How an award-winning journalist is changing who tells travel stories
Cover photo: Osheenei Graham / Unsplash
When Oneika Raymond steps in front of a camera, she brings a mission along with her credentials. She's an Emmy Award-winning journalist, a Travel Channel host, and the creator of the award-winning blog "Oneika the Traveller," and she has visited more than 120 countries.
Who is Oneika Raymond? She's a Toronto-born journalist of Jamaican heritage who won an Emmy as a lifestyle correspondent for NBC New York, hosted Travel Channel's "Big City, Little Budget" and "One Bag and You're Out," and created the blog "Oneika the Traveller." She has visited more than 120 countries.
Key facts
- Born: Toronto, to Jamaican immigrant parents.
- Countries visited: more than 120.
- Awards: an Emmy for her work at NBC New York, and a 2018 SATW Lowell Thomas Gold Medal for Best Travel Blog.
- Television: host of Travel Channel's "Big City, Little Budget" and "One Bag and You're Out."
- Her philosophy: accessible luxury, where extraordinary experiences don't have to break the bank.
Raymond is reshaping the travel industry by insisting that women and people of color deserve to see the world and to be the ones telling its stories.
From Toronto to the World
Photo: Jochem Raat / Unsplash
Oneika Raymond was born in Toronto to Jamaican immigrant parents. Her childhood was full of Caribbean stories and curiosity about the wider world. That curiosity led her to study and teach abroad, and eventually to move from education into media.
Her blog, "Oneika the Traveller," began as a personal travel diary and grew into one of the most influential travel platforms for women of color, winning a Gold Medal for Best Travel Blog in the SATW Lowell Thomas awards in 2018. Her warm, easy-to-trust voice spoke to readers who rarely saw themselves in mainstream travel media.
Breaking Into Television
Her presence on camera caught the attention of television producers. She hosted Travel Channel's "Big City, Little Budget" and "One Bag and You're Out," bringing her signature style to cable audiences. Her approach was about access: luxury experiences don't always require a luxury budget, and smart travel means putting your money where it matters most.
Her work as a lifestyle correspondent for NBC New York earned her an Emmy, recognition of her talent and of her connection with audiences long underserved by traditional travel programming.
A Platform for Change
Photo: Simone Santos (@sithevision) for Caviar in the Air
Beyond her own travels, Raymond uses her platform to push for diversity in the travel industry. She speaks openly about the challenges of traveling while Black, from visa requirements to racism abroad, and her candor makes room for honest conversations about what travel means for people of color.
She often works with tourism boards and hospitality brands, using her influence to push for better representation in marketing and more inclusive hiring.
The Philosophy of Accessible Luxury
Photo: Caviar in the Air
Raymond's approach to travel is accessible luxury, the idea that extraordinary experiences don't have to break the bank. She teaches her audience to make the most of travel rewards and spend on the experiences that matter.
Her definition of luxury goes past amenities. It includes feeling welcome and being treated with respect. That's the feeling we chase on trips like our Amalfi Coast trip.
What Oneika Teaches Us
Representation matters for audiences and for the industry itself. When Black women see someone who looks like them hosting travel shows and winning awards, it widens what feels possible.
Travel is about stories, and the best ones come from voices that have been overlooked for too long. For more women changing who tells those stories, read about Kellee Edwards and Zim Flores.
Inspired by Oneika Raymond's approach to travel? Discover Oneika and other Black history pioneers, then explore our upcoming trips and find experiences designed for travelers who expect more.
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