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    Claire B. Soares in the doorway of Giraffe Manor in Nairobi, feeding one giraffe while another stands in front of the ivy covered house
    The story so far

    About Claire

    Start with the giraffes.

    That's Claire in the doorway of Giraffe Manor in Nairobi, feeding them herself on one of her own trips.Keep scrolling
    The claim

    Most AI speakers have never run a business. Claire has built four.

    Claire B. Soares spent her first career in Fortune 500 enterprise software sales, ranking in the top 10% of a 100+ person sales team every year. She sold $3.4B+ in software to organizations including Google, Microsoft, IBM, Boeing and GSA. She knows what it takes to move a large organization from a new idea all the way into daily use.

    Then a 2013 Yacht Week trip in Croatia turned into Up in the Air Life, which she grew into a luxury travel company with $16M+ in leisure travel sales, now Caviar in the Air. She's a 6x Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist, led the largest Black-led travel group to Antarctica, and was named to Airbnb's inaugural Black Travel List. The giraffes at the top of this page come from one of her own trips.

    Today she is a Certified AI Consultant and the founder of Travel AI University, where she trains and advises travel agencies and travel professionals. Its online community teaches AI through her signature V.O.I.C.E. Method™, and the examples inside come from working travel businesses, with the revenue to show for it. She's based in the Washington, DC area, formerly Chicago, and has traveled to 65 countries on all 7 continents.

    $3.4B+Enterprise software sales
    $16M+Leisure travel sales, her own brand
    6xCondé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist ↗
    65Countries, all 7 continents
    4Brands founded
    The four

    Four brands, all built by hand.

    i.

    Up in the Air Life

    Where it started in 2013. The luxury group travel company behind $16M+ in leisure travel sales and the largest Black-led travel group to Antarctica. Today it lives on as the community magazine brand.

    ii.

    Caviar in the Air

    Luxury group travel for Black professionals, plus private trips, planned with the eye of someone who has been to 65 countries on all 7 continents.

    Visit ↗
    iii.

    À Privé Journeys

    A wine and travel company co-founded with wine expert Julia Coney. Small groups, vineyards and the food and culture around them, as featured in Forbes.

    Read Forbes ↗
    iv.

    Travel AI University

    AI training and consulting for travel professionals, built on the V.O.I.C.E. Method™.

    Visit ↗

    Also by Claire: the Luxury Travel Advisor Academy, training for travel advisors building serious businesses, now inside the Travel AI University library.

    Timeline

    How she got here.

    Claire B. Soares in AntarcticaAntarctica, with the largest Black-led travel group to make the trip.
    1. Before

      Fortune 500 enterprise sales

      More than a decade selling enterprise software, $3.4B+ in all, to clients like Google, Microsoft, IBM, NASA and the U.S. Department of Defense. Top 10% of her team every year.

    2. 2013

      Up in the Air Life is born

      A Yacht Week trip in Croatia becomes a luxury group travel company for travelers who wanted the finer things and couldn't find them.

    3. 2015 to 2020

      The press finds her

      ESSENCE, EBONY, HuffPost, VICE News, Black Enterprise and Condé Nast Traveler tell the story. Walmart features her in its Black Girl Magic campaign.

    4. 2019

      Airbnb's inaugural Black Travel List

      Named to the list, as covered by Travel Noire ↗

    5. 2021

      Antarctica

      Leads the largest Black-led travel group to Antarctica, completing her seventh continent.

    6. 2025

      Best Black-Owned Tour Company

      Up in the Air Life wins at the Travel Noire Awards 2025 ↗

    7. 2026

      À Privé Journeys in Forbes

      Her wine and travel company with Julia Coney is featured in Forbes.

    8. Today

      Travel AI University

      Certified AI Consultant, keynote speaker and founder, teaching travel professionals to run their businesses with AI.

    Claire B. Soares laughing in a woven nest seat in Bali
    Bali
    Claire B. Soares speaking at a podium
    On stage
    Claire B. Soares at the edge of a villa pool in Bali
    Off duty
    Hear it from them

    In their own words.

    Recorded by the founders and advisors Claire has taught. Press play to listen.

    "You really step your business up with your website."

    0:00
    Karma AliFounder, Feminine Wellness Retreats for Black Women
    Read the transcript

    "It wasn't like she was gatekeeping. She wanted me to learn how to do it."

    0:00
    Karma AliFounder, Feminine Wellness Retreats for Black Women
    Read the transcript

    From the people Claire has taught.

    "She's able to break it down to a way that you understand it, but not only understand it, but take it and put it into action."

    Kaitlin HollandFormer Meta employee

    "Having Claire in my corner feels like I can build a successful travel business."

    WoodsBlack Wall Street Travel

    "I literally sold out my first trip within 2 weeks of joining Claire's program."

    AlmaTravel Advisor

    "Even in a group setting, Claire gave each of us personalized attention."

    ShajuanaBusiness Owner, Luxury Travel Advisor Academy

    "She is the reason why I launched a business when I did."

    TomikaBusiness Owner
    Recognition

    The record.

    Featured in

    In the press.

    • Forbes
    • Condé Nast Traveler
    • ESSENCE
    • EBONY
    • Black Enterprise
    • Travel Noire
    • HuffPost
    • VICE News
    • The Root
    • Blavity
    Every feature, on the press page
    Where to next

    Where to next?

    Bring Claire to your stage or see the numbers behind her method. Her letters can come straight to your inbox, too.

    SpeakingBook Claire to speakKeynotes, workshops and leadership sessions.PDFDownload the speaker kitBio, headshots and talks in one file.Case studyRead the case studyThe V.O.I.C.E. Method™ in a real business.NewsletterJoin the newsletterClaire's letters, straight to your inbox.