Jay Flynn’s mom used to take his family on trips all over the world. He remembers a trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, when he was 19: “I didn’t even want to leave. I was actually sad to leave. To see that they had culture and history similar to the United States, it was really eye-opening. For instance, not many people know that Brazil has a history of slavery as well. Then there’s the religion the slaves brought with them, Candomblé, many gods. It was all just fascinating to me. That was one of the first destinations I’ve been to where I was like, ‘This is what I have to do.’”
And do it he did. As a young man he travelled to many countries independently—he’s been to five continents so far—and three years ago founded Salty Travels, a group travel company aimed at queer Black men. The business was a successor of sorts to a travel company he’d created previously that catered to single Black women and families, as well as his success as a day trader.
Wander+Lust caught up with Flynn to talk to him about the company and travelling around the world as a queer Black American.
How did you come up with the idea for Salty Travels?
I fell in love with Bali and decided to live there for a year. While there, I conceived of Salty Travels. I realized I was doing a lot of solo travelling, and when I would do research, trying to find something for queer Black men, men of colour, there were absolutely no resources or events that I could find. Whereas at the time, Black women were all over the place—they had so many options.
Why do you think that was?
I’m not too sure. But I will say that women having that option—being able to do group travel—I think, makes them feel safe. They’re able to take charge and feel comfortable. Social media has helped—they see their friends and other people having a great time and coming back with all these memories. It really took off. I’m hoping that Salty Travels can do the same for our community.
How has your vision evolved since you founded the company?
The original vision was a space for queer Black men, but the future goal is to have a space for all LGBTQ+ communities. I’m looking forward to having spaces and journeys prepared for our lesbian and trans groups, giving them the things that they need to feel safe and to have a diverse experience. Hopefully that will happen in the next couple of years.
What things are queer Black men, in particular, looking for in a group travel experience?
They definitely want to see themselves in the marketing. They want to know that the people on the trip with them are sharing their same experiences, whether it’s experiences in their careers or their coming-out stories. They definitely want to feel that bond, and it’s so easy to get that connection when you’re on vacation, having fun. One of the things I’ve been seeing is that even outside of the Salty experience, that brotherhood has continued. I’ll see posts from some of the guests at a restaurant in, let’s say, Houston, having a Salty reunion.
Aside from being queer and Black, what are some of the other common denominators of your guests?
We get guests from all around the United States, but we’re starting to get more guests from the Caribbean, from South Africa. Men from other countries in Africa have asked about trips and wanted to see if they can take part. We definitely want to make things accessible to them. We get all age ranges, but I would say between the ages of 27 and 37 is typical, though we’ll get as low as 20 and up to 65.
With group travel, the social aspect can be as important as seeing the sights. How do you make that magic happen?
I’m going to tell you something. Music does a big job. I feel like my guests, specifically, they bond over music. So when we’re riding out to a private island on a yacht and we put on something that everyone knows, something that’s nostalgic, some 1990s or 2000s R&B and hip hop, it makes it easy for them to bond and have a good time. That is my secret sauce when it comes to getting people together.
When I’ve talked to queer Black travellers, they’re sometimes anxious about how they’ll be treated in other countries, how racism or homophobia is abroad. How big a concern is that for your guests?
It’s not necessarily a concern because they know that we do our due diligence when it comes to picking destinations and making sure that there are laws against LGBTQ+ discrimination and violence. Some destinations in the Middle East or even Africa we do not touch because we need to make sure that those protections are in place. My guests know that Salty has taken care of such things they can be themselves. That they can be as flamboyant as they want to be.
For many gay men, nightlife and flirting are big parts of travel? Do you make that your business?
Even before guests get on the trip, our welcome email has recommendations on nightlife, just to make sure everybody’s travelling safely. Me and my assistant will usually go to the bars or clubs with our guests, just to make sure they know where they’re going, how to get in, which is important when they don’t speak the language. So we’ll tag along, to make sure everyone is safe and that they get home safely. They’re all grown men, so they’re there to have fun. We’re there for you to be yourself, be sexy. Don’t worry about who’s around.
Have you seen any trends in destinations that your guests are interested in?
Europe. But in general, Europe can be pricey compared to other destinations we offer. Whether in Asia or Latin America, the U.S. dollar goes very far. But people are asking about Ibiza, the Greek islands.
You lived in Bali for a year. Tell me what you loved about it.
I’m a beach guy. In their culture, they have a slew of day clubs where you can have a drink, lay out in the sun by the pool or on the beach and just chill. One of my favourites is Café del Mar Beach Club Bali (Jl. Subak Sari, Canggu, Tibubeneng, Kec. Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung, Bali), which has a huge infinity pool that overlooks the beach. You can spend the day there, even have meetings there, and it turns into a club at night. So if you stick around, you can get on the dancefloor.
I’m originally from Brooklyn, so I’m used to city life, but when I went to Bali, I didn’t have that weight on my shoulders. The people there are so inviting and caring. I’ve made many friends, from restaurant owners to people at the gym. Bali also has wonderful restaurants that are kind of situated to the sunset. I love Ku De Ta (Jl. Kayu Aya No.9, Seminyak, Kec. Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali), just the ambience of it. The food is wonderful, too.
What’s a destination that upended your expectations?
I’m from the Caribbean, Jamaica. The Caribbean always feels familiar, like home. But the island of Curaçao definitely switched it up for me. They have a beach strip with restaurants and bars that’s not only scenic but also provides this sense of serenity. There are beaches where they don’t play music, so you can just listen to the ocean. They don’t have much of a queer scene, but at the events that they do have, there are definitely queer members there. It’s all mixed and everybody is having a good time.
Is there a place you haven’t been to that you’re curious about?
I am a beach guy, but I would love to go to Greenland and Antarctica. And if I head to Australia, that would complete my hitting all continents.
What’s something fun or funny that’s happened on one of Salty’s group trips?
One time in Cartagena, Colombia, we had a strenuous day of excursions, but nobody was ready to go back to the hotel. Most of the group went out that night, and they weren’t ready for it to end. We ended up having drinks on the beach and doing some night swimming, skinny dipping. I had never done it before, and it was a marvellous experience.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
