WOM and OTW on Purposeful Travel, Connection, and Community
Travel isn’t just about ticking destinations off a list. It’s about connection, curiosity, and perspective, something both WOM and OTW Travels have built their platforms around.
Founder of WOM Hamish Johnston sat down with OTW’s founder Fiona Jing to talk about why they started their platforms, what travel means to them, and how their shared values have shaped a collaboration built on authenticity and connection.
Interested in one of OTW’s trips or want to find out more? Find out more here
Purpose and Beginnings
Question: What inspired you to start OTW?
Fiona: Travel’s always been a huge part of my life. I’ve learnt so much about myself by stepping into new environments, especially solo - the sort of growth that only comes from being completely out of your comfort zone. Nothing tests you faster than, for example, losing your passport in Panama City aged 21 and riding shotgun in a police pickup for a day and interviewing taxi drivers in Spanish to try and track it down.
But on a bigger scale, I really do think travel is about connection. When done with purpose it helps people understand different cultures and brings more empathy into the world.
Before OTW, limited annual leave meant it was tricky to plan anything really meaningful, and I realised loads of people hit the same barriers - time, money, or just not knowing where to begin.
So I started OTW last year to bring the benefits of travel closer within reach for everyone. Small group trips that are affordable, well-planned but still authentic, giving people the same sense of adventure, discovery, and cultural exchange that I’ve been lucky enough to experience myself.
Question: How about you with WOM, what inspired it?
Hamish: WOM started from a personal pain point when I was living in Lisbon with two of my friends back in 2022. We’d just arrived in the city and had no idea where the good spots were. We found ourselves at random bars, restaurants and pop ups asking people for recommendations, and before I knew it, I had a long list on my notes app, Whatsapp messages, screenshots of locations on Google Maps and hand written lists on the back of till receipts and napkins.
That’s when I realised there wasn’t really a platform that reflected how I like to travel. A place providing trusted recommendations in a creative and aesthetic way. 3 years on, and it’s grown into something much bigger. What began as a space to share my personal travels through storytelling and photography, has turned into a something that allows me to connect with talented creatives in the travel space and provide a platform to showcase their work alongside my own.
The most exciting part, is that we’re just getting started.
Authenticity and Intention
Question: When you’re designing a trip, what’s the first thing you think about, the place, the story, or the people?
Fiona: It usually starts with a place that has left a lasting impression on me. It might be the landscape, the energy of the place, or a completely unique experience you can’t get anywhere else. Sometimes it’s all of the above, but it’s always a place where I’ve had real, personal connections with people.
Once I have a place in mind, I think about how to build in opportunities for connection. That might mean staying with a family, learning from someone who’s an expert in their craft, or introducing the group to a local friend. Even something as simple as a walk through a rural village, where people don’t often see many tourists, can open up space for authentic, unplanned connection.
In the end it’s always about having a mix between the breathtaking sights, and the experiences that let travellers go beyond just seeing it.
Community and Connection
Question: How do you create a sense of connection between people who often start out as strangers on your trips?
Fiona: I usually try to let it happen naturally. Everyone who joins an OTW trip is already coming into it with a similar mindset. They’re open-minded and curious about the world so there’s that immediate connection, and it just takes some conversation and getting to know each other for people to find it.
Sometimes I’ll plan activities early in the itinerary to help the group bond quicker. For example, on our Nepal trip, we go white-water rafting on the second day. It’s such a team activity - everyone’s working together, the adrenaline’s high - and it ends up being a really organic way to break the ice.
It was really encouraging to read a recent review where someone said it felt like travelling with a small group of friends. That’s exactly the vibe I want - not a tour group, but a bunch of friends exploring together, just with someone taking care of all the planning and logistics (and definitely not waving a flag at the front).
Hidden Gems and Responsible Travel
Question: There’s always a balance between sharing hidden places and keeping them protected. How do you navigate that?
Fiona: It’s something I think about a lot. I love taking people to hidden spots where there aren’t any other tourists - it makes me happy knowing I’m showing them something special that they might not have otherwise come across without OTW. As our groups are small and we don’t run hundreds of trips a year, it means we can visit these places in a way that feels low-impact. When it comes to sharing them online though, I try to be more careful unless more visibility would genuinely help, like with a local business for example.
My favourite moments aren’t ones you can book online; they happen through exploring, connecting, and simply saying yes to whatever unfolds.
Hamish: I couldn’t agree more. While a large part of WOM is focused on sharing recommendations, I’m always conscious of doing that respectfully. Even when I’m making the guides, I want them to be actionable and useful while not ruining the hidden gems that are best discovered from exploring yourself. Our recommendations should be a starting point while leaving space for discovery.
Shifting Perspectives
Question: Has there been a trip or experience that changed the way you see the world?
Fiona: Travelling through the rural US Midwest really shifted my perspective. My ex-boyfriend was from South Dakota, and in 2020 we visited his friend in Philipsburg, a former mining town in Montana with a population of just 841 people. I try not to hold assumptions about a place before I go, but living in LA during COVID definitely influenced me. I thought I’d feel unwelcome going through small towns with conservative politics and very little racial diversity, places dubbed ‘flyover states’ by city people on the coasts who assume there’s nothing worth seeing.
What I found instead was genuine hospitality and truly unique experiences. We dropped in on his friend in the morning, and his mum made breakfast for us even though we’d already eaten. He then took us around, exploring derelict gold mines scattered around the landscape and introducing us to friendly locals who knew him by first name. We wandered through an old building his family had run as a hotel in the 19th century - untouched since the town was largely abandoned after the mining boom. There were all kinds of objects from the 1800s that should be in a museum, but were just casually sitting there, caked in a century of dust. It was unforgettable.
It reminded me not to judge a place based on what I’ve heard or seen in the media. There are amazing people and incredible stories everywhere, and you learn the most when you approach a place with an open mind and no expectations.
What about you?
Hamish: For me, it was when I was staying in Lombok, Indonesia. I was there during Ramadan and staying in a small homestay run by a local family. One evening I was heading out for a run and as I passed by their place, they invited me to join them for dinner. Feeling like I was intruding I tried to say no, but they insisted.
Next thing, we were all sat on the floor and were eating with our hands. It wasn’t fancy, but the food was amazing and it was such a wholesome experience. They were so welcoming and expected nothing in return, all they wanted was to share their culture with me.
It reminded me how simple life can be. I feel like back home in the west, we’re obsessed with chasing different types of success. We see material things and money as a validation. The people I interacted with had very little of this definition of ‘success’ yet seemed so much more satisfied and appreciative than how I think 90% of the Western world is. It really shifted my perspective on how I see success and happiness.
Fiona: That’s the magic of travel. It reminds you how universal kindness really is.
The Partnership
Question: From your perspective, what makes WOM and OTW such a good fit?
Fiona: I think it’s our shared values. We both believe in travel that goes beyond guidebooks and social media checklists. It’s about being intentional, creative, and connected.
WOM inspires people through stories and visuals, while OTW takes that inspiration and turns it into real experiences. It feels natural because we’re working toward the same thing: helping people explore the world with meaning.
Hamish: Exactly. I like to think of it as a digital-physical overlap. WOM is focused on storytelling through content, our guides and recommendations with the goal of inspiring curiosity and creativity. OTW is a physical manifestation of that, bringing this ethos to life through your trips and experiences.
Final Reflections
Question: What’s your one piece of advice to anyone looking to get out and explore the world?
Fiona: I’d say travel outside your comfort zone. Whether that’s joining one of our trips or exploring somewhere new on your own, the most memorable experiences happen when you push yourself beyond the realms of what feels easy. You’ll be rewarded greatly when you do.
What’s yours?
Hamish: People often think travel has to be to a far away place or expensive, but it doesn’t. You can find adventure in your own city or country if you’re open to it. Talk to strangers, try a new restaurant, go for a walk for an hour without using a map. The best experiences come from being open and curious. You never know where they’ll lead you.
WOM and OTW have share one simple goal — to help people travel more meaningfully. Their partnership is focused on providing curious travellers with Find out more about OTW’s upcoming trips here and discover more stories like this on our blog.
