Our Impact

Our team worked with Visit Lauderdale to create and manage influencer-driven digital media campaigns aimed at attracting Black travelers to Greater Fort Lauderdale. Recognizing the need for intentional representation and inclusion in destination marketing, this partnership leveraged our expertise and connections within the Black travel and tourism community to position Visit Lauderdale as a welcoming and diverse destination.

Through curated influencer campaigns, video storytelling, and inclusive itinerary development, we worked to amplify local BIPOC tourism & hospitality SMEs in the region and elevated Greater Fort Lauderdale’s appeal to Black travelers.

Our work over the past three years with Visit Lauderdale serves as a model for how intentional, inclusive marketing can drive meaningful results in the tourism & hospitality industry. By leveraging the influence of the Black travel community, curating diverse itineraries, and amplifying Black and Brown voices, this collaboration not only attracted more Black travelers to Greater Fort Lauderdale but also empowered local businesses and communities.

Our team produced a first-of-its-kind Multicultural Marketplace for the Power of Partnership Stewardship Summit in Richmond, Virginia, where 22 BIPOC tour operators were featured as suppliers. These businesses engaged directly with international buyers, travel advisors, and media outlets—most for the first time—gaining exposure that significantly broadened their market reach. Disrupt for Change's ability to convene influential travel & tourism stakeholders through strategic partnerships played a pivotal role in positioning these underrepresented tourism businesses on the global stage. 

The summit created an environment where authentic, culturally rooted experiences were spotlighted, generating new leads, potential contracts, and increased visibility for participating operators. As a result, several businesses secured follow-up meetings and collaborative opportunities that continue to fuel growth. 

This initiative exemplifies our mission to drive inclusive economic development in the tourism industry by creating access, visibility, and connection for BIPOC tour operators within the global travel trade ecosystem.

Our team partnered with Los Angeles Tourism to host a transformative Small Business Tourism Development Training Program in Los Angeles. The one-day intensive workshop brought together 25 BIPOC-owned tourism & hospitality businesses—from tour operators and restaurants to cultural arts providers and meeting planners—for tailored education designed to assess tourism readiness and foster stronger integration with Los Angeles Tourism.

Participants explored core topics including tourism marketing, product development, strategic partnerships, and working with the travel trade. The program addressed the specific barriers faced by BIPOC entrepreneurs and offered practical tools to overcome them. Post-training evaluations revealed measurable impact: attendees reported enhanced industry knowledge, greater confidence in marketing and positioning their businesses, and a deeper understanding of how to align with LA Tourism. Critically, the event also cultivated valuable peer and industry connections, creating a vibrant network of collaborators committed to inclusive tourism growth in Los Angeles.

Our team worked with Visit Miami to design and implement a Tourism Business Enhancement Training Program aimed at supporting local tourism & hospitality SMEs within Miami’s heritage neighborhoods. These communities, rich in cultural history and unique tourism assets, often lacked access to resources and opportunities to participate in the local tourism ecosystem.

Through a comprehensive training curriculum, mentoring, and innovative initiatives, we equipped over 20 SMEs with industry education to become tourism-ready, paving the way for their integration into Miami’s thriving tourism economy. Our work with Visit Miami exemplifies how targeted training and mentorship programs can drive meaningful change for small businesses in marginalized communities. 

By equipping BIPOC SMEs with the tools to succeed, creating opportunities for visibility and revenue generation, and fostering community engagement, this initiative empowered local businesses while enhancing Miami’s cultural heritage landscape.

We worked with the South African Tourism Board to create an unprecedented opportunity for small, independent Black tour operators in the U.S. This partnership sought to bridge the gap between Black tour operators in the U.S. and South Africa, fostering global collaboration and creating new avenues for economic growth within the Black travel and tourism sector.

The initiative centered on a two-week familiarization (FAM) tour to South Africa, enabling U.S.-based operators to meet with their South African counterparts, gain firsthand knowledge of the destination, and build relationships with local suppliers. The partnership also facilitated participation in the renowned 2023 Travel Indaba trade show, where attendees could network with South African suppliers and collaborate on multi-day outbound tour itineraries. Our work with the South African Tourism Board set a new standard for fostering global collaboration and inclusivity in tourism. Through initiatives like the familiarization tour, trade show participation, and targeted networking, this collaboration successfully expanded opportunities for 10 U.S.-based Black tour operators while promoting South Africa as a vibrant and culturally rich destination. The success of the program underscores the value of intentional partnerships in transforming the tourism industry and driving equitable economic growth.

Our team partnered with the U.S. Travel Association to create unprecedented opportunities for small Black tour operators to access and participate in the annual IPW international travel trade show. As the leading international inbound travel trade event, IPW connects U.S. travel suppliers with domestic and international buyers, offering a critical platform for expanding global tourism markets.

This partnership marked a historic moment as we facilitated the participation of six Black women-owned tourism businesses, introducing Black cultural heritage tour products to IPW for the first time in its 54-year history. Our work with the U.S. Travel Association at its annual travel trade show, IPW, pioneered access to the largest annual supplier/buyer event in the U.S. By breaking barriers for small Black tour operators and introducing Black cultural heritage tour products to a global audience, this initiative not only empowered businesses economically, but also enriched the travel industry with diverse tour products. 

The success of this initiative highlights the importance of intentional advocacy, innovative strategies, and collaborative efforts in creating opportunities for underrepresented communities.

Brand USA is the nation's public-private partnership for promoting international inbound travel to the United States. Our work with Brand USA aimed to address a longstanding gap in Brand USA's international marketing efforts: the lack of promotion and amplification of local Black SMEs, cultural heritage tourism and the systemic disparities faced by small Black-owned tourism & hospitality businesses.

The U.S. boasts a rich tapestry of Black cultural heritage, yet the economic benefits of tourism have historically bypassed many Black communities and businesses. 

Our team set out to educate Brand USA's Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and marketing team on the critical importance of engaging with underserved Black tourism suppliers, developing a strategic framework to increase their visibility and drive economic growth.

Our team worked with Intrepid Travel, a global leader in sustainable tourism, to curate a first-of-its-kind multi-day tour itinerary showcasing the rich Gullah Geechee cultural heritage of South Carolina and Georgia. The Gullah Geechee people, descendants of enslaved Africans, have preserved a vibrant cultural legacy, yet their stories and businesses have often been underrepresented in the mainstream tourism industry.

Our work with Intrepid Travel exemplifies how intentional collaboration can empower underrepresented communities in the tourism industry. By curating an immersive Gullah Geechee itinerary, enhancing the market readiness of local tourism & hospitality suppliers and amplifying the culture’s global reach, this initiative created meaningful economic opportunities and celebrated a vital, little-known part of American history.