Jaunted

Jaunted: First tell us about yourself and how you got into this new TV gig.

Stephanie Oswald: I’ve been focused on writing since age 10, and that is also the year I took my first flight (Albany, New York to Orlando… destination: Disney World). My original goal in life was to write for The New York Times. While studying at Boston University, I realized TV was more my thing, and eventually my passion for writing, travel and TV collided at CNN.

Before I left in 2001, I was the network’s travel correspondent, hosting a weekend show on culture, cuisine and global adventures. It was a dream job, but CNN changed its focus after 9/11, and my next step was to launch travelgirl magazine, the first national travel and lifestyle publication tailored to women. When Fine Living approached me about hosting All-Girl Getaways, I was thrilled; I feel like I’ve come full circle.

Jaunted: How does your prior travel expertise--CNN travel correspondent, Weather Channel correspondent--set you up for this show?

SO: Every production is different, and every network is different. With CNN, I was globetrotting from the Great Wall of China to the jungles of Papua New Guinea--intensely absorbing each culture, with some glamour and fine cuisine mixed in. We tried to find a news peg whenever we could.

With The Weather Channel and weather.com, I was telling the story of life during a hurricane--something you must live through in order to truly understand. It’s very humbling to witness the raw power of nature. As a journalist, it’s also a thrill and privilege to provide insight into a current event that is threatening peoples’ lives. All-Girl Getaways will allow me to use my travel expertise in a very different way, with the goal of inspiring women to give themselves what I call “permission to GO!” I can be very persuasive and I’m determined to get that message across loudly and clearly. This show is more about emotions and stress-release, where my past productions have been more news-focused.

Jaunted: So what will your new show bring to the travel TV genre that we haven't already seen?

SO: You’ll have to tune in Thursday night at 9 pm to find out! Just kidding. We are going to show women how to improve their lives through the joys of travel and girlfriend bonding. And while we do feature some fantastic destinations, it’s not a destination-driven show. Instead, it’s a goal-oriented program, and that goal is to inspire.

We will take any woman who thinks she’s too busy, too broke or too tired to take a vacation, and we’ll change her mind. An important part of every show is when viewers get a glimpse into the everyday lives of the featured women. You will see the over-worked executive, the stressed mother, the weary business owner, the exhausted student… then you watch how they get together, establish a plan and are transformed into travelgirls!

Jaunted: Are there really more girl getaways happening these days, or are we just hearing more about them?

SO: Yes to both parts of your question. Much like what happened with the ecotourism wave, the travel industry has realized that labeling something as being “tailored to women” is good business. So we’re seeing “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” weekends at resorts, “Giddy-up Gals” programs at dude ranches, “Goddess Treatments” at spas… the list is endless. It’s further confirmation that the female travel dollar is a force to be reckoned with.

We are hearing more about these girl-friendly getaways because all sectors of the travel industry are jumping on board. The great news for today’s women is that with a little bit of research--or the help of a travel agent--you can cruise, take an eco-tour, pamper yourself, learn to surf or even have a better business trip experience as a female, because of special programs targeted at gaining the trust, and therefore the spending power, of the traveling woman.

Jaunted: Your new show is on Fine Living Network. Should we expect lots of luxe travel destinations and spas--or will you be scouting out some, ahem, rougher spots?

SO: We use the term “fine living” to mean many things. Primarily it means teaching people to do more with their time and money. That doesn’t mean always staying at luxe properties and drowning yourself in five-star pampering. (But hey, don’t knock us if we throw a little bit of that in now and then!) Fine living means getting value for whatever your budget is, and maintaining a level of quality that lets you feel good about your life.

On the show, we mix up the rough with the smooth. For example, we have one group on All-Girl Getaways that spends part of their Hawaiian holiday digging up weeds at a natural pond, and working at an ancient plantation wearing waders and mud boots. A few hours (and showers!) later, these ladies are the star performers at a luau next to the ocean. Our destinations are fairly mainstream, but the activities that fill each episode are anything but.

Jaunted: We hear Philly and NYC are among the spots you'll check out. Where else are you headed?

SO: We kick off the series on Thursday night with two trips. One is a cruise to the Caribbean and the second is a long weekend in Philly. After that, you’ll find us heading to Lake Tahoe, Santa Fe, Miami, the Smoky Mountains, and Cody, Wyoming, just to name a few places. Keep in mind, these are real women taking real vacations, these are not actors paid to go on holiday. There was a competitive application process that happened and each group of girls had to convince the All-Girl Getaways producers why their trip was worthy of being featured. It’s a mix of ages, lifestyles, motivations and destinations. Other than the Caribbean cruise, all the destinations in the first season are in the USA.

Jaunted: What kind of travel TV do you already watch? Are you a Tony Bourdain fan?

SO: I think what Tony Bourdain does is terrific. He has created a niche for himself and his style is unique. Several years ago in Bali, while working for CNN, I once had to eat snake on camera--after watching it be killed and skinned in front of me during a dance ceremony. I’m a vegetarian and that went against every molecule in my body, but the camera was rolling and I wanted to be respectful of the culture. It was a while before I forgave my producer! There will be no snake eating on All-Girl Getaways.

But to answer your question, when it comes to travel TV, I tend to watch more of the National Geographic and Discovery type shows. I still have a long list of places to visit and sometimes I like “previewing” them via TV and movies. My absolute favorite place to watch travel features is at the IMAX theater up the street.

Jaunted: We won't ask you about your favorite destination, but where's next for you? And any specific plans on what to do when you're there?

SO: Next for me is something close to home, but somewhere I’ve never been before, despite many years in Atlanta: In a few weeks I’m headed for a family trip to the beach on Tybee Island, Georgia. We’re renting a cottage at the end of the island and will be settling down for some gorgeous sunsets and lots of chasing our 19-month-old daughter around on the sand.

We’ll probably throw in a history tour and some bike riding, but my main goal is to R-E-L-A-X. There might even be a trip to the spa. I haven’t made any “set” plans yet, but they are in the works. It’s harder to be spontaneous when kids are in the picture, but I’ve always felt that the best parts of any trip are the unexpected surprises.

Related Stories:
· All-Girl Getaways [Official Site]
· Jaunted Interviews coverage [Jaunted]

Tags: Jaunted Interviews / Videos / Television Travel / TV Travel / Stephanie Oswald / Travel Trends / Girlfriend Getaways

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