Contributors
Nicholas Kontis
Nicholas Kontis was born in Greece on one of the most breathtakingly beautiful islands in the world, Santorini. He was brought up in the cultural capital of the Americas, San Francisco. From a very young age, he developed a passion for travel as he shuttled between Athens and his California home during summer vacations. He is lauded as the founder of the discount around the world airfare model; Nick is now a travel writer, journalist, and speaker. He is the author of the experiential book Going Local Experiences and Encounters on the Road, and the founder of Stellar World Hotels.
John Gottberg
Consulting editor John Gottberg previously was an editor at The Los Angeles Times and the Paris-based Michelin Guides. He has written or co-authored more than 20 books, as well as articles in dozens of magazines and newspapers worldwide. In 2016 and again in 2017, he was honored by the North American Travel Journalists Association for the year’s best self-illustrated travel story. A longtime resident of Oregon, he now lives and works in Vietnam.
Jarone Ashkenazi
Jarone’s writing portfolio includes leading hotels, all-inclusive resorts and unique travel experiences. His stories on restaurants, lifestyle and luxury travel goods have appeared on numerous websites. Jarod’s work focuses on exclusive properties available only to the discerning traveler and consumer. A native of Los Angeles, he spends his free time adventure traveling and playing sports.
Kristen Gill
Award-winning writer and photographer Kristen Gill produces travel content for various publications such as The Guardian, Seattle Times, BBC, NPR, Travel Weekly, and more. Featured as a travel expert on MSN, CBS Travel, and BBC’s “The World” on NPR and PRI, she runs Kristen Gill Media, is a Board Member of Travel Massive Seattle, and is a Founding Member of the Adventure Angels. Always on the go, you might find her roaming the mountains or sailing the vast seas in search of a good story. From the mountain peaks of the Balkans to the plains of the Serengeti to the barrier reefs of Belize and beyond, Kristen loves capturing the spirit of a place and sharing her tips wherever she goes. KristenGill.com
Ann Mealor
Ann Mealor, who is a professional travel journalist, has also enjoyed a successful career in public relations culminating in her being Director General of the UK’s Chartered Institute of Public Relations. She is now Managing Editor of AllWays Traveller, the consumer travel magazine from the International Travel Writers Alliance. In her travel writing, Ann specialises on hotel and restaurant reviews and (as a keen horse woman) all matters equestrian. AllWaysTraveller.com
Ashley Gibbins
Ashley Gibbins is a third generation journalist and a professional travel journalist. Based in London he is also Managing Director of the International Travel Writers Alliance, which is the world’s largest association of professional travel journalists. The Alliance has over 2,150 registered members worldwide and it works with hundreds of tourism industry partners and travel PR agencies across the globe to get their information and images to Alliance journalists. Ashley is also Contributing Editor of AllWays Traveller, the consumer travel magazine from the Alliance. itwalliance.com
Barbara Khan
Barbara Khan has been a traveller since her first flight with American Airlines when she was 11. One of her first jobs was in hospitality working front desk and reservations. After graduating from travel school in Boston, she worked as an international hotel agent and a corporate travel agent before switching to crafting luxury, bespoke trips for her clients all over the world. She specializes in literary-based journeys, independent travel throughout Europe, Asia, South America, and the U.S.A. She’s always seeking the best hotels for her clients. Barbara is a regular contributor to Prime Women, an online magazine, and her essay Head to Toe is published in Women Under Scrutiny, An Anthology of Truths, Essays, Poems, Stories & Art. She reads and reviews books for authors and publishers in her spare time.
journeysbythebook.com
journeysbythebook.com
Melanie Votaw
Melanie Votaw is a travel writer and photographer who has visited nearly 50 countries on 6 continents. She has written for Executive Travel, South China Morning Post, Just Luxe, Business Insider, Travel Mindset, Travel Savvy, and more. Melanie is also the author of 34 books. Her favorite travel experiences have included dancing at a waltz ball in Vienna, flying in a microlight over Victoria Falls, taking a yodeling class followed by yodeling in a town square in Switzerland, and seeing a rare hummingbird at 12,000 feet in Ecuador. MelanieVotaw.com