Sally Broom

The idea of linking travellers with trusted local contacts came to Sally during her final year at University College London. She was inspired by her own personal experiences of travelling as well as by successful entrepreneurs such as Martha Lane Fox. She was also spurred on by a desire to make a difference.

Realising the value of having a “friend at the other end” to the traveller and the local community, Sally began gathering friends and contacts from school, university and conservation organisations together on a website. The aim was to showcase a trusted network of local people all over the world; finding a middle ground between joining a group trip and going solo.

Sally’s motivation, drive and determination helped her break down the barriers of starting something completely new in an old, established industry.

Since its launch in 2006, more than forty countries on five continents have been involved in expanding the venture into the global community it is today. The site has up to 35,000 visitors a week from 135 countries and is fast becoming a recognised name in the drive for ethical travel opportunities.

Sally says, “The core of Your Safe Planet is in supporting people to scratch below the surface and get off the beaten track. In doing this, travellers see through local eyes and naturally become respectful as they are more aware of the impact their travel has on the environment as well as the people they meet along the way. It is only through gaining awareness that we can encourage people to change their behaviour. We hope that the positive effects of tourism will finally outweigh the huge negative problems brought about by mass travel. Your Safe Planet provides a whole new way to travel that ensures we protect the people and places around the world. After all, those are the reasons we travel at all.”

Driven by a passion for justice and environmental protection, Sally’s hard work has earned her short listings for a number of awards and accolades:

• OGUNTE award
• Responsible Travel award
• Two travel mole awards
• IoD Rising Star of the year
• Cumbria Young Business person of the year

Her advice to anyone thinking of starting their own business venture would be: “Do it before you think too much about it and don’t risk analysis paralysis. Embrace the idea of failure because you most likely won’t fail, you’ll just take big risks which lead to greater rewards. Never take anything too seriously; it’s all just a game.”