About Us
Culture Travel Hub began in 2015 when three friends—an anthropologist, a sustainable tourism expert, and a digital storyteller—met during a cultural festival in Bali. Frustrated by how mainstream tourism often skimmed the surface of cultural experiences, they envisioned a platform that would connect travelers with authentic cultural immersion opportunities while supporting local communities.
What started as a simple blog sharing stories of meaningful cultural exchanges has evolved into a global movement. Our first curated experience in 2016—a weaving workshop with Mayan artisans in Guatemala—set the foundation for our approach: experiences that create mutual respect and understanding between travelers and hosts.
By 2018, we had expanded to offer immersive experiences across four continents, established our Cultural Preservation Fund, and launched our research initiatives tracking how travel impacts cross-cultural understanding. Today, Culture Travel Hub partners with over 200 community-led tourism initiatives worldwide, hosts our annual Global Cultural Exchange Summit, and continues to advocate for travel as a force for cultural appreciation rather than appropriation.
We believe that mindful travel has the power to preserve cultural diversity, foster global understanding, and create economic opportunities that honor traditional ways of life.
Culture Travel Hub exists to transform how people experience the world by creating meaningful connections between travelers and communities, while ensuring that tourism benefits rather than exploits local cultures.
We ensure that every travel experience creates mutual benefit and learning for both travelers and host communities.
We only partner with tourism initiatives that are led by or actively co-created with local communities.
We recognize that cultural practices are often intertwined with natural environments and promote travel that respects both.
We believe the most meaningful souvenirs are the perspectives and relationships developed through cultural immersion.
The passionate experts behind our cultural mission
Co-Founder & Cultural Research Director
With a PhD in Cultural Anthropology from UC Berkeley, Amara spent 15 years documenting endangered cultural practices across Asia before co-founding Culture Travel Hub. She leads our research initiatives and develops methodologies for measuring the impact of cultural exchange experiences.
Co-Founder & Community Partnerships Lead
Former sustainable development consultant for UNESCO, Miguel brings expertise in community-based tourism models that prioritize cultural preservation. He develops our ethical guidelines and cultivates relationships with indigenous-led tourism initiatives worldwide.
Co-Founder & Creative Director
Award-winning documentary filmmaker and digital media specialist, Leila oversees our storytelling approach and educational content. Her work has been featured at international film festivals, and she leads our annual Cultural Storytellers Fellowship program.
Experience Design Director
With a background in experiential learning and cross-cultural psychology, James joined our team in 2019 to enhance how we design transformative travel experiences. He previously developed intercultural training programs for global organizations and taught at NYU's School of Global Studies.
Tangible results of our cultural mission since 2015
Active collaborations with community-led tourism initiatives across 45 countries, with 85% of program fees remaining in local economies.
Mindful travelers have participated in our immersive experiences, with 93% reporting lasting shifts in their cultural understanding and global perspective.
Distributed to 78 cultural preservation projects, helping communities document and transmit endangered traditions to younger generations.
Perspectives from both travelers and community partners
"Working with Culture Travel Hub has allowed us to share our weaving traditions with respectful visitors while creating income for 27 families in our village. Unlike other tourism companies, they listened to what we wanted to share and how we wanted to share it."
"My Deep Immersion experience in Japan completely transformed how I approach both my personal travels and my work as a corporate trainer. Learning about 'ma'—the concept of negative space—from my tea ceremony teacher has influenced everything from how I design presentations to how I listen in conversations."
"The partnership with Culture Travel Hub has given our youth a reason to take interest in our traditions. The Cultural Documentation Fellowship they provided for five of our young people has created a bridge between generations, and the tourism income helps make cultural knowledge a viable career path."
Moments of connection from our experiences worldwide
Whether you're looking to expand your horizons through travel or partner with us to share your community's cultural heritage, we'd love to connect with you.