Gregory Früchtenicht – Director of Partnerships at Saira Hospitality

Gregory Früchtenicht believes that purpose-driven hospitality is the future of the industry – and we’re inclined to agree. Since starting his career with experiential travel experts Black Tomato back in 2014, Greg has moved away from the world of luxury travel and developed his own brand of purposeful partnerships.

In 2020, he co-founded Nights On Us, a non-profit that offers complimentary hotel stays for NHS workers. Alongside this, Greg is also Director of Partnerships at Saira Hospitality, a non-profit that partners with hotels to educate and empower local communities. He’s based in London, where he is currently setting up Saira’s first permanent hospitality school.

Part of our Insiders series, this is your window into the worlds of the coolest people in Safara’s network. These are the contacts we’d hit up for travel inspiration, whether it’s a hotel recommendation, a new track for our in-transit playlist, the best mini-products to pack, or just to daydream about where we’d open a boutique island hotel (this changes with each Insider guide we read – we’re easily and happily influenced).

Read on for travel inspiration from Gregory Früchtenicht.

Name three of your favourite hotels?

Angama Mara, Great Rift Valley, Kenya. I’ve never met such a genuinely passionate and happy team – the respect and cohesion there is palpable. I’ve also never woken up somewhere that feels so luxurious, but so wild at the same time. The smiles, the views, you have to go.

Galápagos Magic, Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos Islands. If you’re a nature lover, there’s nowhere better. The owner has restored the hotel grounds to create the ideal habitat for giant tortoises to thrive, so you’re sure to see more tortoises than other guests. You can also have a private dining experience inside their very own lava cave, which is pretty special.  

Guntu, Onomichi, Japan. I’ve never actually spent the night here (is that cheating?), but I had lunch onboard and completely fell in love with the concept. It’s somewhere between a ryokan and a yacht, offering the perfect way to explore Japan’s stunning Seto Inland Sea.

Tell us about a trip that went off the rails – what happened, and what did you unexpectedly discover? 

That’s a tricky one, as there are a few! In 2017, I was driving through Kazakhstan, from Almaty to Astana, with a group of friends. One sunny afternoon we found a prime camping spot, right in the heart of the Kazakh Steppe, hundreds of miles from any civilization. We’d just finished pitching up, when a biblical storm rolled in from nowhere. There were bolts from Zeus himself, hail stones the size of fists and the wind destroyed our entire camp.

As the tallest things in the super flat grasslands, we were convinced that we would be struck by lightening. So, we took cover in the truck, drank beers, ate noodles and nervously laughed until it passed. We unexpectedly discovered the perfect place to chug those crazy double-pint cans they sell in Central Asia – have you seen those?!

Have you or would you travel alone?

Yes, I think you learn a lot about yourself when you travel solo. That said, my favorite trips have combined some time on my own with a group or duo element either side.

Where would you go to digitally detox, or to just generally get off the grid?

The Outer Hebrides, Scotland. It’s one of those amazing places where you have no interest in checking your phone, which is handy really, as there’s no connection.  

What magazines do you buy at the airport?

If they sold them, it would be Sidetracked Magazine and Boat Magazine. The former is an adventure journal that combines beautiful photography with pulse-raising editorial by the world’s most gnarly (and well-written) adventurists. Boat, sadly, is no longer in production, but if you can get your hands on their back-catalogue you won’t regret it. For each issue, the entire editorial team moved to the city they were reporting on and worked with locals to create the stories.

Anxiety and burn out are big topics these days. How do you combat them, and how do you use travel to do so?

I recently created a ‘Nature Planner’ for 2022, to help me plot out specific plans to get more doses of the great outdoors. Nature is a major driver in my overall productivity and happiness, but it can be hard to prioritize in London. My nature trips are mostly in the UK, with some larger adventures thrown in overseas for good measure where possible.

Do you have any tips or tricks for beating the dreaded jet lag?

Run! Get outside and break a sweat, it’s perfect for exploring, too, if you’ve just landed somewhere new.  

What’s your go-to outfit for getting through security quickly, and still looking good?

Socks and Birkenstocks. Sure, I can hear some readers shudder at the thought. And, make sure they’re the plastic ones, so you can waltz through security without whipping them off.

You travel for work, a lot. How did you get into doing what you do? What advice would you give someone who wants to have travel as a critical part of their job?

I studied journalism and always wanted to explore the world with a pen and not much else. When I graduated, London called and I took a two-week freelance role Black Tomato. That two weeks turned into five years and set me on the path I’m on today.

My advice would be to either look inside the industry if you’re passionate about it, and want to make a difference beyond selling holidays. Or, go freelance, find two or three brands you love, pick a few destinations you’ve always wanted to stay in for longer than three months, and pack a bag.

In flight wifi, good idea?

No, I love those hours of escape from tech.

Favorite travel app?

Dark Sky is great if you’re on an adventure that requires pinpoint weather knowledge.

Beach, city or mountains?

Mountains, all day long.

Read more from our Insiders series, here.