Meet Travel Massive San Diego Chapter Leader, Elaine

Elaine J. Masters is not only a freelance writer and founder of the blog Tripwellgal.com, she loves outdoor and urban adventures and she’s our Travel Massive San Diego Chapter Leader.

Travel and writing are Elaine J. Masters air and water. She’s lived in cities along the U.S. West Coast from Southeast Alaska to her current base in San Diego, where she explores local cuisines, hikes, dives and ventures into Baja, Mexico often. In between writing for other outlets, she contributes to the NPR podcast, Journeys of Discovery, and penned the Indie Excellence Award winning book, Drivetime Yoga. Elaine keeps her bags packed and passport ready. She agrees with Helen Keller, “Life’s an adventure or nothing.”

How did you first get involved with Travel Massive?

I had been hosting travel meetups for a few years when I heard about the Travel Massive and drove up to Los Angeles for several gatherings before starting the San Diego chapter.

What motivates you to be part of Travel Massive?

If I’m not on the road, hanging out with dedicated travelers, especially others in the industry, nourishes my spirit. We get each other and understand how important travel is for expanding your worldview and compassion. Over the past five years with Travel Massive, the industry has been shifting and I’m dedicated to the new missions of responsible travel, supporting local tourism suppliers and companies who put sustainability into action.

Lafayette Hotel San Diego Travel Massive gathering. Elaine is on the far right next to past co-host, Katherine Belarmino.

Who attends your  San Diego events?  

San Diego is full of tech developers, tourism and PR agencies as well as a vibrant arts and culinary community. While most of our members are in the blogging/writing/social media side of travel, we also have local tour operators, food media, hospitality and transportation professionals. Being close to the border, our chapter has been developing ties in Baja with meeting presenters from Tijuana, Tecate, Ensenada and the Valle Guadalupe.

Do you do anything unique at your meet-ups?

We’ve found that Giveaways are pretty popular and build attendance. We had a food photography workshop at George’s at the Cove in La Jolla. The chef offered wonderful appetizers and cocktails as models, while one of our members talked about the basics. Beautiful place, stellar drinks and bites, great networking fun.

Dobson’s Baja culinary and tourism gathering with Chef Martin and owner, Marcos Luciano.

How has Travel Massive helped you professionally?

It’s been so helpful to be part of the International community and a representative in San Diego. Saying I’m with Travel Massive has opened doors to meeting editors, tour operators, chefs and resort owners, which has led to stories, pictures and video opportunities. I always meet other Travel Massive members at conferences.

Do you have a past event that was your favourite?

Two come to mind – In the early days of the chapter, when event attendance was tiny, members applied to attend a brewery tour with a local limo company. It was crazy fun and the 9 of us really bonded. More recently, Hornblower Yachts hosted a Sunday brunch cruise of the San Diego bay. We had the perfect day, great turnout and the champagne flowed for hours!

Hornblower San Diego bay cruise – top deck with members as we sailed past the Coronado Bridge.

What is your best advice to a newcomer who wants to attend a Travel Massive event for the first time?

Don’t be shy. Networking is often intimidating but you won’t find a friendlier, low-key, professional group to be part of. There’s always something new to discover and learn about travel. You’ll be with those of the front lines of the local industry.

Leader of the pack is a monthly series that profiles organizers from Travel Massive meet-ups around the world. You can learn more about Elaine on Travel Massive, Facebook and Twitter.