“Ms. Lewis also started a website to supplement the books (one of the most popular posts is: “Late Period While Traveling, Don’t Panic”), a travel conference called Women’s Travel Fest, which was held for the third time in March on the Lower East Side, and, with Alyson Kilday, Damesly, a tour company for professional women. Here are edited excerpts from a conversation with Ms. Lewis.”
– Tips for Women Traveling Solo by New York Times
“There’s a brand new company that helps women bring additional dimensions to their travel – learning or perfecting a specific skill while enjoying camaraderie. Damesly, founded by two women, will launch its inaugural trip, Cameras + Canyons, next month. Guests, exclusively women, will spend two days shooting photos in the Grand Canyon.
Damesly co-founder Kelly Lewis previously founded the Go! Girl Guides travel guidebook series, written by and for women, as well as Women’s Travel Fest, a travel show that has sold out annually for its first three years. Of Damesly, she said, via release, “…there is a huge community of women who are looking for ways to connect with each other through travel…[they] are creative, they’re driven, they’re professional.”
– New Women’s Travel Company Focuses On Fun Learning by Forbes
“Since debuting Damesly two years ago, co-founder Kelly Lewis has broadened the all-women’s playing field with refreshingly offbeat curations like an “Islands + Identity” surf adventure in Hawaii and a “Canyons + Camera” weekend retreat in Arizona.”
– Go Inside the Empowering World of All Female Travel – National Geographic
“Travel and newfound knowledge typically go hand-in-hand. Traveling, you tend to pick up on key life skills like how NOT to miss your 5am flight (even though it might feel next to impossible) or how to navigate a city in which you don’t speak the language. However, if you’re looking to pick up a new creative skill on your next vacay AND meet some epic boss buds along the way, we suggest checking out the new travel company Damesly.
Damesly was founded by travel veterans Kelly Lewis and Alyson Kilday. The idea behind the tour company is simple: Curate epic trips for professional women where they can learn a creative new skill in a new city.”
–Damesly Is the New Girlboss Travel + Workshop Hybrid You’re Going to Love by Brit + Co
“Today’s female-focused travel companies span every type of trip, from hardcore climbing expeditions to soft adventure experiences where days are spent cycling and nights spent tucked into crisp Frette sheets at a high-end hotel. Whether you’re focused on learning new skills, conquering physical challenges, or just exploring a new place in the company of other women, there’s a trip to meet your needs. Read on to find the one that’s right for you.”
– 10 Female Focused Tour Companies to Know – Travel + Leisure
“Aiming to spotlight female interest in both work and travel, Damesly’s tours focus on personal and professional development in the form of hands-on workshops around the world. Running the gamut from deep introspection in Hawaii and the Sahara to exploring the souks of Morocco or writing and riding in Colorado, each tour is designed to be both inspirational and informative; the goal is to foster a sense of community with each journey.”
-Tour Companies Take a Feminist Approach to Adventure Travel – Here Magazine
“I think it’s really important to have a space for women who love to travel, to come together, connect, and share stories of our adventures,” says the American entrepreneur. “Too often, women are told that it’s impossible, irresponsible, or unsafe to travel. I am doing my part to try to change that.
– Dame disruptors: Meet the women changing travel by Adventure.com
“Many travelers embark on a Damesly adventure to connect with like-minded women but that’s really just the tip of the iceberg. “Nothing helps you to get to know yourself, your strength, and the world around you like traveling,” explains Lewis. “You discover who you are, what you want, what options are available to you and what kind of life you want to live—but it isn’t all roses. Sometimes traveling is difficult. Sometimes traveling solo, in particular, is scary—I started Damesly to focus more on the wonderful connections you form when you travel with someone.”
– 10 Badass Female Founders to Inspire your Wanderlust by Huffington Post
“Since the first dedicated women’s travel companies took off in the 1970s, ladies looking to adventure have been commanding an increasing share of the market. Women are more empowered than ever to boldly go, and they want to foster and support communities of like-minded travelers while they’re going.”
– The Best Adventure Destinations According to Fearless Female Guides – AFAR
“Damesly‘s getaways combine professional-growth opportunities with all the fixings of a dream vacation. Take its Islands & Identity trip to Hawaii, where you’ll get workshops with a life coach to start taking proactive steps toward your dreams—in between surf lessons, shaved-ice treats, and R&R sessions on the beach.”
–Epic Wellness and Fitness Retreats for Women- Only- Shape Magazine
“This boutique tour group gives new meaning to “Business Travel.”
Launched in 2016 by Alyson Kilday and Kelly Lewis, creator of a series of travel guidebooks for women and the annual Women’s Travel Fest, Damesly incorporates professional and creative workshops into fun trips to everywhere from New Orleans to Iceland.
Lewis, a former arts journalist, was inspired after seeing the success of industry workshops at her Travel Fest and thought, why not take this on the road?”
-4 Women-Only Travel Adventures That Might Change Your Life Elle Decor
