Dacia Woods: Serving Remarkable Women and Exploring Extraordinary Destinations
Stemming from her own personal travel experiences and having family whose professional backgrounds were in the airline and hotel sectors, Dacia Woods' travel industry career started to take shape 10 years ago.
While her focus at the time was on providing travel bookings for a broad clientele, she understood the frustration of women wanting to travel with friends only to have many of those same friends come up with excuses for not taking the trip later down the line; it was something she'd experienced firsthand.
Woods decided: No more!
In 2015, alongside Ronetta Liggett, Woods founded Ladies & Luggage Luxury Travel Group® (ladiesandluggage.com) with a mission to build sisterhood through travel by curating amazing experiences to beautiful destinations. With Ladies & Luggage, women don't have to worry about if their friends are coming along—the company curates top-notch hosted group experiences that allow for the combination of incredible experiences and equally incredible people.
"Initially, my objective was to challenge myself by establishing a business in this field," Woods said. "In April 2015, I pivoted toward specializing in group travel, dedicating myself to extensive learning through courses and conferences to deepen my understanding of the industry."
Woods has certainly accomplished this goal, with her clientele steadily growing over time.
"A major milestone has been facilitating global travel for over 6,000 women, far exceeding my initial expectations and dreams," Woods said.
Along with company growth, the Ladies & Luggage community itself has also developed into a robust network of traveling women. The official Ladies & Luggage Travel Group® Facebook group has more than 25,000 members who all engage with one another, sharing their travel experiences, tips, tricks and plans for future adventures.
Among the Ladies & Luggage offerings—which includes what they call "Auntie Experiences" specifically tailored for those age 60 and up—Woods says their music experiences stand out the most.
"We ensure luxurious concert attendances, including suite rentals, and have innovated by organizing exclusive private events featuring artists like Howard Hewitt, Eric Benet, Tony Terry, and T-Woods, as well as comedian A-Train, exclusively for our clients," Woods explained. "This initiative has been a hallmark of our service, with plans to host four more artists in 2024."
The primary lesson Woods has garnered over the years is the importance of client-centric service.
"Our travel itineraries and activities are tailored to meet the preferences and dreams of our clients, not just my own," she said, encouraging industry newcomers to seek out continuous learning, prioritize attentive listening and embrace an unwavering commitment to service.
Looking ahead, Woods is excited about what the future holds next.
"We have an amazing community of sis and aunties who value traveling, new experiences and making memories and friendships that will last a lifetime," Woods said. "The travel industry has been a conduit for serving remarkable women and exploring extraordinary destinations. As we prepare for an exciting 2024 and beyond, we eagerly anticipate welcoming new members to our travel community with the motto: 'Sis! They ain't coming, leave them ...'"
FUN FACT:
Despite being a travel expert, Woods got her first passport stamp in May 2023 following a trip to Jamaica with friends.
Written by Sarah Suydam, Managing Editor for Groups Today.
This article originally appeared in the Mar/Apr '24 issue of Groups Today.
Photo Courtesy of Dacia Woods.
