Beloved Canadian Women’s Solo Travel Brand, JourneyWoman™, Continues with Carolyn Ray

by | Aug 13, 2019

Journey Woman acquired by Carolyn Ray

Last updated on March 27th, 2024

Photo: Extending the Legacy of JourneyWoman: New JourneyWoman CEO Carolyn Ray (left) and Erica Ehm (right), daughter of JourneyWoman founder Evelyn Hannon, with Evelyn’s iconic red travelling boots and the original magazine.

Under Ray’s Leadership, JourneyWoman Plans to Expand Offerings for Women Travellers

The family of Evelyn Hannon, Founder and CEO of JourneyWoman, announced that Carolyn Ray has acquired JourneyWoman Enterprises Inc. and is now the CEO and Publisher of JourneyWoman.com.

Recognized for its savvy, authentic content and practical tips, Journeywoman.com is one of the world’s most widely respected women’s travel websites and has over 55,000 subscribers, in addition to its presence on social media.  Hannon founded JourneyWoman in 1994, at a time when women were fearful of travelling alone and lacked female mentors. She passed away in April after a heroic three-year battle with cancer.

Watch our first Facebook Live! with Erica Ehm!

“When our mother started JourneyWoman over 25 years ago, she unknowingly became the world’s first female travel blogger and built a sisterhood of women travellers,” said Evelyn Hannon’s daughter, Erica Ehm, Founder and CEO of Ehm&Co. “Not only does Carolyn share many of our mother’s values, we believe her passion for travel and her strategic mindset will enhance Journeywoman’s brand as a trusted source for women. We can’t imagine anyone better suited to extend our mother’s legacy.”

Ray plans to deepen JourneyWoman’s offerings and develop new services that appeal to a broader audience, building on its reputation as a resource for solo travellers and women over 50. To ensure continuity, Ehm will provide strategic counsel and Ray’s daughter, Alyxandra Ray, will assist with research and digital media. One of Ray’s first priorities will be to refresh the JourneyWoman brand experience, including the website, which dates back to 1997.

“As someone who is passionate about exploring the globe, storytelling and empowering women, my ambition knows no limits for JourneyWoman,” Ray said. “I am eager to expand JourneyWoman’s influence and inspire more women of all ages to travel as a means of self-discovery and learning. Over the next few months, we will be working closely with our community to co-create new content areas and develop new products and services just for women.”

Ray is the CEO and Founder of AUTHENTICA, a brand strategy firm that works with leading Canadian organizations. Previously, she led Interbrand Canada, the world’s largest brand consulting firm, which published the “Canada 150: Iconic Canadian Brands Report”. Named one of Canada’s top female entrepreneurs on the 2013 PROFIT/ Chatelaine W100 list, she coaches women entrepreneurs and serves as a Director on the Board of Myseum of Toronto.

About Journeywoman

Founded in 1994, Journeywoman is the world’s first female travel resource and one of the most popular and respected online women’s travel brands, inspiring a global sisterhood of women travellers. JourneyWoman magazine has over 55,000 subscribers. To learn more, visit www.journeywoman.com, FacebookInstagramTwitter, or LinkedIn.

JourneyWoman is a registered trademark of Journeywoman Enterprises Inc.

In 2023, Carolyn was named one of the most influential women in travel by TravelPulse for her work advocating for women over 50 in travel. She has been featured in the New York Times, Toronto Star and Conde Naste as a solo travel expert, and speaks at women's travel conferences around the world. She leads JourneyWoman's team of writers and chairs the JourneyWoman Women's Advisory Council, JourneyWoman Awards for Women 50+ and the Women's Speaker's Bureau. She is the chair of the Canadian chapter of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), board member for the Cultural Heritage Economic Alliance (CHEA) in support of Black and Brown businesses, a member of Women's Travel Leaders and a Herald for the Transformational Travel Council (TTC). Sometimes she sleeps. A bit.

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