Travel Talk is a new Sosauce blog series in which we chat with our favorite travel experts about celebrating the saucy side of travel. With such successful experiences in travel media, we want to highlight their journeys from turning a passion for wanderlust into a profession, their travel plans for 2010, and how they document and share their own travel experiences.

You can read our previous traveler spotlight interviews here.

This week we chatted with Christina Tunnah of World Nomads, a site dedicated to helping people travel safer, smarter, and better. Christina assists with Business Development for World Nomads here in the Americas, which means she travels often for her job – meeting and greeting important people. In between, Christina has an urge to experience the world around her – learning new languages, exploring the outdoors, appreciating diverse food, and taking an interest in sustainability and technology. Read our interview below to find out secret tips on buying the right travel insurance, what is on her agenda this year, and what travel communities she enjoys.

Christina Tunnah of World Nomads

This year is almost half-way through! How has 2010 treated you so far and what upcoming travel plans are you looking forward to?

2010 is zooming by. It has been a solid year so far, with lots of travel already under the belt. I kicked the year off with an overland trip from Montevideo, Uruguay to Santiago, Chile, enjoying a lot of great wine (and meat) along the way! On the work front, we celebrated over 1 million mobile language guides downloaded, a significant milestone that is inspiring the development of more language guides and mobile apps.

I’ve also been traveling a lot for work: conferences, partner meetings, and recently two weeks in Sydney, where World Nomads is headquartered, to plan out the rest of the year’s programs, including the next Travel Video Documentary Scholarship to the Ecuadorian Amazon. We’ve been running travel scholarships since 2007, but this one in particular is special because not only do we pair the winner with a professional, but we are partnering with Gap Adventures in celebration of their 20^th anniversary by returning to the destination of their first trip, the Delfin Community, with both founders of Gap and World Nomads. We will also undertake a community development project, funded via our Footprints Program, which will be filmed as part of our Positive Footprints documentary series.

Looking to join a travel partnership this year? Consider becoming part of the Sosauce Travel Geeks affiliate series! Read more information about our offers here.

Can you describe the first time you were bitten by the travel bug?

It came early when I didn’t even realize I’d been bit! I was born in England (English father, Spanish mother), but at two months my family moved to Ponce, Puerto Rico, which started a chain of places I called home. My parents took us all over Latin America and Europe, instilling a lasting love of exploration, and cultural, linguistic, and culinary curiosity. If I were to pick a defining moment, it was probably on a trip to Verbier, Switzerland when I was around 10, where my brother and I cried as we said goodbye to this magical place. Without really understanding it, I felt the pull and magic of new places and adventures.

Christina in Chile

What inspired you to become a professional in the travel industry?

I always wanted a career that was international and involved a lot of travel. As a kid, I dreamed about being a foreign correspondent, but was derailed by wanderlust. After long detours in China, Korea and Taiwan, I landed in the US working for a book publisher. This lead to a rather circuitous route through the technology industry (which I also love) and owning a sustainable manufacturing business in Berkeley before finally rooting in the travel industry where I feel at home professionally.

Sosauce is always on the lookout to recruit engaging travelers. If you are interested in getting involved with a travel community, email us for consideration.

What travel communities have you been a part of?

There are lots of terrific travel websites, groups and organizations (and communities) that I enjoy engaging with (too many to list here). Here are my most recent faves: the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), Travellr, Virtual Tourist, Tnooz, PhocusWright and the many bloggers I have come to know through work, and many of whom are part of the Travel Blog Exchange.

Be sure to connect with Sosauce on Travel Blog Exchange as well!

How did you get involved with World Nomads? What is your role there now?

Aaaah, it’s a long story that evolved over the last four years but started with a fru-fru cocktail when both the GM and the founder of World Nomads came to San Francisco to meet travel partners. We clicked immediately. Over the years since that initial meeting, I got to interact with the extended World Nomads team and learn more about their very creative, quirky, agile and unconventional approach to marketing travel insurance, such as the Vantastic! Australia road trip competition, which I especially love. When the chance to work with them as the VP of business development in the Americas, I had to pinch myself. It was the perfect blend of working in travel, technology and philanthropy. I wear lots of fun hats with my role too: account development and management, marketing, campaigns, PR/media, and strategic alliances.

World Nomads is all about helping travelers stay safe on their trips by providing beneficial travel insurance. What are some reasons you think travelers are hesitant from investing in quality travel insurance?

Great question. I think the answer depends on the market, the type of traveler and the way trips are planned. In Europe and Australia, travel insurance is as much a part of the travel purchase process as buying an airline ticket. Even on small budgets, travelers from these regions understand the value and importance of travel insurance.

In the US it’s more of a challenge. I think travelers assume their existing health insurance (through school or employer) covers them, and/or their credit card offers some protection, and/or their renters/home insurance will cover their belongings. But this may not be the case at all, or there are serious limitations. Those on budgets minimize their upfront costs and shave this expense, not realizing peace of mind only costs a cup of coffee a day. As travelers, many of us are focused on the planning without thinking about the unplanned (and unwanted); this is where good insurance can make a real difference.

What tips would you give newbie travelers on buying the right insurance?

Whether a newbie or a seasoned traveler, these tips apply in varying degrees to considering the right insurance:

Travel insurance should provide cover for medical expenses for sudden illness and serious injury whilst traveling, theft of valuables, baggage damage, loss/damage of sporting equipment and interruptions to flight plans.

• Travel insurance should provide cover for medical expenses for sudden illness and serious injury whilst traveling, theft of valuables, baggage damage, loss/damage of sporting equipment and interruptions to flight plans.
• If you don’t think you need all of the benefits listed with a travel insurance policy, weigh up the different limits on policies against what matters most to you: Medical? Baggage loss? Camera/computer gear? Cancellation? Evacuation?
• Check for any deductables you may incur
• Don’t skimp on dates of coverage-buy insurance for the duration of the trip
• Think about the type of activities that are planned and how insurance may be required by the operator or covers against injury.
• Read about the policy benefits and the benefit limits as well as the policy inclusions and exclusions to make sure the it is right for you
• Everyone loves to party, but note the policy’s treatment of any incidents that result of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• When comparing policies, look for those insurers that have a 24 hour assistance number for emergencies anywhere in the world once you are on the road.
• Check if the policy will cover pre-existing medical conditions. Many don’t, so if that is important to you, ensure it is covered and be prepared for the possibility of a more expensive plan as a result.
• What is the value of the items, technology gadgets or sporting equipment you are taking?

• What is the value of the items, technology gadgets or sporting equipment you are taking?

Buy your travel insurance with World Nomads: Travel insurance for adventurous travellers. Buy, extend & claim online even after you’ve left home.

You are constantly traveling for business. What are some of your sauciest travel experiences while representing World Nomads on the road?

Well, when you work for World Nomads, you have to expect every trip to be saucy, especially when traveling with colleagues who are never shy of a laugh or new experience on the road! A few highlights include the WYSTC conference in Manchester, England-sauciness on a daily/nightly basis in a city that hopped all night. Most recently, with co-workers at the New South Wales Backpackers Association ball on a Sydney Harbour cruise. Lots of sauce there!

Some prefer to write, others prefer to take photos. How do you choose to recreate and share your travel memories?

I don’t have a steady favorite to be honest and it’s usually a mix of both on any given trip. It also depends on how light I want to travel (i.e. how much photography equipment I want to take) or how much detail (i.e. time) I want to capture when writing about my experiences either in a journal, e-mails or blog. I find that in e-mails, my writing is more alive with stories because I have a personal connection with the reader vs. a journal/blog where the audience is me or strangers. I love writing travel notes for friends who are also planning a trip to a place I’ve been. I pull out all the business cards I collect and annotate en route. The last two years, I’ve taken to sharing and capturing places/tips on my mobile through Facebook updates, texting, Q&A on Travellr, Tweets, Foursquare and Gowalla.

Recreate and share your travel memories with Sosauce. Share in our motto: get sauced, get social by following us online, too!

At World Nomads you also highlight unique global opportunities such as the Footprints program. Can you tell us your mission behind Footprints and some of its successes?

World Nomads is the founding partner of the Footprints Network, which I am very proud of. It is a technology platform that aggregates thousands of micro-donations made in tandem with online purchases of not just World Nomads’ travel insurance, but all partners who have integrated the API into their e-commerce purchase path. 100% of the funds raised go to the charitable projects of the third-party charities and NGOs we work with.

It emerged from an inspirational concept following the Asian Tsunami in 2004, and from there it has grown into an independent network of e-commerce businesses that share the same ethics and values. The Footprints Networks uses the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals as a guide and compass.

To me the beauty of Footprints is that it reinforces the power of the individual and the kinship it forges with other like-minded travelers from all over the world. I love checking out the status of current, funded and completed projects that our community of travellers have supported. So far through Footprints, over 302,000 travelers have helped raise more than $785,000 for 53 projects around the world.

We have also professionally filmed and edited a documentary series of these projects which is currently being screened on Nat Geo Adventure channel and over 25 airlines around the world.

Having traveled extensively, are there any other destinations that make your dream list?

Iran: its history, food, untrammeled by Western tourism, and my boyfriend comes from there.

Salta, Argentina and southwestern, Bolivia: remote high dessert, a lunar landscape, vicunas, flamingos

Tasmania: to hike the rugged Overland track

Turkey: I never went while my parents lived there, which I regret. The architecture, food, bazaars and fishing villages.

Having worked so long with travelers, do you now consider yourself a Travel Geek?

If geek = always exploring (even two blocks away from home) and thinking about travel, then yes. But it doesn’t always have to be about my travels. I really do love seeing friends’ travel photos and vicariously enjoying their travel adventures.

Show off your Travel Geek pride with our new badge! Email us to grab the code and display on your site.

Thanks to Christina for sharing resourceful information on traveling safely. Follow her footprints on Twitter and be sure to browse World Nomads to find the best travel safety tips on your next adventure.

Become a Sosauce sponsor and get the opportunity to reach over 28,000 Travel Geeks today! Show off your Travel Geek pride, feature your travel content with us, and advertise on our site. Learn more here.

Read more posts by Alisha

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 21st, 2010 at 3:06 PM and is filed under Spotlight, Traveler. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.