” Zim explains. “It’s a rapidly
growing segment … but brands don’t know how to engage that market.”
In addition to sharing her own experiences — such as how she nabbed a flight to Rio for $60 — Zim
has curated a virtual community writers to share their experiences. The site has earned national
media coverage, with articles on popular sites like Ebony.com,Blackenterprise.com,
MadameNoire.com. As the interviewer from Ebony.com noted, “getting featured on the Travel Noire
(Instagram) feed has become a major travel status symbol in the black jetset world.”
Zim said the response has been humbling. “It feels like Travel Noire’s been around for a lot longer
than it has,” she says. “I have a phenomenal team, and we work insanely hard, every single day.”
And, through the virtual community she envisioned, Zim has realized she isn’t alone.

3. By Lanita Withers Goins, University Relations
Photography submitted by Zim Ugochukwu ‘11