The Official Black Traveler of the Month: Leticia Ricks, CEO of Luxotic Retreats

Written by Bri Rice, originally published in February 2022 print

Leticia Ricks is a trailblazer curating luxury experience for busy professionals and entrepreneurs to travel and learn in exotic spaces. She is a boss babe, wife, and mother worthy of celebration! In February 2022 we salute you!

What inspired you to start your travel (Luxotic Travel) journey?

Luxotic Retreats was built by combining what I live to do (travel) and what I’ve been blessed to do (connecting people and creating corporate group experiences). I’ve spent over 10 years creating group travel experiences, with the largest to date being our destination wedding with over 70 guests to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. My career in Human Resources and talent acquisition also allows me to connect people, create corporate events for thousands of people, and travel! I saw missing in the travel industry an opportunity for people with little time (typically Entrepreneurs and professionals) the ability to travel, connect with other successful people and learn skill sets that would take them to the next level of their success, while also exploring a place they had never been.

Where do you see travel evolving to in 2022? Give us your forecast for Black travel.

Black travel is bright for 2022 and beyond! With the increase of black travelers going viral in 2021 on social media, and decreased fear of traveling in Covid, we anticipate more black travelers will find opportunities to travel on their own. Luxotic Retreats saw that in 2021 92% of guests had never traveled to our destinations, 71% of our guests traveled alone and 48% had never traveled out of the country. These statistics with our sample shows the opportunity we still have, especially as Covid comes to an end.

Favorite or dream destination?

Favorite destination is still Zanzibar. There is something magical about the African shores and we’re excited to host it Juneteenth Retreat again this year.

Advice to anyone traveling in the pandemic?

Be safe and Just go! If this pandemic has taught us nothing, it’s one (1) we as a human race need to do a better job at washing our hands and (2) life is short. After traveling SAFELY to 7 countries during the course of the pandemic, and by the Grace of God never contracting Covid, yet watching people we know perish at the hands of Covid by going to the grocery store, it’s only right to live life, be safe and travel the beautiful world that God created.

Anything you would like to add?

We’re honored at what Luxotic and every other black travel company is creating. For too long, our people have not had the opportunity, information or the resources to travel the world and black travel companies are creating that. It’s our mission to bring travel to the communities who have missed it and close the gap in travel inequities.