The whole TP gang of Mitch, Peter, Chris and Kyle were in London together recently for a Tourpreneur party. And our friends at GetYourGuide emailed and said—hey, while you’re in London, do you want to take a tour?
We said, sure! When we asked what it was, they said: trust us, this is a good one.
They weren’t kidding.
It was such an interesting experience that we surprised the owner-guide by asking him to record an impromptu podcast episode right after finishing his 3-hour tour of Afro-Carribean Foods of Brixton, London.
Obi Opara owns Gorgeous Tours UK, and operates African and Caribbean food tours in Brixton, London’s historically black neighborhood, sharing deeply personal stories of his Nigerian family’s immigration experience alongside the complex cultural evolution of the area.
What began six years ago as a slow-starting venture inspired by his wife’s suggestion during a Bangkok food tour has transformed into a thriving full-time business running twice daily, six days a week, thanks to an unexpected boost from Beyoncé’s London concerts in May 2023 that brought thousands of American tourists seeking authentic cultural experiences.
His tours combine eight to nine food tastings with intimate storytelling that doesn’t shy away from difficult truths about gentrification, historical neglect, and community displacement, instead embracing honest narratives that guests appreciate for their authenticity.
Operating as a solo entrepreneur, Obi faces the classic scaling challenges of managing all aspects of his business while maintaining the personal touch and local relationships that make his tours special.
Key Takeaways:
- Lead with authentic personal storytelling over sanitized tourism narratives – Obi’s honest approach to sharing difficult histories of immigration, neglect, and gentrification creates more meaningful connections than whitewashed versions
- Memorize guest names immediately to create instant community – This simple technique transforms strangers into a connected group and sets the foundation for deeper engagement throughout the tour
- Design tours in two distinct phases for maximum impact – Start with active exploration and tastings, then transition to a sit-down “breaking bread” conversation phase where guests share their own stories
- Support local vendors even when reliability creates operational challenges – Building authentic relationships with community businesses requires constant check-ins but delivers irreplaceable authenticity that commercialized alternatives can’t match
- Price for passion over margins in early scaling phases – Focus on community impact and guest experience while building reputation, knowing that financial optimization comes with scale
- Leverage unexpected cultural moments for business growth – Beyoncé’s concerts brought thousands of cultural tourists seeking authentic experiences, demonstrating how to capitalize on trending cultural events
- Document guest experiences through personal touches – End tours with handwritten thank-you notes to create lasting memories and encourage word-of-mouth marketing
- Transition from “I” stories to “we” stories for scalability – Develop universal narratives about the community that other local guides can authentically tell while maintaining personal connection
- Invest in administrative support before hiring additional guides – Free up 2-3 hours daily from booking management and correspondence to focus on tour delivery and business development
- Embrace the power of passionate communities over traditional marketing – The best promotion comes from guests raving about experiences in private Facebook groups and personal networks, not paid advertising
