Turn Your Travels Into Stories That Spark Change— and Get You Paid.
A six-week (1hr/week) live course where you’ll learn to master ethical travel writing—how to turn your lived experiences into stories that elevate truth, illuminate readers and empower places. Land bylines and collaborations, and amplify your voice as a global changemaker.
Only 10 spots.
Led by Lebawit Lily Girma, award-winning travel journalist, editor and writing coach certified in sustainable tourism.
🏆 SATW, NATJA Awards | Sustainability, Business and EDI
✨ Positive Impact Storyteller of the Year 2025 | Inspire Global Awards.
🏆 Marcia Vickery-Wallace Memorial Award for Excellence in Travel Journalism | Caribbean Tourism Organization
✍🏽 Bloomberg News, Bloomberg Businessweek, National Geographic Traveller, Condé Nast Traveler, Sierra Magazine & more.
Travel Writing Isn’t Dead — It’s Evolving
Today’s travel content often skims the surface. It recycles familiar ideas and perspectives, often filtered through a Western lens that overlooks nuance and impact.
That’s not necessarily because individual writers don’t care. It’s because the industry has reinforced that shallow frame for decades. But audiences are shifting. Editors are shifting. Travelers themselves are shifting.
Conscious travel storytelling is about breaking out of that lens and crafting narratives that honor place, people and context. It’s about telling stories that don’t just describe a destination, but show what’s at stake — stories that carry weight, meaning, and perspective.
Most travel writing still does the opposite:
> Top 10 lists (even to overcrowded places) instead of lived experiences
>Stories that overlook power dynamics and history
>Content that promotes luxury without context
>Narratives that fail to connect travelers to a culture or people
But this course is your path to changing that and standing out — because the demand for conscious travel storytelling has never been higher. You’ll learn to shape stories — whether for an article, a blog or your own project — that are grounded and rooted in real perspective.
>If you’re newer to travel writing, you’ll build a foundation that sparks interest from editors or creates meaningful stories on your own platforms.
>If you’ve been writing for a while, you’ll sharpen your voice, uncover deeper angles, and land stories that connect with editors, audiences, and communities alike.
Readers today are craving depth and perspective. Editors and brands are seeking fresh voices and nuanced stories —more now than when I started out years ago. That means there has never been a better time to step into travel storytelling — and do it consciously.
The Conscious Travel Storyteller
This 6-week live course shows you to write powerful, conscious travel stories that inspire — and get paid. Turn your experiences into narratives that connect across cultures, shift perspectives and make a difference.
Travel Writing Can Still Change Your Life — Here’s How It Changed Mine 👇🏽
Hi, I’m Lebawit “Lily” Girma.
Fifteen years ago, I was sitting in an office at one of the world’s most prestigious law firms, working 60-hour weeks and earning a quarter of a million dollars. On paper, I had “made it.” I was the immigrant kid who had checked all the boxes — the degrees from top universities, the stable paycheck, the big name career.
But I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was living someone else’s life. That there was something bigger for me out there. I knew I wanted to use my skills to connect with others through my writing, not just draft contracts that kept corporations richer.
So I did the unthinkable: In November 2008, I walked away. I had no plan, no guarantee this would be the best decision ever.
I started my blog (remember when blogs were a new thing!)—and in 2009, I wrote my first article for a digital website. By 2012, I was authoring a major travel guidebook. I chose to include as many local highlights and businesses as possible… and I was getting paid to travel. I didn’t have a trust fund, or a roadmap on how to be a travel writer. I wasn’t confident about pitching stories to editors. And I wasn’t making six figures. But I had my curiosity, my ideas, some writing skills, and a determination to rebuild my life on my own terms.
Fast forward to today…
I’ve lived in 8 countries across 3 continents— a chunk of that time as a remote-working travel journalist based in the Caribbean and Central America— and turned those experiences into award-winning travel journalism. But more importantly, my stories focused on culture, impact, sustainable tourism and responsible travel. I was sharing travel insights and advice on visiting places in a way that honors and uplifts local businesses, heritage, and nature. I stuck to my values and it paid off.
My bylines have appeared in Bloomberg News, where I worked full-time for nearly three years up until June 2025. My stories have also appeared in BBC Travel, National Geographic, and many more outlets.
I’ve worked with national tourism boards and global brands who paid me handsomely to create stories that don’t erase culture, but elevate it. It’s gained me speaking engagements and media interviews (talking to Richard Quest live on CNN twice was surreal!)
I’ve built a reputation in the industry as a voice for conscious travel — storytelling that honors people, place, and power.
And I’ve mentored writers who have gone on to land their own bylines and launch platforms of their own.
The craziest part?
I still get paid to do what I love: tell stories that inspire change.
And if I could walk away from a six-figure law job and start over, or support my life with remote income as a travel storyteller, you can too.
That’s what this course is about — giving you the exact framework, tools, and support I wish I’d had when I made that leap.
course overview | 6 hours of live teaching, templates & CASE STUDIES
What’s Inside
Your Story, Your Voice, Your Why
Reframing personal experience as valid source material and getting clear on the best path forward for your specific background, experience and passion.
Conscious Travel Storytelling Framework
A deep dive into the 7 steps to impactful storytelling, identifying purpose and audience, and ethics of place-based content.
Structuring Stories That Resonate
The art of the lede, story anatomy and how to anchor in place and voice. Hot seat & story feedback.
Generating Story Ideas
Strategies for generating story ideas and sourcing interesting people with important experiences to share.
BONUS INCLUDED
Pitch-Ready Toolkit to Help You Land Clients and Bylines.
Includes actual email pitch examples that helped me land paid writing assignments!
This alone is worth the course – hours and years it took to learn, research and write… !
Publishing & Pitching with Integrity
How to pitch stories to publications and brands, and how to get conscious visibility. With lots of feedback.
Building Income and Momentum
Tips on monetization paths (freelance, digital products, and services), audience growth, and next steps.
Last year, my client Kate was a busy mom eager to tell more stories that highlight sustainable travel.
Her dream was to land a major byline, boost her confidence and get on her way.
We met for one hour a week over a month.
She put in the work, asked questions and received feedback from me on a pitch she was sending out. Plus personal guidance on mindset and approach, because I’ve been there too and figured it out solo.
By the third coaching session, she had news: she’d landed her first commission for BBC Travel. This is the story, if you’re curious. She’s gone on to publish in other outlets, like Travel & Leisure.
You can get published too, if you choose, or you can produce that powerful content for your platforms and/or for ethical brands.
When You Learn 1:1 With Me, You’ll Get…
Award-winning Journalist, Editor, Content Creator & Coach
15+ years reporting on cultural, ethical travel for top outlets, including Bloomberg News, BBC Travel, National Geographic Traveller, Skift and more. More than 12 media awards for my work, in multiple mediums. Storytelling coaching experience 1:1 and in groups.
Honest Feedback. Not Fluff.
Weekly Q&As and optional office hours mean you get personal, honest guidance throughout the course. I provide a safe space where there is no judgment—just progress.
Deep Cultural Perspective + Live Abroad Experience
Raised and educated across three continents, plus on-the-ground journalist and full-time creator in 8 countries, I’ve lived the travel journalist life I teach — navigating identity, place, and cross-cultural storytelling and building relationships with editors, tourism board leaders, community leaders and all segments of the industry.
Story-First Approach, Multiple Genres
Whether you’re writing blogs, or future branded content— I’ll help you shape an approach that connects and gets you visibility. I’ve written for a wide variety of travel clients and formats.
Everything you need to transform your travel and lived experiences into stories that connect, inspire and empower places and people—and get you paid premium rates.
If you put in the work and stay the course, you can thrive. This isn’t an overnight get-rich-scheme (understatement) but it’s a solid start to stepping into your impactful travel storytelling power.
All the Tools to Master Conscious Travel Storytelling
This isn’t just another travel writing course. You’re getting the exact storytelling framework that’s earned me consistent three- to four-figure revenue from articles, five-figure tourism board contracts, and high-profile keynote opportunities, all focused on my expertise: sustainable tourism, ethical travel and cultural storytelling.
✅ 6-week (1h/week for six hours) live group calls on Zoom
✅ Pitch toolkit with sample pitches plus actual email examples
✅ Worksheets on story structure, with examples
✅ Weekly feedback and coaching from me
✅ Clarity on your voice and speciality
✅ Discussions on ethics of travel coverage, research and sourcing tips and responsible storytelling
✅ Writing assignment with a complete story draft and/or pitch ready to send
✅ Small group size for peer-to-peer exchange and connection
✅ Access to all recordings for 60 days
$850 (Beta pricing)
One well-paid assignment can cover your investment. Course will close as soon as 10 spots are filled. For payment plan, reach out directly. Refund is possible if you feel the course is not for you and ask for it within 14 days after the course has started.
14-Day Money Back Guarantee
I can’t promise you’ll land a front-page byline in a major publication in 6 weeks — and if anyone promises you that, you should run the other way.
What I can promise is this: if you show up, do the work, and apply the frameworks I teach, you’ll walk away with sharper skills, stronger story ideas, and the confidence to pitch and publish stories that stand out. I’ve seen it happen for myself, for collaborators, and for the students I’ve mentored.
Either way, I want this to feel like a risk-free decision for you.
So enroll, dive into our first live session. If you decide within 14 days from the start of the course that this course isn’t right for you, just email info@tourismlens.com and I’ll refund your payment in full.
Lily offered detailed feedback–her knowledge and advice was invaluable. Her coaching helped me take my first steps into sustainable travel journalism, and I went on to secure a commission with BBC Travel.
An exceptional experience.
Lily’s training was highly interactive and informative.
A gamechanger. Lily’s workshop is packed with information. Generous spirit, thought-provoking, action-filled and inspiring. My only regret is I did not find her sooner.
FAQs
Ready to tell stories that matter, earn remotely and inspire others?
The Fall cohort is limited to 10 seats. Currently 8 left.
Don’t wait—reserve your place today.
Earnings Disclaimer
The Conscious Travel Storyteller Course is designed to help you strengthen your travel writing skills, build your voice in responsible travel storytelling, and guide you toward opportunities to get published and paid. However, we cannot guarantee any specific financial outcomes. Any testimonials or examples shared on this page reflect individual experiences and results, which may not be typical. Your success depends on many factors, including your commitment, skill level, and current market conditions. I encourage you to approach this program with an open mind and a focus on personal growth. For any questions, please contact info@tourismlens.com.