🎒 Slower, intentional journeying: In an era where traditional travel agencies are competing with online agents and AI, Trink Global has carved out a niche and tapped into a growing global trend; personalized trips, wellness retreats, and slower, more intentional travel. Founded by long-time friends Sara Abou Youssef and Amira Khalil, the company is built on a philosophy that travel should be an immersive, transformative experience — or, as they prefer to call it, a “journey.”

Building a global vision

The seeds for Trink were sown in early 2019 during a 40th birthday trip to Sri Lanka. “Amira and I were both passionate about traveling to “off-the-beaten-track” destinations but we realized that this wasn’t the case for many of the women in our group. Some were traveling alone for the first time and really pushing themselves outside their comfort zones. We could also see how that experience was having a positive impact on them,” Abou Youssef told EnterpriseAM.

The duo bonded over an extended stay in Sri Lanka and decided to turn their passion for planning and exploring into a travel business dedicated to slow experience-led travel and the empowerment of women. While established players like Gazef and Omar Samra’s Wild Guanabana already existed, they catered to a younger type of adventure traveler.

By November 2019, Trink was officially in business with their first group trip to Bali. The business had barely found its footing when the world shut down in March 2020. A planned group trip to Brazil was canceled, and their original international outbound model became obsolete overnight. But Abou Youssef still views the pandemic as a “blessing in disguise.” Forced to look inward, Trink pivoted to the domestic market, finding huge demand for local retreats. They organized yoga and art retreats in places like Sidi Heneish on the North Coast, Siwa, Nubia, and Fayoum.

First-hand and personalized

The business operates on two main tracks: customized itineraries, and scheduled group trips and retreats. The customization side of the business provides detailed, personalized planning for small groups, families, or honeymooners, where every detail — from the architectural style of the accommodation to the daily lunch spot — is matched to the traveler’s personality. “We don’t curate trips for other travel companies, but if you are a yoga instructor or life coach and you would like us to design a retreat for you, that is definitely a service we offer,” says Abou Youssef.

Trink distinguishes itself by focusing on first-hand experiences. They never send clients to destinations they have not personally vetted and at least one of the two founders is always present on each group trip and retreat. “When I’m creating an experience for clients, I’m sharing my own experience, as a traveler,” Abou Youssef says. This commitment to authenticity involves deep research, personal trials of local suppliers, and staying updated on the newest venues and restaurants.

You travel, we think

In its early years, Trink was a two-woman operation. Leveraging Khalil’s master’s degree in information systems and a “do-it-yourself” ethos, they built their own website on WordPress and grew their first 8k social media followers entirely in-house. The only element they outsourced was their branding — the name “Trink” being a portmanteau of “Travel” and “Think.”

“You travel, we think,” became their slogan, reflecting their goal of taking people on carefree journeys where all logistics are handled. They were ahead of their time in that regard. According to the BBC’s travel trends in 2026, “trust over choice,” meaning travel experiences where the guest doesn’t have to make any decisions, are clearly on the rise. Also trending is “ultra personalized over one-size-fits-all.”

This means every trip and every retreat has a theme that is appropriate and culturally relevant for their specific target market: predominantly women in their 40’s and 50’s. While 90-95% of Trink travelers are women, the company does not strictly exclude men, though they are always informed if they will be the sole male in a group of ladies.

A core challenge of the Trink model is maintaining group chemistry. Every group journey begins with a detailed registration process, and a written concept note to ensure travelers understand the nature of the trip — whether that involves an eco-lodge or a physical activity. Abou Youssef emphasizes that communication is key to managing expectations. Judging by their 30% repeat customer rate, the formula appears to be working.

Economic headwinds and AI

The EGP’s devaluation in 2022 hit the company hard. Rising costs — such as plane tickets jumping to EGP 30K from EGP 10K — and credit card restrictions on foreign currency made international bookings a logistical nightmare. Paradoxically, these restrictions also worked in Trink’s favor. When individuals found it impossible to book their own flights or hotels online, they once again turned to travel companies to handle the logistics.

Looking toward the future, Abou Youssef is unbothered by the rise of AI in travel. While she acknowledges that “agentic AI” will eventually replace the transactional side of travel agencies (bookings, visas, and transfers), she believes it can never replace the human element of group experiences. “The more AI is doing stuff for us, the more people crave connection,” she notes.

What does growth look like?

Trink Global currently manages 12-18 trips per year to places like Bali, Vietnam, and Salalah in Oman, three popular destinations they have on repeat. Group trips and wellness retreats are also offered to destinations like South Africa, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Vietnam, Cambodia, Mexico and India to name a few.

The business plans to expand to include first-time destinations like Kenya and Peru in 2026. “We typically try to introduce a couple of new destinations each year. In 2025 we added Uzbekistan and Japan, which is trending so we’re going there again this year,” Abou Youssef says.

The long-term goal for Trink remains true to their name: Global. The founders hope to move beyond the Egyptian market to create a cosmopolitan community of travelers from diverse nationalities. They have already started tapping into the Saudi market by planning retreats with Saudi instructors who bring along their clientele.

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