Experts shared the safest places for dark-skinned female tourists
When planning a trip, ensuring safety while visiting a destination is crucial for all travelers, but it's particularly significant for Black women traveling alone.
Essence.com interviewed several Black travel bloggers, influencers, and professionals to determine which destinations they consider less safe and where they feel comfortable and secure.
Bianca Lambert
A beauty editor, travel writer, and creative producer, shared her insights
According to her, hostility towards Black women can be encountered anywhere, although it may not be widespread. She personally encountered a negative experience in Seville, Spain. While at a beauty salon there, she felt disrespected, which ultimately marred her entire trip due to feelings of insecurity.
Marcea Kazel
A freelance travel blogger, shared her experiences.
"A few places that come to mind where I felt safe are Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Havana, Cuba; New York City; Cleveland, Ohio; and Belize. The only place I didn't feel comfortable as a Black woman traveling alone was Lower Broadway in Nashville, Tennessee," she said.
Marty Bowser
A journalist, shared her experiences.
"Unfortunately, during my travels in America, I felt insecure. When I travel abroad, things like staring happen because I'm a foreigner. We can engage in conversation. In the United States, something as simple as my southern accent is often an indication that I'm not from the region and therefore I'm targeted," she said.
DeAnna Taylor, Esq.
An attorney, journalist, and content creator, shared her experience.
"The only time I felt directly threatened was on a train to Rome when a local man started shouting derogatory words as he took his seat. It got to the point where he started looking at my friend's face, and since we were black foreign women, no one on the train came to our defense," she said.
Jen Henderson
A digital content creator, also shared her perspective.
"Places where I have felt safe include Iceland, Curacao, and South Africa. In Morocco, I felt insecure because men were very aggressive in the markets, so I was afraid to go there alone," she explained.