August is Black Business Month! The pandemic shut down most personal vacation travel, but Stars N Skyes Travel, a small black-owned business in Fayetteville, Georgia, turned that huge hurdle into a social media-fueled opportunity.

Founded by Nita Cooper, Stars N Skyes Travel specializes in travel packages for groups, romantic getaways, and solo trips. In 2020, Cooper had to cancel many of her clients' vacations and saw a huge drop in income due to the impact of COVID-19. She credits her use of social media with a huge increase in bookings for 2022 and 2023.

With travel rules ever-evolving, Cooper pivoted to her social media channels to keep her clients engaged. She’s traveled all over the Caribbean posting videos on her Facebook and Instagram channels to encourage travelers to choose open destinations. One video from Antigua resulted in more than 20 trips booked. 

 “Facebook and Instagram were crucial tools during the pandemic to share information, updates, and reviews,” said founder Nita Cooper. “Social media also helped me build stronger connections with clients to help them feel safer while traveling.” 

A few examples of how Cooper used social media to increase profit included:

• Posting info from local tourism offices to make sure her clients’ travels are COVID safe 

• Offering accurate and updated Facebook Live and Instagram posts from destinations, plus video reviews. Her clients say her posts make them more comfortable about traveling

• Creating special Facebook Groups for VIP clients and a new Group for Solo Travelers

• Using the “Facebook Rooms” tool to conduct virtual meetings with potential clients

• Engaging with clients to build relationships 

To learn more about Stars N Skyes Travel, visit www.starsnskyes.com. Follow Stars N Skyes on Facebook and Instagram @starsnskyestravel.