Sol Journey Travel

What Sol Journey Travel does

Sol Journey Travel is a boutique, LGBTQ+ focused travel advisory firm headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, operating as Sol Journey Travel, LLC. The business is a solo advisor practice led by founder Janis Bailey, delivering custom travel planning, cruise booking, and itinerary design for queer travelers — with a documented emphasis on queer women, couples, and celebration trips such as honeymoons, babymoons, and anniversaries. The service model is relationship-based: clients book a complimentary 15-minute discovery consultation via Calendly, after which the advisor curates a personalized itinerary drawing on partner inventory.

The core "product" is the advisor's expertise and destination vetting, not a software platform. Underlying delivery relies on a Wix-hosted website, a blog serving as a content marketing and SEO channel, social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), and an email newsletter, with bookings executed through supplier partnerships. The technology stack is intentionally minimal — there is no proprietary platform, no mobile app, and no API. Distribution is exclusively direct-to-consumer through the advisor's personal relationships and content funnel.

The business earns revenue through affiliate and referral commissions from travel suppliers — primarily Virgin Voyages (Gold Certified First Mate status), Explora Journeys, hotels and resort collections, and Project Expedition (200,000+ activities). The company holds NGLCC Certified LGBTBE status and IGLTA membership, has earned a Cruise Critic 2023 Cruisers' Choice award, a Los Cabos "Cabo Specialist" designation, and STE sustainable travel certification, and participates in industry events including the LGBT Travel Symposiums in Stockholm and Los Cabos. It is privately held with no outside funding, no institutional investors, and no reported headcount growth since founding.

Name

Sol Journey Travel

Legal name

Sol Journey Travel, LLC

Website

https://soljourneytravel.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sol Journey Travel is a Baltimore-based, LGBTQ+ focused boutique travel advisory firm led by founder Janis Bailey. It provides custom itinerary planning, cruise booking, and celebration travel services — including honeymoons and group trips — primarily to queer women, couples, and leisure travelers seeking vetted, inclusive destinations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Travel Advisory Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520)

akta.pro primary industry

Group & Small-Group Custom Itinerary Planning (THAKAOAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Island, Beach & Resort Travel Agencies (THAKAFAL), Honeymoon & Romance Travel Agencies (THAKAFAC), Private Adventure & Expedition Experiences (Custom Hikes, Safaris, Backcountry) (THAJALAG)

Keywords

• LGBTQ+ travel advisory
• Luxury travel planning
• Cruise booking services
• Group trip coordination
• Celebration travel planning

Headquarters

HQ city

New Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Travel Planning and Booking Commissions: As a travel advisor, Sol Journey Travel earns commissions from travel suppliers (hotels, cruise lines, tour operators) for bookings made on behalf of clients. The service offers complimentary discovery consultations and earns revenue through the bookings arranged for clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sol Journey Travel is a solo-operated LGBTQ+ travel advisory that provides custom itinerary planning and booking services for queer women, couples, and the broader LGBTQ+ travel market. The agency curates and books individual leisure trips, group retreats, resort stays, cruises (Virgin Voyages and Explora Journeys), and tours/activities through affiliate partners, earning commissions from suppliers on the bookings it produces.

Product overview

Sol Journey Travel operates as a boutique LGBTQ+ travel agency offering personalized travel advisory services. The core offering consists of customized trip planning and consultation, supplemented by group travel experiences, resort partnerships, and cruise booking services. The agency specializes in luxury and upscale travel experiences for queer travelers, featuring partnerships with Virgin Voyages (Gold Certified First Mate status), Explora Journeys, and access to over 200,000 tours and activities globally. Services include celebration travel planning (honeymoons, anniversaries, babymoons), group retreats, and comprehensive itinerary curation focused on LGBTQ+-friendly destinations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LGBTQ+ Travel Planning & Advisory Services Custom travel advisory and itinerary planning for individual LGBTQ+ travelers and couples, including destination recommendations, supplier vetting, and booking of flights, hotels, resorts, and tours.
• Group Trips & Retreats Curated small-group travel experiences such as the Joshua Tree Hiking Retreat and a Southern Caribbean group sailing, designed for queer women and couples traveling together.
• Virgin Voyages Cruise Bookings Booking of adult-only Virgin Voyages cruises for LGBTQ+ travelers, supported by the agency's Gold Certified First Mate accreditation with Virgin Voyages.
• Explora Journeys Cruise Bookings Booking of Explora Journeys luxury cruises for LGBTQ+ travelers, supported by the agency's certification with Explora Journeys.
• Tours and Activities (via Project Expedition) Booking of tours, excursions, and destination activities for clients through the agency's affiliate partnership with Project Expedition.
• Resorts & Hotels Collection Curated portfolio of LGBTQ+-welcoming resorts and hotels that the agency books for clients, drawn from destinations such as Los Cabos and other vetted properties.
• Celebration Travel Planning Specialized trip planning for honeymoons, anniversaries, milestone birthdays, and other LGBTQ+ couple celebrations, with vetted destination and supplier recommendations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Clients report saving thousands on travel arrangements through expert guidance

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IGLTA (International LGBTQ+ Travel Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive member of IGLTA, the leading global organization dedicated to LGBTQ+ travel, providing credibility and network access within the LGBTQ+ travel community.
• NGLCC (National LGBT Chamber of Commerce)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCertified LGBT Business Enterprise through NGLCC certification, establishing business credibility in the LGBTQ+ business community.
• Virgin VoyagescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGold Certified First Mate partner with Virgin Voyages, booking adults-only cruise sailings. Virgin Voyages offers 'an epic sea change for all' with over $600 in value always included.
• Explora JourneysminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner cruise line for luxury ocean journeys.
• Project ExpeditionminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides access to 200,000+ activities, attractions, and adventures worldwide for client booking.
• Queer DestinationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLos Cabos achieved the Queer Destinations Committed Distinction, the first destination in the world to receive this recognition for LGBTQ+ welcoming standards.
• Los Cabos Tourism BoardcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerActive participant in LGBT Travel Symposium and destination marketing initiatives for Los Cabos.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Peers

• HE Travel (Hanns Ebensten Travel):

Direct peers

• Out Adventures: Out Adventures is a Toronto-based LGBTQ+ tour operator offering small-group guided trips worldwide; comparable to Sol Journey's group trip and custom itinerary model for queer travelers seeking curated travel experiences.
• Olivia Travel: Olivia Travel is a long-established LGBTQ+ travel brand specializing in chartered cruises, resort vacations, and group trips primarily for lesbian and queer women travelers, directly overlapping Sol Journey's core queer-women luxury segment.
• VACAYA: VACAYA is an LGBTQ+ vacation company operating adults-only resort takeovers and cruises; competes with Sol Journey for the same inclusive luxury and cruise-driven LGBTQ+ traveler demand.
• R Family Vacations: R Family Vacations focuses on LGBTQ+ family-friendly travel, including cruises and resort packages, and serves a closely adjacent queer traveler segment to Sol Journey's clients.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCS4BocpQ-mB-vcVsEZlrBPw
• Facebookfacebook.com/soljourneytravel
• Instagraminstagram.com/soljourney_travel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sol-journey-travel

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sol Journey Travel