How to Support Local Black-Owned Businesses While Traveling

Supporting Black owned businesses is important when traveling because we can positively impact our community by putting our dollars back into the Black community. This helps not only the Black business owner, but the livelihood of their business itself helping keep it afloat through our support.  According to Pew Research Center, U.S. Black business owners only make up about 3% of the overall ownership of businesses from a survey based on 2022 numbers.  Oftentimes, their business is their primary source of income.  As intentional travelers, we can find places all around the world that can support our Black brothers and sisters globally. 

Posing in front of a Black History Matters mural found outside of the George Washington Carver Museum & Cultural Center in Phoenix, Arizona

My name is Beatrice Alleyne and I am a travel content creator based in Chicago, Illinois. I have been a travel bug since my transformative trip to Beijing, China at the end of my high school career.  My love to share my travel recommendations with others helped me create a community of people that look like me who also want to explore the world.  In recent years I have been incredibly passionate about going to Black owned establishments wherever and whenever I travel.  I’ve always been interested in learning about different cultures since I was a kid.  I have a degree from Loyola University Chicago in International Studies.  At one point when all my friends seemed to have moved away from Chicago, I made it my goal to travel at least 1 time a quarter to a new place and try to link up with friends to reconnect.  I started my business Busy Bea Travels mid-2021 focusing on my city of Chicago first before taking my adventures worldwide once we could start traveling again because of Covid.  I take pride in patronizing Black businesses when I travel.  I think that allows me to have fun the majority of my trips because I’m curating the experience that I know I will enjoy.  

Some simple ways travelers can identify Black owned or locally owned businesses before their trip is to plan and research.  Figuring out the type of things that you’re interested in and seeing if there may be any specific Black owned businesses in that area are crucial.  My research is always done online and funny enough I typically look first on social media. TikTok and Instagram are some of my go to places where I can search for Black owned establishments with visual reviews from people who have visited before.  Make sure you check to find out if they’re open and the days they’re open.  I’ve found that a lot of times some establishments are only open on certain days of the week.  Maybe only on the weekends and a lot are closed on Mondays.  Ensure that if you want to go to a specific Black owned or locally owned business that they will be available during your trip.  Another option I would suggest is utilizing the ABC Travel Greenbook app which connects you with Black owned businesses globally.  It’s a resource created by Martinique Lewis, travel consultant, the president of Black Travel Alliance and host of “Black Travel Across America” that you can watch on Disney+.  Directories that are Black centered on a specific city and or state are another tool I use when searching online.  My main advice is to make sure these businesses are in fact open.  So many times businesses open and close and it’s the support of our community and our dollars that help keep them opened. 

You can make sure that your spending is positively impacting the local community by booking directly with the Black owned tour company or lodging you’ve found.  Oftentimes larger corporations and third-party websites may take a percentage of the businesses earnings since you’re booking on the larger corporations site.  Booking directly is a good way to go. There are times when travelers attempt to support locals by patronizing a business that may appear to be Black owned. Alternatively you may be in a predominantly African or Afro-dysphoric destination where the lodging or restaurant looks to be Black owned, but upon further investigation, you may find that the establishment is not in fact Black owned.  Doing research beforehand can help you eliminate potential mistakes when assuming by the name of a place or in a predominantly Black country or city that you are supporting Black. Know Your Caribbean birthed by Fiona Compton is what comes to mind as a great resource to understand and pinpoint specific establishments that are Black owned in the West Indies.  I would have thought going to Jamaica there would be a plethora of lodging options that are Black owned, but you have to do your research to double check since many accommodations are not owned by the local community but outside investors. 

Swag purchased from Nap or Nothing in Indianapolis, Indiana

Attending local events or visiting Black neighborhoods with history can allow you to meet the community and businesses to help you get a better understanding of a destination’s residents and cultural upbringing.  If you’re lucky, you may even have the opportunity to meet the business owners that are very much invested and hands-on in their business.  When I was in Tokyo, Japan for the first time during a long layover, I went to the Black owned restaurant DiDi Grande, which is an exceptional Italian steakhouse. That was my one and only visit to Japan during my short layover.  The fact that I took the time to find a Black owned establishment to visit and spend money on was life changing.  I was able to have a wonderful meal and the owner was in fact in the restaurant during my visit.  When I got to meet him, it was a beautiful experience to introduce myself and let him know my journey of finding him, and wanting to support his awesome restaurant.  These types of interactions can completely change the overall experience in a destination, and not only enhance your trip, but can touch the lives of the businesses and business owners you choose to intentionally support. 

Freshly made pasta from DiDi Grande in Tokyo, Japan during a layover visit

The advice I give to travelers who want to respectfully, ethically, and culturally support local communities is to travel with intention.  Do your research beforehand to figure out what type of experiences you want.  Look online and browse social media for suggestions from people who have visited these businesses before you.  Ask your inner circle for recommendations from people you know and who can vouch for a good interaction.  Doing your research can be the difference from liking a place to loving it and wanting to go back.  I would love to see more travelers who find importance in putting their money into Black and local activities in the community. Too many times we see the grand opening and grand closing of certain establishments.  After reflection we may even have to pause to figure out the last time we may have gone to support them.  Our support means a lot to these business owners who are trying to build a legacy for their family and community.  When we put our diverse communities at the forefront to support, we can thrive more by working together.