From elephant rides in Thailand to mountain gorilla expeditions in Rwanda, Bravo media is set to take viewers on an adventure of a lifetime with Tour Group, a luxury travel docu-series following a diverse and enthusiastic group of 11 travelers as they explore Morocco, Kenya, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Japan. Premiering on Tuesday, March 1 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, the tourists turned adventurists, will be stretched beyond their limits as they explore new cultures from around the world.
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BlackEnterprise.com caught up with Sandhurst Miggins, one of the groups tour guides, for an inside scoop on what we can expect from the new TV series.
BlackEnterprise.com: Tell us about your background.
Sandhurst Miggins:Â I’m from a small island in the Caribbean called Tobago. I pretty much had an unconventional college career. I was a ballet dancer so I went to Butler University in Indianapolis to study dance, then deferred a year to study at the famed Rock School for Dance Education in Philly. I subsequently transferred to Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, for my sophomore year then returned to Philadelphia for my final two years at Temple University, where I graduated with a degree in Strategic and Organizational Communications with an emphasis in PR.
Upon graduating from Temple, before the ink had even dried on my degree, I was chosen to be a model on Bravo’s Make Me A Supermodel, Season 2. I did a couple of modeling jobs in Philadelphia and thought, ‘why not,’ when I saw the show was looking for models. It turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life. I came second in the competition and got signed to New York Model Management.
Through dance and modeling, I have been able to fulfill my childhood dream of travel. You see, when you grow up on such a small island, you start to wonder what lies beyond your shores. What other cultures are like, what beauty like or unlike yours do other destinations have to offer. I was able to dance in Russia and Poland, and model in France and Australia. I was doing it! However, it wasn’t until I started working in the travel industry with the airlines that I was truly able to explore the world even more. Currently, I work with the first class and VIP travelers at the airport for one of the major U.S. airlines. Then on my weekends, I go flying around the world.
Why did you decide to do the show?
Who wouldn’t do Tour Group? Please show me that person! Being a tour guide on Tour Group is the dream job. After being approached to do the show, the kid in me, the kid who used to daydream in class back in Tobago about seeing some of the famous landmarks around the world, that kid said yes without hesitation. I knew and understood the difficulties of managing a group of travelers. I do that every day with the hundreds of VIP’s that I interact with at the airport so, while I knew this would be challenging I had no reason to say no.
What do you expect to get out of the show?
There are moments in our lives where we need to break the monotony. It is something that we all need to do, not only to keep our sanity but also to avoid becoming jaded with your life. Tour Group is an opportunity for me to expand on childhood promises to keep life new and inspiring.
How is this reality show different than other travel reality shows?
The experience focuses on the basic elements of human interaction and discovery without the distractions of being on a travel dating show, a competition series, or some kind of survival guide. The viewer gets to not only see but also to realistically experience traveling within a group. The chaos that ensues, the romance that can blossom and all of it manifested itself so organically, which I believe a lot of people can relate too. I also believe that Tour Group will be one of those programs that ignite a desire in the viewer to action. To say “You know what? I want that experience as well! Maybe it might not be a 7 diamond resort but I am going to go on my own little trip.”
Why should people watch Tour Group?
We had individuals on this journey from various socio- and economic backgrounds, races, sexual orientations, thought processes, some who were exposed to the world and others discovering it for the first time. That diversity within our group allows for so many different people to relate to someone on Tour Group. Oftentimes we look at reality shows and say we are looking at “someone else.” With Tour Group, you can see yourself in someone, in their reactions to the experience. Seeing someone who you think is similar to you, having the opportunity to experience this chance of a lifetime, might be just the push a viewer needs to get off their couch and go.
After the show finale, what message would you want viewers to walk away with?
Don’t be afraid to get out and experience the world and I mean really experience it. Vacations are there for you to break out of the mold of your everyday life, don’t fly thousands of miles to do the same thing you do every day. I always say no one knows you when you travel so do what you want without fear of embarrassment, drink that colored drink, eat that food that just winked at you, take all your clothes off and prance about.