Beyond Borders: Sheena, the Trailblazer Behind Citizen Femme, Talks Travel, Trends, and Transformative Journeys

by | Dec 18, 2023 | INTERVIEWS | 0 comments

Embark on a fascinating journey with Sheena, the visionary founder of Citizen Femme, as she shares the unconventional path that led her to establish the acclaimed platform. From her roots in the travel industry to a career in acting and storytelling, Sheena’s diverse experiences have shaped the unique essence of Citizen Femme. In this exclusive interview, she delves into the inception of the platform, the challenges she faced, and her keen insights into the evolving landscape of travel, particularly in 2024. Get ready to explore the future of women-led travel, sustainable luxury, and the pivotal role technology plays in enhancing our globetrotting experiences.

How did your career lead you to start Citizen Femme? 

My family are in the travel industry so an innate passion for the industry has always been there. But no path that I have taken in my career or education has led me to Citizen Femme. It was started on a whim, out of a personal request for a source of information. Having said that, there are experiences in my life that may have nudged me in the direction. Yes the foundation of the travel industry being one, working in public relations for hotels and tourism boards helped me understand media, albeit on the other side of journalism. And perhaps my career as an actor and a storyteller shaped an element of me that led me to CF.

What was your idea behind Citizen Femme? 

Women make a staggering majority of the decisions when it comes to travel, and often so many household and lifestyle purchases. But brands do not speak to this demographic. Certainly, when it comes to travel, there lacked a publication speaking to a millennial audience, with a real understanding of delivering the experiences they look for. Something that reconsiders what luxury means and caters to that audience in its recommendations. This was the genesis of Citizen Femme.

What struggles did you face when starting citizen femme? 

I didn’t seek investment to start, so its been a gradual climb, growing the business doing everything myself until I could bring in enough revenue to pay someone to help me, and then someone else, and to continue to expand. But the biggest part of growth in what we do is audience growth. You can’t generate revenue if you don’t have a big enough audience. Luckily this has grown organically and exponentially, I imagine due to the content that we deliver that resonates with our rapidly growing target audience.

What trends do you forecast for travel in 2024? 

Travel is set to increase 10% more than pre-pandemic levels. That is fantastic for the travel industry. But with the amount of increased travel that people are taking, 2024 will see an additional awareness for sustainability. I think the onus sits with the hospitality groups where people visit, whereby they have to encompass and provide sustainability. And, travellers are willing to invest in their commitment to this, with an understanding that their contributions can directly benefit local communities and bolster local economies. 

Wellness travel is leading the way as one of the biggest trends in 2024. People are looking to really take care of themselves and come back from a trip refreshed, or having gained some mental wellbeing or indeed learning. This goes above and beyond a yoga retreat, this is travelling to hotels that incorporate high-tech health services into their offerings. Brands like Lanserhof or Clinique La Prairie or Palazzo Giuggi.

Popularity for travel to Asia is having and will continue to have a remarkable resurgence, perhaps due to the ‘pent-up’ demand for the region, with Japan experiencing record tourism numbers.

Perhaps the largest trend and the one that speaks most to us is the surge in women-led travel. Unsurprisingly, women have long made most of the travel decisions, and brands are now waking up to this. But in addition to this, women are taking more and more trips themselves (leisure or  business), with friends, with mothers, daughters, transformative journeys (where wellness comes plays its part as well).

Finally, personalised trips with more bespoke and enriching travel experiences. This may be through the return of the tour operator and the itineraries they compile. This also goes in the opposite direction with AI tools recommending destinations, accommodation, and activities tailored to individual interests.

Why do you think there has been such a rise in health & wellness holidays? 

This intersection of health and wellness in hospitality I think reflects not only a growing market demand but also a fundamental shift in how individuals prioritise their health during travel. The pandemic heightened awareness about the importance of preventative medicine for long term health and wellbeing, and travellers who prioritise health and longevity are prioritising this holistic wellbeing as an integral part of the travel experience.

What is sustainable travel? 

I would define sustainable travel as the way that tourism can be maintained for the long-term without harming natural and cultural environments. The World Travel Organisation defines it as “Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.” In essence, as travellers we need to minimise the negative impacts and maximise the positive effects. How can we practise this as individuals is a key question we need to ask. Being conscious of how we travel in our destination, for example, using public transport, staying in accommodation that is understanding and respectful of their environment, respecting communities where we travel including supporting local businesses to empower the community.

Where can one find the best sustainable hotels? 

The assumption that sustainable cannot be luxury is not accurate, I don’t believe. You’ll have uber luxurious once-in-a-lifetime kind of resorts like The Brando which is the gold standard in renewable resort living with 4,000-plus solar panels and a customised battery energy-saving system, Sea Water Air Conditioning and so much more. Then venture to places like Forestic in the Dolomites in Italy which is so deeply ensconced in sustainability. The owners plant a sapling for every day the ‘No Housekeeping’ is activated. They only use foraged supplies. Look more locally to somewhere like Thyme hotel which has a 150-acre farm that extracts spring water from an underground river source. Groups like Banyan Tree and Six Senses are wholly sustainable in their approach. The list can go on, but it is quickly becoming an integral part of hotels in their daily practises as they are conscious of their impact as well as the importance for their guests.

What apps do you love for travelling?

Kayak

Google maps

FlightAware

Uber

Tell us about your podcast, and who will feature?

The CF podcast is a brilliant interactive way to get the conversation going with some of the fascinating women we want to speak to. Their journeys, their challenges, anecdotal stories, it all makes for interesting listening. And ideal if you’re on a commute, going for a walk, doing the groceries, its friendly conversation on-the-go.

Where has been your favourite place to travel and why? 

I’ve had great opportunities to travel a lot, yet it seems like so little. My list of where I want to go far exceeds my list of been there! Kenya is a favourite, definitely for the people. While service isn’t the most refined, they are undoubtedly some of the most welcoming in the world. The Masai Mara is simply sensational and emotive. Italy since its so incredibly family friendly and as a fan of historical towns and architecture, driving through Italian towns is something I’ve done for many summers, and one of my favourite places to travel. And India. While it is my heritage, I was born in London and the immense culture you get from travelling in India is almost overwhelming but the country is spectacular in everything it offers from the food to the culture to the architecture and history, shopping, wellness, it has it all.

  

Where can one travel for authentic, traditional immersion in culture? 

Absolutely anywhere. It is down to what you make of a trip and how you engage with the local culture. Instead of following a path you’re familiar with, cultural immersion is simply integrating yourself into another culture, living and interacting with locals and understanding them. Local language, food, beliefs, traditions and community. Depending on how immersive you want to go, you can choose homestays with a local family, or on a smaller scale, take local food tours to bustling markets or learn authentic dishes in cooking classes.

Do you have any travel gadgets? Tell us your favourites & why. 

A portable milk bottle warmer. For the obvious of heating baby milk!

Airpods so I can be hands-free

Airtags (which I use for my house keys and my luggage)

Steamery travel steamer

Where is one place you want to revisit and why? 

Marrakech, Mexico City, Edinburgh, Africa, the list goes on. At different stages of life, each experience in each destination is different.

Tell us your favourite travel memory. 

Many of my favourite memories are from childhood travelling with my parents, driving through France to Switzerland, the Grand Canyon, Kenyan safaris. I remember my first trip to Mumbai at 7 years old and the pungent smell as soon as you land to the vibrancy of the streets as you leave the airport to the welcome of the warm towels that greet you in the hotel lobby, and the weddings that parade down the streets in Rajasthan every hour. I remember our hire car being stolen in Toledo, Spain at 11 years old and trying to get it back with little knowledge of Spanish at the time. All are favourite memories that only increased my fervour for travel. 

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