A friend shared her vision to launch this wonderful opportunity for women. I was so impressed with all the research, time, investment, and passion that took to develop this program, I was eager to share. ~MDH 

Great rock icon of the 80’s Annie Lennox couldn’t have said it better when she was penning her lyrics to her legendry rock anthem “Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves” the mantra behind the new online business venture “Broads Abroad Travel Network” the brainchild of Australian psychologist and artist Mandy Rowe.

After spending two years in the UK, then seven years in Saudi Arabia, Mandy returned with her RAAF pilot husband and two children to establish a boutique bed & breakfast on an idyllic property in rural Australia.

Mandy’s free spirit and love for adventure found her captivated and intrigued by the ancient Bedouin tradition of offering unconditional hospitality to desert wanderers for a maximum of three days: her inspiration to start a network of free beds around the world. From this Broads Abroad Travel Network was born.

Broads Abroad Travel Network is a female-only online membership-based social network listing opportunities for members to visit and/or stay with women around the world. The Travel Network has been designed as a “sisterhood” to foster friendships between women worldwide, who are willing and able to provide free accommodation for up to 3 day for short visits on a reciprocal basis.

Mandy said “We see this as a way to help meet the needs of independent minded women wishing to travel to locations where they lack sufficient friends, family or personal contacts. Through the network they will find like minded women with matching interests who can provide suitable accommodation, time for fun or just a friendly face with bags of local knowledge when they first arrive in an unchartered location.”

The Network will simplify and give greater confidence to women planning national and overseas travel and accommodation arrangements in over 1,000 destinations in countries in which English is the first language including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the USA, the UK and Ireland. As the network grows we anticipate non-English speaking countries will jump on board.

A proportion of the net income raised by Broads Abroad Travel Network will be used to provide short holidays for women who are in need of respite. This branch of the Network is called Broads Abroad Philanthropy.

Mandy’s vision to be able to offer assistance to women in need to make their travel dreams come true is a major driver of the Broads Abroad philosophy and the opportunity it provides for helping women for whom travel of any kind is virtually an impossibility.

Rowe said “We envisage that carers of sick, disabled or elderly relatives; women whose financial circumstances definitely preclude travel or women considered worthy for any genuine reason will be nominated by members for a Broads Abroad travel grant.”

Broads Abroad will be a revolution for solo women travelers, whether they be businesspeople with a few days to explore a city at the end of a conference, women travelling with partners but wanting some “me” time while their significant other indulges an unshared passion, or just gals who want to interact with other like-minded individuals in a semi-structured setting: they will have found their spiritual home.

Put simply, BATN is set to make travel more affordable and attractive to a very large number of potential end-users internationally. It will revolutionize the way women travel.

Broads Abroad Travel Network will launch its website on the 22^nd July 2013.

Website                        www.broadsabroad.net

Facebook         www.facebook.com/BroadsAbroad

Twitter              @BroadsAbroadNet

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Author: Maralyn

Maralyn Dennis Hill, The Epicurean Explorer, is president emeritus of International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association, member of Society of American Travel Writers, and Society of Professional Journalists. She is Executive Editor of Luxe Beat Magazine and contributes to other publications. She also speaks and is a guest on many shows. The majority of Maralyn’s articles are now geared to the luxury market, spas, corporate retreats, business events, and culinary tourism, from simple to gourmet. Maralyn’s description of herself: I was born to travel and tell the tale. I’m energized by different cultures in every aspect of their lives, from food, wine, and destination, to how they conduct business. Travel represents a continual geography lesson.