Exploring the Future of Travel: An Interview with Mohamed Zahran, Founder of Travel Buddies Bel 3arabi

In an era where traveling is rapidly evolving, staying ahead of trends and adapting to changing consumer demands is essential for any successful travel agency. Today, we have the privilege of sitting down with Mohamed Zahran, the visionary leader of “Travel Buddies Bel 3arabi” Agency. Under their guidance, the agency has not only weathered the storms of the industry but has also thrived, offering unique travel experiences and innovative solutions for globetrotters.

1. Hello Mohamed, we are passionate about learning more about you, would you mind telling us some details about you?

I am Mohamed Zahran. I am 33 years old. I’ve lived a long period of my life in Saudi Arabia. I graduated from the faculty of Business Administration, Mansoura University. I started working in the field of business and projects at a young age. My first project, while I was still in preparatory school in Saudi Arabia, involved conducting research on the computer. Later, I worked for an advertising company in Egypt, followed by positions at a children’s toy store and a children’s clothing store. After completing my military service, I worked at KidZania and eventually started Travel Buddies Bel 3arabi.

2. Tell me more about Travel Buddies Bel 3arabi and when did it start in Egypt?

It all started when I used to travel alone and developed a passion for traveling and making adventures. I frequently posted travel advice on Facebook groups. During COVID, I posted some spontaneous photos of myself sleeping, yawning, or lying down, and they went viral. Since then, people began following my account and frequently asked to join me on my travels. This is how the idea for Travel Buddies began.

3. ⁠Who is the person you take as a role model?

Ahmed Al-Shugairi greatly influences our generation, and I admire his approach and style. Additionally, my former boss, Mohamed Taha, is someone I look up to for his kindness and how he manages his home and family.

4. What are the challenges you met while working in KidZania and how did you manage to work them out?

The biggest challenge I faced was getting promoted in a short period of time due to the company's circumstances at that time. With diligence, luck, and success from God Almighty, something like a miracle happened: I was promoted over many long-standing employees. This created significant conflict between me and the team, who suddenly saw me transition from a colleague to their manager. 

Navigating this difficult period was a tremendous challenge, but with perseverance and support from my manager, Mohamed Taha, we overcame the struggle. Despite the initial friction, once we reached an understanding, I experienced significant personal and professional growth. Thank God, everything eventually came together and returned to normal.

5. How did you get the opportunity to launch “Travel Buddies”? Tell me more about it.

The idea came to me when I started traveling outside of Egypt and saw similar concepts. I initially thought it would be difficult to implement in Egypt. During the COVID period, many of my followers began asking why I didn't take them with me or organize trips for them. From there, I developed the idea for the group. I started by selecting people from my followers to join, and the idea quickly grew as people began nominating others.

6. Did Travel Buddies, at the beginning of its existence, rely on advertisements to reach people, or did it rely more on coincidences to succeed and become famous?

No not at all. In the beginning we wanted very few people to start with and we were very selective until the moment. However, starting from 2024, it was the first time that we start trying to rely on an advertisement. In brief, we are still picky and selective about the people who want to travel with us. We choose who really understand the purpose of travel or are enthusiastic about it.

7. What are your future plans?

God willing, we are working on a new project called "Battuta." This project will be slightly different as we aim to shift our focus from our own travels, whether inside or outside of Egypt, to offering opportunities for foreigners to visit and explore Egypt. We are still developing this new concept, but we are excited to bring it to life.