Denella Ri’chard

Denella Ri’chard is a dynamic force in the travel and media industry. She is the host and executive producer of the seven-time Telly Award-winning television series Traveling With Denella Ri’chard, which has also earned two Travel Weekly Magellan GOLD Awards.

I was a cruise industry executive. I worked in the travel and cruise industry for over 20 years. On March 13, 2020, COVID-19 shut down the cruise industry. What we thought would be a one week shut down ended up being one year+ shut down. No passengers on cruise ships for over a year. During that time, I had to lay off my team of over 40 people and I found out I was losing my job also.

That’s when I had the idea to start the travel television show, which originally launched on a streaming channel in a Zoom interview format with heavy beautiful travel b-roll. As borders opened, I started getting calls from countries and cruise lines saying feature us on your television show, tell the world our borders are open, and we can travel “safely” again.

In 2023, Travel Pulse named Denella one of the “Most Influential Women in Travel,” and in 2024, she was honored on the International Hospitality Institute’s list of the “100 Most Influential People in USA Hospitality and Travel.” She also received the prestigious Black Meetings & Tourism Black America 250 Living Legend Award, recognizing her lasting impact on the industry.

A proud graduate of Southern University and A&M College, Denella’s career spans leadership roles at global hospitality and travel giants, including Hilton Worldwide, Carnival Corporation, and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. Her expertise, vision, and on-screen charisma continue to inspire audiences and industry professionals worldwide.