EXPRESSIONS OF TRAVEL

Travel Junkie Diary has become a leading source of inspiration for travellers. We speak with founder Michelle Karam about her journeys, philosophy and taking the perfect Instagram photo.

Michelle Karam is en route to Nihiwatu, the only resort on Sumba Island, Indonesia, and she’s clearly delighted at the prospect. “They say it’s a place where Africa meets Asia, and a place where reality is even better than your dreams!” says the Dubai-based blogger, online entrepreneur and social media favourite.

Sumba is just one of the many destinations planned out across the year for the founder of Travel Junkie Diary (TJD), a web-based platform where travellers can tell their stories and be inspired by the adventures of others. Karam had been working in the travel industry for 15 years before she decided to pursue her lifelong passion for inspiring discovery in others.

It was never just a side project for her. “I had a vision and a mission with TJD,” she says. “I realised there was a gap in the industry where there was not enough travel inspiration for readers, and close to no agencies that could connect the right travel influencer with the right brand.”

The blog quickly gained a following, thanks to its contributors’ vibrant storytelling and advice, and built a rapport with premier travel brands. The next stage was ‘Travel with TJD’, a campaign that invites travel influencers and enthusiasts to accompany Karam and the TJD team to a new destination, working with hotels, airlines and other suppliers to bring the experience to life.

At home in the world Now she’s living out her dream, travelling much of the year. In the four years since TJD was launched, Karam has visited 86 countries, collecting stories