THE RISE OF THE WOMAN traveler is here and prouder than ever. As I travel around the world, I see women conducting business with executive lunches at Spago in Los Angeles, celebrating a deal over cocktails at the bar at the Raffles Singapore and enjoying girlfriends’ getaways in Mexico City. Because of this, I could not be happier to share our first Women’s Issue!

Being part of Global Traveler for almost nine years has allowed me to travel the world and experience the most unique cities, restaurants and culture — often on my own. Traveling solo and as a woman takes a bit of courage, a bit of bravado, and often results in a whole of lot of fun. It took years of traveling on solo business trips for me to get the courage to eat dinner on my own without being embarrassed and squeeze in stops at landmarks when able. Now I love getting the scoop on local eateries and make sure I plan to see at least one new museum or cultural site in new cities, even if I need to plan a meeting around it.

For years, when you heard the words “women” and “travel” in the same sentence, you thought about cliché tropes like bachelorettes and honeymoon planning. Whether it’s the times we live in or the presence of more females in influencer roles, the industry heard the call, and women in travel are having a moment … a moment we know is here to stay.

Now more than ever, women occupy leadership roles throughout the travel industry, giving voice to unique changes and ideas. We explore this in our thoughtful features about women-led hotels around the world and female airport CEOs. Dear to my heart, our article on the rise of the female solo traveler gives credence to my own quest to become a more adventurous solo traveler. I recently took my first solo leisure trip to Maui where I enjoyed a sunrise snorkeling session in Molokini Crater and sat at the Andaz Maui bar for dinner to make new friends and get out of my comfort zone. It was one of the best and most freeing trips I’ve taken.

This issue also takes you on perfect girlfriends’ getaway cruises, with many cruise companies hopping on this trend for customized promotions and on- and offshore excursions to make the most memorable trips with your multi-gen family or friends.

I hope you enjoy this trip around the world through the eyes of the female traveler, and let’s head into the future of women in travel!