Cultural remembrance through journeys
What is GINI
GINI is a travel curator and storytelling platform that reimagines tourism as a tool for justice and shared humanity.
We organise journeys and experiences that honour ancestral stories, support locally rooted communities and challenge extractive tourism. From immersive retreats and customised trips to local tours and workshops, every GINI experience invites presence and cultural remembrance. All while leaving a tangible impact.
Cultural remembrance through journeys
What is GINI
GINI is a travel curator and storytelling platform that reimagines tourism as a tool for justice and shared humanity.
We organise journeys and experiences that honour ancestral stories, support locally rooted communities and challenge extractive tourism. From immersive retreats and customised trips to local tours and workshops, every GINI experience invites presence and cultural remembrance. All while leaving a tangible impact.
Tourism should give back more than it takes
What needs to change
Too often, tourism reinforces inequality, silences local voices and extracts resources without giving back.
Marginalised communities are excluded from the narratives, infrastructure and profit of travel, even though their land, culture and labour are at its core. Many travellers crave depth and connection, but find only surface-level experiences or unconsciously contribute to these imbalances.
We believe that travel can be a force for truth and that truth begins with awareness.
Travel as a force for truth
GINI's impact
We craft journeys and experiences that go beyond travel – celebrating shared humanity and co-creating with local communities.
All our experiences are built on three core pillars:
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Leave an impact – Every journey and gathering invites conscious participation, awareness and cultural respect.
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Support local economies – A portion of our profits supports grassroots foundations, local businesses and community-led initiatives.
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Cultural remembrance – We create space for truth, healing and intergenerational wisdom that honours what came before.
Through these pillars, we make travel a practice of justice empowerment.
Travel as a force for truth
GINI's impact
We craft journeys and experiences that go beyond travel – celebrating shared humanity and co-creating with local communities.
All our experiences are built on three core pillars:
-
Leave an impact – Every journey and gathering invites conscious participation, awareness and cultural respect.
-
Support local economies – A portion of our profits supports grassroots foundations, local businesses and community-led initiatives.
-
Cultural remembrance – We create space for truth, healing and intergenerational wisdom that honours what came before.
Through these pillars, we make travel a practice of justice empowerment.
Return to truth
GINI's roots
GINI was born from the personal journey of our founder Virginia Scheele, a social impact entrepreneur of Indian, Surinamese and Dutch heritage. Through reconnecting with her roots, she witnessed how deeply colonial structures still shape our world and how the tourism industry is no exception.
Stories like hers were missing. So she began building what didn’t exist.
GINI is both a business and a movement: a call to decolonise how we move through the world, to redistribute wealth consciously and to centre the voices too often silenced. Time for true cultural remembrance!
Together we go far
GINI's team
Virginia Scheele
Founder & visionary
Founder of GINI and creative force behind its soul. Virginia weaves together cultural remembrance, community travel and fierce vision. She leads with intuition, strategy and a deep-rooted commitment to decolonising the tourism industry.
Emmy Mansana
Travel influencer
Emmy was one of GINI’s earliest Instagram fans instantly resonating with its vision. After meeting for a drink with Virginia, the spark was undeniable. When a role opened, Emmy’s application was a natural extension of that connection. She brings authenticity, flair and deep travel insight.
Udritcha Millerson - Richard
Branding & marketing specialist
Udritcha and Virginia met at a powerful RNC event in the heart of Amsterdam. Within minutes, they recognised the same fire in each other’s eyes. Udritcha now channels that shared passion into GINI’s storytelling, branding and soulful marketing presence.
Valery Klinker
Content creator
Valery is the founder of Vakfotografie and brings a sharp eye for visual storytelling. Introduced by Udritcha, her enthusiasm for GINI was instant. Valery now helps bring GINI’s impact and beauty to life through content that connects.
Lea Ramesar
Financial advisor
Lea and Virginia share roots in both Suriname and India, a connection that sparked immediately when they met at an networking event. Together they blend numbers with soul, often skipping financial jargon for meetings at Kinderdijk or a castle. Lea owns Taraa Advisory and anchors GINI’s financial clarity.
Aanahí Páez
Strategy advisor
Anahi is founder of Shyft Solutions and a sharp strategist with a heart for justice. She and Virginia met during the Dutch New Narrative Lab launchpad and quickly aligned on vision, values and big dreams. Anahi now supports GINI with strategic clarity and grounded co-creation.