Entrepreneurs partner to promote self-guided trips in Nova Scotia

Sustainable tour operator Settled Nomads Inc. has joined Elevate and Explore Black Nova Scotia to create the Black Nova Scotia Self Guided Itinerary Series

CITYnews halifax \ Steve Gow

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Two Halifax-based tourism operators have joined forces to create a unique series of Nova Scotia travel guides.

Settled Nomads Inc. has announced that it has partnered with Elevate and Explore Black Nova Scotia to showcase and celebrate Black culture and heritage through a new program titled the Black Nova Scotia Self Guided Itinerary Series.

“We are going to be releasing a series of them that will be geographically segmented,” explains Settled Nomads founder Chelsea Hanoun about the new itinerary series. “(And) people can take self-guided trips on their own or with a group of friends.”

With more than seven years experience developing and leading outdoor adventures, Hanoun aims to focus on operating tours around the province with an emphasis on sustainable outdoor active and cultural activities.

“We create authentic local travel experiences that are good for people and the planet,” says Hanoun, adding her company’s adventures often take place in off-the-beaten path locations. “That’s kind of what drives me and my business — providing these experiences for people that are local and authentic but also making sure that the environmental impact is low.”

She says partnering with Elevate and Explore Black Nova Scotia’s Rene Boudreau made sense. After all, both are relatively new tourism operators in the province and both share similar values.

“I’m so excited to work with Rene because I’ve been following her work for so long,” adds Hanoun, who began her business shortly after Elevate and Explore was founded in 2019. “So we were on kind of a similar journey together.”

Boudreau created Elevate and Explore in order to promote local Black-owned businesses and showcase the province’s many adventures to a more diverse and inclusive set of tourists and travellers.

“You go where you are represented,” Boudreau told CityNews Halifax in November of last year. “So if we don’t see ourselves kayaking or skiing, for example, then we probably will feel like it’s not for us or feel like it’s not a safe place to go. I just really wanted to showcase Black people enjoying themselves in the province.”

Together, Hanoun and Boudreau will combine their talents to craft unique experiences with the hopes of encouraging all travellers to explore Black Nova Scotia with their new self-guided itineraries.

The series will be made up of several itineraries, each divided by certain regions of Nova Scotia. Each guide will also be made to be compatible to work as a larger tour itinerary.

“People can do it based on the region they want to explore,” adds Hanoun, who also holds the National Designation of Tourism Certified Professional (TCP), which is the highest level of recognition for tourism professionals. “Or if they have time for a larger trip, they can combine them all together and do a big Black Nova Scotia trip.”

With the lingering pandemic suppressing the ability to have a public launch, Hanoun and Boudreau are still excited to announce their pairing virtually and looking forward to working with travellers in order to provide more unique travel experiences in the province.

Planning to have their Black Nova Scotia Self Guided Itinerary Series ready for the public in the spring, the duo say they may celebrate once the season begins to change.

“One of the things that we’ve talked about doing is a potential launch trip, so doing a facilitated guided trip of one of the self-guided tours just to get people really excited and pumped,” adds Hanoun.  “That’s something that I’m looking forward to after the partnership is announced — just diving into more of those things.”

For more information on the Black Nova Scotia Self-Guided Itinerary Series, visit Settled Nomads or Elevate and Explore Black Nova Scotia.