» francesca spizzirri
" There ’ s something beautiful that happens when you get a dynamic group of women together away from their home and allow them to interact with each other in a new setting . The thing I love about travel is that it has the ability like nothing else to awaken all your senses ."
- FRANCESCA SPIZZIRRI
Facebook page and Instagram account , she was approached by various magazines . Today , in addition to managing Travelista73 , Spizzirri also writes for several publications . She has also been able to tap into the travel marketing sector by working directly with PR firms and hotel chains . This has given her the opportunity to share with her followers what she ’ s experiencing in real time . Some of her travel photos have also been picked up by leading travel magazines , all of which has been exciting for Spizzirri . Her advice to those asking how she manages to do what she loves for a living ? Follow your heart . “ My advice is to follow whatever your passion is and put your all into it . I entered this journey with zero expectations . I had a vision for where I wanted to be and the things I wanted to accomplish and still do , but I know that not everything we want is something that is necessarily destined for us . I have faith that everything I need to do will organically happen .”
The inspiration for Travelista73 goes beyond a passion for travel . It was created to give people a deeper understanding of the world and those who make up its dynamic nature . “ I thought that if I could make people see different parts of the world in a more beautiful way , they would understand that at the end of the day , we are all people just trying to live the happiest and best life possible – that we are more alike than we are different .” Travelista73 ’ s motto expands on this very thought . ‘ Inspiring travel dreams and journeys .’ It ’ s viewing life as a journey that Spizzirri hopes to instill in others . “ I feel that to fully understand the human spirit and what it is to be alive on different levels and to really fully connect with other people , you have to expand your horizons and go beyond what you know and what you ’ re comfortable with because there is a big world outside of Toronto . It ’ s different , but it ’ s beautiful .” Her top three travel destinations ? Although hard to narrow it down , Spizzirri lists Italy , Marrakech and Southern Spain as her favourite . Still on her bucket list ? Africa .
Playing a pivotal role in Spizzirri ’ s profession as a travel blogger has been social media . “ When I first started it was Facebook and Twitter . Now there are all these other platforms and live options that give people the chance to experience you in the moment while you interact with them on the spot .” Social media has also given Spizzirri the opportunity to engage with her followers . “ Not a day goes by that I don ’ t communicate with them .” This has included followers who have shared emotional stories with Spizzirri letting her know that she ’ s inspired them to travel to destinations close to their heart and take that leap of faith . It is moments like these that make social media rewarding for her . However , while social media has its perks , there are also precautions Spizzirri believes others should take when using it . “ I think a lot of people misuse social media and tend to forget that anything you put out there stays out there . You want to be conscious of the blueprint you leave and ask yourself if you will still be comfortable ten years from now with what you put out there .”
W hile some may view Spizzirri ’ s job as a glamourous one , it also has its downfalls . Her career requires a lot of hard work , time and effort . Long travel times , early wake up calls , time difference adjustments and lengthy days all take a toll on you when traveling , but Spizzirri is grateful for every experience . “ I ’ m definitely blessed , but like anything in life , you can ’ t just have the good . You have to make some sacrifices because it ’ s through the sacrifices that you realize how badly you want something and that ’ s how you get to the next level of what you want to accomplish .” She also acknowledges that she wouldn ’ t be able to accomplish it all without the support of her family and friends , who have all been instrumental in her journey to creating Travelista73 . “ They ’ re my cheerleaders . I wouldn ’ t be able to do any of it without them . Yes , I ’ m a one woman show when it comes to Travelista73 , but any time you accomplish something great in life , there ’ s a support system behind that .”
Spizzirri ’ s ultimate goal for Travelista73 is to expand her brand into hosting women ’ s retreats around the world . She ’ s happy to report that she had her very first retreat this past September in Calabria , Italy , which took her back to her family roots . “ I want these to be immersive experiences where women can come and connect , support and uplift each other . There ’ s something beautiful that happens when you get a dynamic group of women together away from their home and allow them to interact with each other in a new setting . The thing I love about travel is that it has the ability like nothing else to awaken all your senses .”
30 • fredi digital 2017