More about Dawn Jorgensen. The Incidental Tourist

‘Conscious travel brings me closer to the things that matter, the people and how they’d like their stories told.’

As a conscious traveller with a deep love for Africa, it’s people and the environment; here on my award winning blog I share travel stories and photographs, accommodation reviews and discoveries from my international and local travels, as well as details of conservation and environmental campaigns that I support.

From gorilla trekking in Uganda, tree planting in Zambia, turtle rescue in Kenya, cruising the Caribbean and crampon hiking in Patagonia, my focus remains on sustainable tourism and highlighting ways that we can enjoy this beautiful world without compromise.

Countries Visited

South Africa. Botswana. Lesotho. Namibia. Zimbabwe. Zambia. Kenya. Tanzania. Rwanda. Uganda. Reunion. Mauritius. Mozambique. Madagascar. Benin. Cape Verde Islands. Italy. Belgium. France. Vatican City. England. Ireland. Switzerland. Turkey. Greece. Israel. The Netherlands. USA. Mexico. Argentina. Uruguay. Honduras. Singapore. Indonesia. Vietnam. Thailand. Germany. Ethiopia. Austria.

Next Destination: Thailand in September. Morocco in October.

Awards, Accolades and Interviews

Campaign Work and Collaborations

Within South Africa:

  • South African Tourism working with International Travel bloggers on the 2014 and 2015 #MeetSouthAfrica pre-Indaba campaigns
  • South Africa Tourism on numerous Sho’t Left campaigns
  • Fair Trade Tourism Ten-Year Birthday campaign
  • Grootbos Private Nature Reserve on their #GrootbosMagic campaign and guest blogger.
  • Cape Town Hidden Treasures. Avios Travel.
  • Blogathon with #CheapflightsExplorers.
  • Author for ThailandSA blog.
  • Contributor at All4Women | Travelstart | Traveller24 | Cheapflights and more.

Internationally:

I have worked with Swiss, South African, Singapore, Ethiopian and Turkish Airlines, Switzerland Tourism, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Trafalgar Travel, Treadright Foundation and Reunion Island Tourism promoting their routes, offerings and philosophies as well as numerous local DMO’s and PR Agencies including Rovos Rail, Manley Communications, Lesley Simpson Communications, Cheapflights UK, Five Star PR and Theresa Gibbons PR.

Additional Representation

  • Airbnb Immersive Experiences Host – Ocean Advocate.
  • Cape Town Chapter Leader for Global Movement Travel Massive.
  • Founder member of African Bloggers Network, established to professionalise the blogging world and implement a code of conduct.
  • Speaker on Travel Blogging at the Indaba Travel Bloggers Conference in Durban in May 2015; eTourism Summit in Cape Town in September 2015; SAFREA event on Travel Blogging and Online Marketing in August 2016; Speaker on The Use of Bloggers and Influencers at Sports Events at SETE2016 in October 2016 and more.
  • Pro bona work and media coverage of Greenpop | Blood Lions | Penguin Promises | Seals of Namibia and co-founder of the #AnimalRightsInTourism movement.

Other Blog and Freelance Contributions

As a freelance writer my work regularly appears in numerous print and online publications both locally and abroad. I have been a regular guest on numerous national radio stations Helderberg and Good Hope FM and the SABC3 Expresso Morning TV Show has featured me talking about my travel experiences and travel trends.

Video forms an essential part of my work as I capture stories from around the world. A collection of my Travel Videos  as edited by Eden Weiss Videography, can be seen here.

A more in depth look at Dawn Jorgensen

After more than a decade of professionally designing dream holidays, as well as taking many myself I founded The Incidental Tourist in 2010 with the express purpose of sharing my love for travel with others afflicted by the gift of wanderlust. My heart has always belonged to nature and the more time I spent with communities and people working for our fragile wildlife and ailing oceans, the more determined I became to live ethically and do what I can to give back to the environment. I am often privileged enough to hear and experience the work being done by those working tirelessly to inspire change and am trusted with their stories. As I advocate for a better world I have become acutely aware of the responsibility that I have to do the right thing by nature, my readers and the companies that work with.

On my blog I create a mix of content that will please those simply wanting to scroll through the photographs and be inspired to travel, to a reader seeking detailed advice on a destination that I have visited.

As the Chapter Leader for Travel Massive I have grown the Cape Town community to over a 1200, hosting sponsored events every 2-3 month, always showcasing a social enterprise that needs our support. My recent recruitment by Airbnb as an Immersive Experiences Host with a tour that I call the Ocean Advocate, highlights the plight of the oceans with behind the scenes visits to the Two Oceans Aquarium, time at SANCCOB and lessons in how as individuals we can make a difference, has given me a new platform from which to speak about my passion.

When not on the move home takes the shape of a warm home in Cape Town, where I delight in quiet time, lots of yoga and long ocean walks with my pups Tuscan and Sienna Storm.

Do contact me at dawn@theincidentaltourist.com for my full media kit and rates, and to discuss ways of working together.  Also should you have any feedback or questions.

Thank you for your interest, and mostly for reading. Dawn x. 

“Travel. It leaves you speechless then turns you into a storyteller” Ibn Battuta

‘Wanderlust: An irresistible desire to travel, mostly to understand one’s very existence.’