As a woman, one of the scariest parts of solo travel is safety. Sadly, it is a reality that many female travelers face even if traveling in a small group. When I travel solo, I always take precautions such as having a trusted employee from the hotel meet me and pick me up at the airport, and ask the hotel for recommendations on hiring local guides. However, what if you could find your own personal, fully vetted female guide? The great news is that now there is a service for connecting female travelers with vetted female guides around the world. Meet Greether, and its founder Vanessa Karel.

With its tagline “Experience safer travel with a local bestie”, Greether is a leading platform that connects female travelers with local female guides to provide safe, inclusive, and empowering travel experiences.  Its mission is to promote cross-cultural understanding and peace through travel.

With a presence in over 1,000 cities and 100 countries, Greether is transforming the way women travel, ensuring that they can explore the world safely while supporting local female entrepreneurs. Greether is committed to fostering global connections that break down barriers and create a more inclusive tourism industry.

I had the opportunity to learn more about Greether and its founder Vanessa Karel. Check out this interview to discover the inspiration behind Greether, how it works, and why you should consider it for your next trip.

Q & A with Greether Founder, Vanessa Karel

Tell me about yourself. Where are you from? What is your background in the travel industry?

I was born in Los Angeles but spent my childhood in Mexico City, I have now been living over half of my life in San Francisco California. I grew up always being told that I should travel the world, my parents always prioritized experiences over things. I also saw my dad travel a lot around the world as a journalist and my mom built multiple small businesses from scratch, so I have learned both things from them, how to be a great traveler, storyteller, and an entrepreneurial person.

I have had different businesses and I consider myself as a natural entrepreneur, one who has consistently had to find businesses out of need. After graduating college I co-founded a media production small agency with my college best friend, unfortunately, I had to shut down this business in 2020. However, if it hadn’t been for all that happened to the world and my life that year I wouldn’t be where I am today.

What inspired you to start Greether?

In 2020 after getting stranded in Casablanca Morocco I realized that there didn’t exist a Greether in the world and I really needed it to exist, I desperately needed to connect with trustworthy locals, and there wasn’t an easy way to vet people through traveler Facebook groups.

Vanessa Karel with Greeter in Marrakech

This is the short version of a longer story, but in short, I kept asking “What if there was a tool that could help me travel with more ease” “What if I could build this? I began writing a book that eventually detoured into founding this company, and after interviewing over 500 female travelers and discovering how many women shared similar concerns and wanted a solution, I founded Greether in 2021, which went live with bookable services in 2022.

Today Greether is now active in over 100 countries and over 1k cities, connecting women travelers with local women who act as guides, or “Greeters,” ensuring both a safe and memorable travel experience. We not only help women travel in the most unique and fun way but also help them travel with fewer risks while creating jobs for women globally. I basically created my own dream job.

How does Greether work? How do you find and vet guides?

Greether works by connecting female travelers with verified local women in the destination they are traveling to. Travelers simply go to our platform and select their destination, the time and day they want to be met, the meeting spot, and the length of their greeting experience.

They are then matched to a Greether that matches their request before their trip begins and gets greeted on the day and at the time they requested ready for their travel adventure. It’s like having a local friend who has planned an experience for you when you land, Our Greeters are carefully vetted through a multi-step process, which includes an interview, verification of credentials, and training to ensure they provide safe, insightful guidance. We prioritize women who not only know their cities well but who also believe in our mission to empower and connect women globally.

What is the mission of Greether?

The mission of Greether is to empower women through travel, making the world safer and more accessible for female travelers. We’re focused on creating meaningful connections between women worldwide, and fostering trust, safety, and support while promoting sustainable travel practices that benefit local communities. Ultimately, we want women to feel they have a global sisterhood they can rely on, wherever they go while simultaneously supporting women’s economy and their empowerment.

How does pricing/cost work? Is the guide with the traveler the entire trip or just for a day? Is it customized?

Our pricing is flexible and based on the length and type of experience a traveler wants. Typically, travelers book Greeters for a few hours to a day, depending on the destination and their preferences. You really can’t find a more unique service than this, each experience is very personalized: travelers choose the meetup spot, and the time they want to meet, and can request specific types of outings, whether it’s exploring cultural sites, enjoying local cuisine, or getting shopping tips.

We know that all travelers are unique and they deserve unique experiences, our Greeters can also provide recommendations based on the traveler’s interests and even adjust activities in real-time for a fully tailored travel adventure. You are also connected to your Greeter before your trip begins which unlocks tips and recommendations that only a local would be able to give you. For example, I am traveling to Bosnia for the first time in a couple of weeks, and my Greeter in Sarajevo suggested I take the local buses to move from there to Mostar as they recently experienced major floods affecting their train system this is information that would have impacted my trip heavily. Having access to a local friend wherever you go to ask her questions and tips is so helpful no matter how experienced you are as a traveler.

Vanessa Karel and female travelers in Cartegena

Why is it important to have female guides? For traveler what are the benefits? For the female guide, what is the benefit?

Many reasons! If I had to choose a few I’d say that we as women have a responsibility to support other women, booking a Greeter is not only a great way to travel as a woman but it’s an incredible way to promote sustainable tourism and ensure that you are contributing directly to women’s economy. As a platform dedicated to female travelers, our main goal is to provide you with an incredible way to experience local culture and a great way to do that is by connecting with locals.

We are not your traditional tour guide, we are more of a hybrid, we are modernizing the tour guiding experience with what our travelers want the most, personalized travel experiences that empower both ends, you benefit from being able to find the local gems, avoid the local tourist scams, and have on-demand access to someone you can text for advice on a great brunch spot in Budapest or help figuring out how to book a last minute boat in Bali to an in-person and at your own pace tourHaving female guides is essential for creating a safe, comfortable environment where women travelers can explore with more confidence.

For travelers, the benefits are immense: they gain a knowledgeable friend who understands their needs, companionship, and great insight into the local culture from a female perspective. For the Greeter guides, they get paid for their time! Greether provides an incredible and flexible gig economy-like opportunity for them, as well as a platform to connect with people from around the world who are so interested in learning about them and their culture. It’s a two-way cultural exchange that promotes sisterhood, economic empowerment, and safety, all of which contribute to a stronger, more inclusive travel industry. If you ever hear me speak about Greether live you’ll likely hear that we have a win-win business model because it truly really is.

Give me three examples of recent trips your customers have takes with their guides and what kind of feedback they have?

Paris, France: Heidi recently explored the Marais neighborhood with her Greether, Brontë, who gave her insider tips on enjoying this historic area off the beaten path. Heidi loved how Brontë’s storytelling added depth to her experience, describing it as a “new perspective on this beautiful city.” Brontë even followed up with a Google map of her recommendations, making it easy for Heidi to revisit her favorite spots.

Bangkok, Thailand: Vanessa, a solo traveler, spent the day with her Greether, Amy, and described the experience as feeling like she “made a friend for a day.” This sense of connection made a huge impact, as Vanessa mentioned that making friends while solo traveling can be challenging. She appreciated Amy’s warmth and support throughout the day, feeling not just guided but genuinely welcomed.

London, England: Erin was initially nervous about her first solo trip and had some unconventional requests for her time in London. Her Greeter, Sara, provided a supportive and judgment-free experience, helping Erin gain the confidence to navigate the city on her own. Sara even checked in on Erin later at her hotel, offering more recommendations. Erin described her time with Sara as “beyond what was required,” saying it gave her the courage and confidence she needed for solo travel.