The Art Of International Escape
Some people plan trips. I craft life chapters.
I’m Mia McDonald, founder of Expats Traveling Group, LLC — A travel design house devoted to transforming your time away into moments that feel rare, intentional, and unforgettable, and into journeys that do good along the way. We design travel that keeps tourism revenue in local hands, supports fair and safe working conditions for the guides and teams who host our clients, and plants six trees for every trip we book. We believe how we travel matters as much as where we go.
Friends and clients call me The Research Department — a title earned after years of planning journeys so meticulously that every detail feels inevitable. I’ve stood where you stand now: eager to explore, short on time, and unwilling to settle for the ordinary.
We’re honored to help you explore the world. Keep scrolling to read more about how we operate.
WHO ARE WE?
Born in Detroit and shaped by the vibrant warmth of Fort Lauderdale, I left the familiar to follow my husband’s diplomatic career — and my own calling — across continents. Frankfurt’s cobblestone streets, Bangkok’s bustling markets, Singapore’s skyline at dusk, and now Panama City’s shimmering Pacific views have all been home. Each move deepened my understanding of what travelers truly crave: connection, culture, and the comfort of knowing someone’s thought ahead for you.
OUR SIGNATURE APPROACH
Every itinerary begins with your story. We pair it with my network of trusted international suppliers, industry insight, and lived experience to ensure your journey isn’t just well-planned — it’s perfectly aligned with who you are and what you love. From multi-country odysseys to intimate weekends away, I design with both efficiency and indulgence in mind, so you can arrive rested and ready to experience the world deeply.
OUR SUSTAINABILTY POLICY
At Expats Traveling Group®, we believe travel should restore, not exhaust, and should respect the places we visit and the people who welcome us. As a small, Black woman-owned travel design house, we work daily with hotels, guides, drivers, and local tour operators around the world. That gives us both the opportunity and the responsibility to choose partners well, reduce harm, and grow the good. We are working toward B Corp certification to hold ourselves to that standard.
Click here to read our full Sustainability Policy.
FOR THE GLOBALLY MOBILE
Expats Traveling Group exists for those who live beyond borders — American diplomats, military families, educators, corporate leaders — and for the expat-curious, ready to step into a richer life abroad. Whether you seek the quiet elegance of a wine estate, the thrill of a jungle trek, or a cruise where every port feels like a personal invitation, I’ll match you with the right partners, properties, and local storytellers.
RESPONSIBLE ADVOCACY
Expats Traveling Group® does not engage in lobbying or political campaign activity. We do not make political contributions, and we do not pay or employ anyone to influence legislation on our behalf. From time to time we advocate for responsible and sustainable travel, for example by encouraging suppliers to adopt better environmental and labor practices and by supporting conservation efforts. This advocacy is part of our mission and is not lobbying. If our activities ever change, we will update this statement.
HUMAN RIGHTS FOCUSED
We are committed to respecting human rights and protecting the environment, both in our own work and throughout the network of suppliers we choose on our clients’ behalf. As a small business that books internationally, one of the most impactful decisions we make is who we work with, and we take that responsibility seriously.
Let’s face it – travel is a wildly human experience only made possible and better by the local people we encounter along the way.
Click here to read our full Human Rights Policy.
INGRAINED INCLUSIVITY
Expats Traveling Group® LLC is a woman-owned, Black-led travel design house, and inclusion is part of who we are, not an add-on. We believe travel should be accessible, open the world to everyone and benefit the communities that welcome us.
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- We treat every client, partner, and supplier with dignity and without discrimination.
- We seek out and prioritize local guides and storytellers, as well as suppliers owned by women, Black entrepreneurs, and LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs, so that the money our clients spend helps build more inclusive local economies.
- We design experiences that honor the cultures and people our travelers come to meet.
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