About Dawn Jorgensen
Dawn Bradnick Jorgensen is the incidental Tourist
‘Conscious travel brings me closer to the things that matter, the people and how they’d like their stories told without compromise to the beautiful places that I find myself in.’
As a traveller with a deep love for the environment; on my award-winning blog The Incidental Tourist, as well as in numerous print and online publications – I share stories and photographs, accommodation reviews and discoveries from my international and local travels, as well as details of conservation campaigns that I passionately support.
From gorilla trekking in Uganda, tree planting in Zambia, turtle rescue in Kenya, road tripping in Morocco, and setting up temporary home in Lisbon, my focus remains on mindful and ethical tourism and in finding ways to actively promote sustainable travel, without compromise.
‘Never underestimate the power of words – Dawn Jorgensen’
After more than a decade spent establishing a bespoke tour operating company, I founded The Incidental Tourist in 2010.
As a Travel Blogger, Digital Content Creator and Freelance Writer, I travel and write, work on numerous travel campaigns that filter through from my website to my social media channels, and collaborate with international and local tourism bodies, airlines, and online tour operators – always with a conscious and ecotourism focus.
My work expanded to consulting on ethical and sustainable travel, social media strategy and content curation, conceiving and propagating websites, and writing blogs and newsletters for numerous companies on a freelance and retainer basis.
Throughout I continue to write for print and online magazines.
Awards and Accolades
Top 25 Female Trailblazers in Africa Tourism & Hospitality by The Pyne Awards Africa, February 2023 ● Listed as 100 Most Powerful People in African Hospitality by International Hospitality Institute, September 2022 ● Finalist Pyne Awards 2022 in the African Tourism Magazine/Blog’ of the year category, September 2022 ● ‘12 African Travel Bloggers That You Should Be Following’ by Fodor’s Travel 2022 ● Nominated by Woman&Home Magazine in their South Africa’s 40 over 40 Amazing Women Awards, Social Influencers 2020 ● Included in ‘The Wonder Women of African Travel’ by Travelhouseuk 2020 ● Included on Huffington Post’s list of ‘7 SA Travel Bloggers to Follow on Instagram’ 2019 ● Winner Cape Winelands District Municipality 6th Annual Mayoral Tourism Awards, a special discretionary award for individual achievement and contribution in tourism ● Finalist: Africa Travel Blogs Award 2018 ● SA Travel Bloggers Award. Winner Most Seasoned Traveller and Shortlisted in 3 Categories ● Winner of the Travelstart Travel Writing competition with my piece: ‘Benin, My African Queen’ ● Together with inclusions on numerous lists of travel writers to follow.
Additional Professional Work Experience
Consulting in Sustainable Marketing Strategies, Copywriting, Content Creation, Social Media and Tour Packages for numerous tourism companies across Southern and East Africa.
I was appointed official media partner for the Cape2Rio Yacht Race 2020, covering all stories as they unfolded with the 22x crew’s departure from Cape Town, travelling to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil to meet the boats and report with interviews and stories that focussed on the brave human factor of this iconic southern Atlantic Crossing.
Cape Town Legends as Producer | Content Creation (2019). Collaborating with a group of creatives to bring you Cape Town Legends, showcasing 20 individuals in video, photos and words, as we learnt what drives them, and in turn, inspires us. My role was as producer, management, curation and website design.
Author for ThailandSA blog and all published content and blog posts. (2016 to date)
Further Representation and Campaign Work
Cape Town Chapter Leader for Global Movement Travel Massive. (April 2014 to end 2019)
In my capacity as a The Incidental Tourist, I have worked with Swiss Airlines, South African Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines and Turkish Airlines, Switzerland Tourism, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Trafalgar Travel, Travel Corporation, Treadright Foundation and Reunion Island Tourism promoting their routes, offerings and philosophies as well as with numerous local DMO’s and PR Agencies including Rovos Rail, Manley Communications, Lesley Simpson Communications, Cheapflights UK, Five Star PR, Theresa Gibbons PR and many more.
Travel Experience, 44 Countries to Date
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. Morocco. Portugal. Bosnia and Herzegovina. India. Brazil.
Most recently Israel, twice. Next up in 2024 is Lisbon, Portugal followed by Tasmania.
“Travel. It leaves you speechless then turns you into a storyteller” Ibn Battuta
More About Dawn Bradnick Jorgensen
In 2010, after more than a decade of professionally designing dream holidays as well as taking many myself, I founded The Incidental Tourist – a platform where I could share my passion for travel with others. Over the years my career has grown to include promoting sustainable living and share pro-environmental messages, something which reflects in my lifestyle choices.
Through my writing, I strive to cater to all types of readers – from those looking for visual inspiration to those seeking detailed advice on the destinations that I feature. My goal is to create engaging and informative content that inspires people to explore the world – while also being mindful of their impact on the environment.
This philosophy applies to my work in marketing, consulting, social media curation and management too. As well as in the tour operating aspect of my business, where I design itineraries for clients wanting to embark on similar journeys.
When not travelling, my home takes the shape of an intimate townhouse in Cape Town, where I delight in quiet time, do lots of yoga, and am regularly refuelled by long ocean walks with my dogs Sienna and Lucca.
All this while choosing to live ethically, and sustainably, and remaining idealistic about the positive change that can and must be influenced in the world – ideally through the gift of words and travel.
My mantra remains: Travel Better. Not Less.
Do approach me on dawn@theincidentaltourist.com for any additional information. Yours, Dawn x
