The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card recently announced the launch of the Boundless Bucket List Contest, in collaboration with Pinterest. The contest, powered by Chase and Marriott Bonvoy, invites travelers to create their Boundless Bucket List and enter for a chance to win the trip of their dreams.
Three lucky winners will receive the trip of a lifetime, valued at up to $50,000 each.
Travel enthusiast, actress, and hardworking mom Tia Mowry joins the contest to share how travel has impacted her life. As the contest kick-off nears, TN’s Deputy Editor Sidnee Michelle had a chance to chat with Mowry – whose been stealing our hearts since Sister, Sister – to discuss the partnership.
Travel Noire: Your partnership with Marriott Bonvoy was created to further inspire consumer passion for travel, a mission that is so important in the BIPOC community, and especially for us at Travel Noire.
How important is that for you? And was that a driving factor to partner with Marriott?
Mowry: Definitely.
Traveling is a priority of mine. It’s something that’s really important. I started traveling and exploring the world for the first time when I was in college. I studied abroad. I visited Egypt and saw the mummies. I went to Spain. I also went to Rome and saw the Vatican. It opened up so much for me. Meaning, I was no longer so narrow-minded about my own culture and my own thoughts. I just feel like traveling, you learn so much, not only more about yourself but you also learn more about all the amazing, beautiful cultures that are out there. And just the experiences that you have.
I’ve grown so much as an individual and as a human being and seeing how that had a huge impact on me and my life I wanted to also introduce traveling to my children. At a very young age, my son Cree – at the age of maybe 2 – had already gone on over 100 plane rides, train rides, and boats. And my family, we still travel today. I love traveling to so many different places like this past summer we went to Italy and France.
I’m all about traveling but also inspiring other people to just get out there and to travel and learn more about the world. I feel like when everybody has this incredible worldview, I feel like our world can actually be a better place.
I love that I’m working with Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card to help launch the Boundless Bucket List contest. I’m so excited three amazing winners will have the opportunity to travel to a destination of their dreams.
I also love that it’s extremely accessible to participate. All you have to do is create a Pinterest showing your dream bucket list from restaurants to experiences and, of course, destinations and food. Then, you can write an essay or film a 60-second video explaining why this trip is important to you, and how it could change your life.
I just think that is such an incredible opportunity. Especially coming from the pandemic and COVID, and kind of being enclosed. Let’s get people out there to learn more about our beautiful world that we have.
TN: When was your first time leaving the US? How did you feel? Where did go? What did you take with you from that trip?
Mowry: The first time I actually left out of the country, I want to say that had a huge impact on me. Of course, I was filming a show called Sister, Sister, and we would travel to London and Paris but those were fast trips and more like business trips.
The first trip I felt had a huge impact on my life was when I was at Pepperdine University, in college, and I studied abroad. I lived in Florence for two months. Every weekend, I would just go. I would go to Milan. I would go to Rome. I went to Venice. Then I would go to Spain. I went to this amazing, tiny beach town called Sitges.
But the one place I went to that had a huge impact on me was Egypt. I got to see the mummies. I got to see the pyramids. This is one of the seven wonders of the world, and what I took from that trip – or just being abroad in general – is there’s so much more to see and explore and learn than what you already feel like you know. Meaning, you don’t know everything. When you’re not really getting out there and traveling and exploring new cultures, experiences, food, etc. you become very narrow-minded and you start to think that your way of living is the only way and the right way.
A perfect example is when I went to the Vatican to see all of these amazing priests and to learn more about different religions, like Catholicism. [It] was just so amazingly beautiful to see how there could be something completely different, or a different way of living as opposed to what you’re used to growing up and it just opens up your mind. You let go of prejudices and don’t become so narrow-minded in your own thoughts. The more you get out, the more you learn, the more you become aware, the more you grow. And that makes an amazing, beautiful human being. You become a well-rounded individual. A cultured individual.
I feel like when you are cultured, you become less judgemental. I feel if this world had many people like that, this world would definitely be a wonderful and better place.
TN: Let’s talk about your favorite types of trips. From family trips to girls’ getaways, tell us what type of trips you like the best.
Mowry: I want to start taking trips with my children individually. Cairo’s really young, she’s only four, but my bucket list is going to Japan with my son. My son is very much into the culture. I said, ‘why not teach him or allow him to actually explore? And learn the culture by being there. In the actual environment.’ So, I want to go to Japan with my son.
And I haven’t had enough girl trips. That’s another thing I’m looking forward to doing. Actually, going to the Caribbean. Whether it’s Eleuthera or Turks and Caicos, and just have a really good time with my girlfriends. I do spend a lot of time with my family on trips but I think it’s also important to get that self-care going and feed into the other elements of your family. Friends are important and to be able to experience such a wonderful trip with them to bond, and to make memories with your friends, your girls, I think that will be amazing.
And I’m telling you it always makes my traveling experiences the best when I take my Marriot Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card with me because as I’m making everyday purchases, I can earn more points that I can redeem later for free nights at a Marriott Bonvoy property. So, that’s also a part of where I feel really supported and excited about whatever trip that I have planned.
TN: We love that! Travel perks make the trip.
On another note, we know you’re a BOMB chef, tell us about the intersection of culture and food, and how you incorporate that into your cooking.
Mowry: I ended up going to an incredible place – Budapest. I traveled with my son and I remember eating something called goulash. I had never had this in my entire life. It’s a staple for Budapest. I’m all about exploring and trying new things, picking up those flavors, being inspired, and then seeing how I can make my own version of that.
The first time I ever had grilled watermelon, I was in Anguilla with my family. We had gone out to this restaurant and they had grilled watermelon, and what I did was added some mint, salt, and feta cheese. That is one thing that I absolutely love about traveling. Exploring different tastes and flavors from amazing cultures.
Another one is Italy. Italy is all about pasta. I have a quick fix channel called Tia Mowry’s Quick Fix and I just shot a video of making pasta three different ways that I was inspired by being in Italy with my family.
TN: If you weren’t the spokesperson for this amazing opportunity, and you had the chance to apply, what would be your bucket list destination and why?
Mowry: My bucket list destination would be Japan. My why, again, is I’m a mother and I want to give my children everything.
I’ve learned the importance of traveling and the impact it’s had on my life, so I definitely want to pass that on to my children. And if I had this opportunity I would go to Japan with my son. I would love for him to try all of the different foods and experiences. The different gardens, seeing the cherry blossoms. Experiencing authentic ramen. My son loves sushi and he’s loved sushi ever since he couldn’t even pronounce the word. He loves anime. He loves everything about the culture so to be able to give him that opportunity and to see how he grows would mean the world to me as a mother. I know he would be able to take away some incredible experiences that would impact him in an amazing way.
To enter the Boundless Bucket List Contest, travelers must complete an entry form on chase.com/boundlessbucketlist. First, they will be prompted to create a unique Pinterest board, showcasing their travel aspirations including destinations, experiences, hotels, travel companions, food, and more. Next, travelers will be asked to share a 60-second video or a short essay (700 characters or less) explaining why their bucket list experience is important to them and how it will have a lasting impact on their life. Lastly, they’ll be prompted to enter registration information and submit the entry form.
Travelers can enter for a chance to win at chase.com/boundlessbucketlist through October 6, 2022, at 5 pm EST. Winners will be notified on or about November 7, 2022.
See the Official Rules for more information.
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