Africa Travel Week
Lisa Goosen is the CEO and co-owner of Tintswalo, a collection of family-owned and managed lodges and luxury boutique hotels around South Africa. In Cape Town it includes flagship Tintswalo Atlantic on Chapman’s Peak Drive and Tintswalo at Boulders Boutique Villa in Simon’s Town, and in the northern parts of the country Tintswalo Safari Lodge and Manor House in the Manyeleti Private Nature Reserve (greater Kruger region), and Tintswalo Lapalala and Tintswalo Family Camp Welgevonden in the Waterberg.
How did you fall in love with travelling?
How could anyone not fall in love with travelling! I love to travel with family or friends and seeing experiences through their eyes too, which gives one an expanded viewpoint and the opportunity to discover a passion for new things.
What kind of traveller are you?
I am a self-planner, so I love to plan it out and design the route myself, including all the details of the trip.
What’s your travel philosophy?
To try to stay just off the main streets and locations in order to enjoy a true, local experience. First thing I do on arrival in a new country is to get a local sim card so that I can google everything and do my own research.
What are your top travel essentials?
Good shoes to walk, a puffer jacket that folds up small and good roller luggage.
Where was your most memorable trip?
I would say a recent trip to Italy with my mother and daughter. An all-girls trip with three generations. It is something that I will never forget, and hopefully will one day do again.
How has traveling changed your life?
It has opened my eyes to the possibilities of other ways of life and created a love for other cultures. Travel is an ongoing inspiration for me to experience what’s happening in the hospitality industry and to stay on top of global travel trends. This helps us to continuously improve the guest experience at our hotels and lodges.
What is your next travel destination ?
When international borders open, we hope to go to France to ski as a family.
Best travel advice you can share?
Always check your itinerary yourself. Sometimes someone else puts them together without the on-the-ground, first-hand knowledge of the destination. If things go wrong always have a plan B and stay longer, rather than leave sooner! And of course always have fresh socks and underwear and a change of clothes in your carry-on luggage. Accidents like spilling coffee do happen and there is nothing more uncomfortable that doing a long haul flight with messed-up clothes.
