Kutlwano Motla better known as The Boujee Traveller has turned her own adventures into inspiration for thousands of people planning their next getaway.

As more travellers turned to her for itineraries, hotel suggestions and honest advice, Motla recognised the opportunity to transform that trust into a business — one that is about in accessibility, authenticity and a belief that travel should never be gatekept.

Today, with 28 countries under her belt and every South African province explored, she continues to encourage people to see more of the world while reminding them not to overlook the beauty waiting at home.

In this very fascinating conversation, she shares insights about building a business from passion, travelling as a new mom, investing in experiences over sponsorships, and why South Africa’s hidden gems deserve far more attention.

You built The Boujee Traveller during the uncertainty of the pandemic. What made you realise this wasn’t just a passion project, but a brand with real staying power?

I have an entrepreneurial spirit, so when my DMs were constantly flooded with questions for recommendations, itinerary suggestions and people constantly asking me where to travel to and stay, I saw a business opportunity and ran with it. 

I have built a rapport with my audience from my own travel experiences. With my constant travel posts, my audience began to trust my perspective on travel, and I decided to leverage that and build a business from it. 

I am passionate about travel and have never been one to gate keep. So, I decided to create a platform and monetize something that comes so naturally to me.

South Africa’s travel industry has changed significantly over the past few years. From your perspective, what are travellers looking for today that they weren’t prioritising before, and how has that influenced the content you create?

We live in such unprecedented times, from life threatening diseases such as COID-19 to the war happening across continents, people more than ever are looking to really invest in experiences and explore outside of their comfort zone. 

It’s crazy that most events have forced us to stay home, and yet all we want to do is break free and see more of the world. So, the traveller today is prioritizing more on experiences, be it domestic travel to something international, the travel bug has bitten most of us. 

Whenever I take a sho’t left or have overseas experiences, my audience is constantly glued to my content, and I rank some of the highest insights just by sharing my current location. 

I take that as a sign of interest and it has swayed me to be far more intentional with where I am going, how I got there and some of the experiences I take on. 

My content is geared to have you build up your own itinerary based off what I share. It is geared to inspire you to start planning, saving and travelling. And most times I receive the very feedback I am looking for. 

You’ve now travelled to 28 countries and explored every province in South Africa. Has travelling the world changed the way you see South Africa, and are there local destinations you believe deserve far more attention?

Absolutely, if there’s a major take away I have taken from international travel is just how much pride and heritage most people take in their country.

We are very similar here in South Africa, I just think we focus on the most common places such as the Western Cape, the Safari experiences and Johannesburg. 

We have nine provinces with a variety of special offerings that we don’t usually talk about. I am obsessed with the Eastern Cape and the rich culture that lives in the mountains and the valleys of some of the rural areas to the beautiful beaches in Qherberha. 

The midlands is also really special and a great place to visit during winter. The long road trips in Mpumalanga, driving down the picturesque countryside right down to the Blyde River Canyon is a sight to see. 

Beyond your usual Cape Town and the Kruger Park, we have some of the most beautiful offerings in South Africa. From exploring the Garden Route to visiting Plettenberg Bay, the Wildnerness and so much more. 

We need to spotlight the beauty of South Africa beyond the most talked about destinations. We have so many hidden gems that should now be explored! 

You’ve recently embraced motherhood while continuing to grow your brand. How has becoming a mom changed the way you travel, create content, and define success for yourself?

Motherhood has broadened my perspective and allowed me to appreciate that life is far bigger than me. My daughter is so curious about everything. I travelled throughout my entire pregnancy, and I took her on her first vacation from when she was just 3 months old (it was honestly, more for me than anything). 

My daughter is the easiest person to travel with because she is truly just happy to be there. She is so inquisitive, and it makes me so excited to take her on more experiences with me. I truly work so hard, not only to give her the best life but to give her exposure. 

The best gift we can give our children is that anything is possible, and that there is far more to life than their current reality. The world is full of endless possibilities, travel has always taught me that and now with being a mother, I want my daughter to know that we live in a world with no bounds. 

So, when I curate content, I always think of her. So she can see that her mom truly lived. And to inspire her to do the same. To be fearless, to be curious and to just go for it! So my success is defined not so much on what I give her, but more so on how much I expose her.

Many people underestimate the financial investment that goes into travel content. How do you decide when a trip is worth funding yourself versus waiting for the right brand partnership? 

I will always be an advocate of investing in travel. I never wait for anybody or any brand to take me anywhere. In fact, the only brand that has ever funded my travel experience was Hennessy, and that only happened after working with them for 4 years, it is only then when I got the honor of being on a brand trip with them.  

Fast forward to this year, I was given the opportunity to curate my own brand trip to France and Portugal by inviting various influencers and celebrities to join. Before that relationship, every single trip has always been funded by me. Most brand invites never came with a travel budget. 

It is only ever worth it to invest in brand trips, if there are development opportunities. In 2024, The African Union invited me to Ghana, I had to fund my own travels, and truthfully I had no issues because being affiliated to the AU for example is an opportunity I would never pass by.  

Apart from that, I don’t always need an excuse to travel, I have a bucket list, and I am intentional about crossing off every country on that list. Brand backing or not. I AM GOING!

Last Netflix (or streaming) show you watched? The Polygamist. I couldn’t ignore the hype. I am also a major Real Housewives stan.

Last song you added to your playlist? I am an album girl, Asake’s latest album and all three of Drakes latest albums are on heavy rotation.

Window or aisle seat? Business class, always window. Economy, always aisle. 

Favourite country you’ve visited so far? Prague, but after visiting Marbella in Spain recently. I must add it to the list.

One destination that’s still at the very top of your bucket list? Vietnam

Favourite car for the perfect road trip? Porsche Cayenne GTS Coupé