Kristie, also known as The Escape Artist, was in Barbados at only 7 years old when she fell deeply and madly in love… with traveling, that is.
It’s raining miserably in London, but Kristie, The Escape Artist, wouldn’t know. She’s sitting under the shade on a terrace in Spain, her tan putting mine to shame. As a travel designer, even her aesthetic makes one wish they were on holiday, and this, I soon find out, is only one of the many things I am jealous of her for.
The other is that Kristie is one of those people who have turned a lifelong passion into a career. In Kristie’s case, that passion is for traveling. As a travel designer named one of Condé Nast Travel Specialists for 2023, she operates under The Escape Artist, a bespoke travel design service focused on luxury experiences. From festival hopping around the globe to horseback riding in the depths of Argentina, you name it, and Kristie makes it happen. She’s done it all herself anyway. Travel agents or designers are not a new concept, but they are certainly on the rise as people struggle to navigate the overwhelming amounts of information online. It is almost as if we have flipped the coin entirely, going from very little information to an overload that takes years to skim over, let alone verify its veracity.
Cue people like Kristie.
But what exactly does a travel designer do?
In The Escape Artist‘s case, a bit of everything… at least when it comes to the organization of your trips. She walks me through her design process, which is categorized into three different phases: dream, design, and discover. While design refers to Kristie’s behind-the-scenes work in ensuring the best deals and treatment for her clients, “dream” is all about unveiling her clients’ visions – an arduous and highly demanding task if there ever was one.
“Some clients are very involved. They have lots to share and would like to be fairly active in discussions and bouncing ideas. Others prefer to simply leave everything to me,” she explains. “I believe this is all about asking the right questions. I was recently told by an industry partner that they didn’t often have this level of detail about the clients’ preferences… so I guess sometimes I do like to go pretty deep!”
Kristie’s attention to detail doesn’t stop there. The Escape Artist supports her clients from the very beginning until the end of their trip. This means that if things go awry (as they often inevitably do when you’re on the other side of the world doing things like zip-lining in the Amazon), Kristie is there to help through her extensive list of partners and local connections.
This extensive network she boasts of comes from years of industry experience, including attending travel industry conferences in Dubai, Botswana, South Africa and Ibiza and, of course, many years of her own intrepid travels. As is often the case with many serial travelers, for Kristie, travel is both a lifestyle and a mindset. “It’s been both my biggest teacher and my biggest connector. I’ve learned firsthand about how beautiful and diverse the world is, and I’ve also crafted a mindset of abundance and gratitude, in part thanks to my travels,” she tells me. “Travel has also been the reason that I have met so many incredible people and now have friends, both personally and professionally, all around the world.”
As we speak, it becomes evident that traveling has also played a transformational role in Kristie’s outlook on life. From her homestays in a mountain village in Vietnam, where she learned about the struggles and success of her host’s business as a widow with three children, to hearing the emotional stories of a Venezuelan couple who had to flee their home country. “Meeting the people that I have met on my travels has been one of the most humbling and touching experiences of all,” she tells me. “When you interact with people living completely different lives, with different beliefs and perceptions, you can learn so much, and it really opens up your own way of looking at the world.”
Having traveled so extensively, and being so interested in sustainable travel that looks to give back to local people, when asked about her bucket list destinations and experiences, Kristie shines through with versatility. “I am genuinely interested in visiting every country in the world, and considering I spend my life researching and booking cool experiences for clients, there’s a million and one things I want to try out!” She goes on to tell me about her aspirations of visiting Nihi Sumba and watching horses gallop freely along the beach, cruising along with Kontiki Expeditions and discovering the lesser-visited coastal region of Ecuador, or road-tripping the Deep South USA while hanging out in country music bars. For the time being, however, she seems fascinated by Africa. “I have now managed to visit around 14 spectacular safari sites across Botswana, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, and I already can’t wait for my next visit to the bush. I could talk about this for hours. The vastness of the landscape, the kindness of the people, the majesty of the animals, and the intense connection to the land and lifestyle that you feel here: Africa is pure magic!”
So, from Kristie’s pool of expertise: what are this year’s travel trends? Her answer is varied. While she names Japan, Montenegro, and Mozambique as some of the most sought-after destinations, it is the general travel trends that I find delightfully surprising.
“Bucket list travel is definitely a big one in 2023. After a period of such restricted travel, many people are ready to jump straight in and finally realize those big travel dreams. There are also a growing number of people looking for more unique experiences and remote destinations – which I love. This is firstly a beneficial mindset switch for sustainability as it will help with overtourism issues by spreading travelers further around the world, and it will also bring more resources to lesser-explored destinations. Secondly, it really gives me a chance to use my expertise to help clients have the most epic experiences! Sustainable and meaningful or transformational travel are definitely trending, with plenty of people seeking retreats that will help them to reconnect as well as socially responsible options. Lastly, I’d add psychedelic retreats, electric road trips, and indigenous-led experiences.”
Did the travel bug bite you yet? If looking to experience the world’s finest adventures, contact The Escape Artist at ciao@theescapeartist.travel or @theescapeartist.travel