The love of travel is something Lea Joulia inherited from her family. Her grandparents, who were teachers, traveled extensively and she was taught at a very young age to be curious about other cultures.
After a master’s degree in hospitality management, she worked in luxury hospitality, notably in events and group hosting.
The Covid crisis then redirected her path. She left French Polynesia to return to the Lot region, where her mother has run for nearly thirty years an Ayurvedic wellness center. For four years, Léa Joulia has supported stays and began creating her own.
“I moved from one luxury to another. I discovered my true version of luxury: working in nature and having a meaningful job.”, she explains.
After a master’s degree in hospitality management, she worked in luxury hospitality, notably in events and group hosting.
The Covid crisis then redirected her path. She left French Polynesia to return to the Lot region, where her mother has run for nearly thirty years an Ayurvedic wellness center. For four years, Léa Joulia has supported stays and began creating her own.
“I moved from one luxury to another. I discovered my true version of luxury: working in nature and having a meaningful job.”, she explains.
An agency specializing in immersive and wellness stays
Created in early 2026, Naïa Journey offers small-group stays, generally between 10 and 15 people.
The agency organizes wellness retreats, sporty, cultural, gastronomic or even marine immersion trips. The common thread across all these journeys is immersion and human connections. Naïa Journey offers tailored packages and experiences for individuals and for companies.
“The theme mainly serves to bring together people who share the same wavelength. But the trip itself is already a transformative experience.”, emphasizes Lea Joulia.
To build her stays, the young entrepreneur works with guides, speakers and hosts whom she knows personally. Among the destinations offered are Greece, Morocco, Egypt, Ireland, India, and France.
The question of sustainable tourism is also at the heart of her project.
“The fundamental rule in all stays is to not cause harm,” reminds Naïa Journey’s founder, who advocates tourism that is more respectful of residents, the environment and local cultures.
The agency organizes wellness retreats, sporty, cultural, gastronomic or even marine immersion trips. The common thread across all these journeys is immersion and human connections. Naïa Journey offers tailored packages and experiences for individuals and for companies.
“The theme mainly serves to bring together people who share the same wavelength. But the trip itself is already a transformative experience.”, emphasizes Lea Joulia.
To build her stays, the young entrepreneur works with guides, speakers and hosts whom she knows personally. Among the destinations offered are Greece, Morocco, Egypt, Ireland, India, and France.
The question of sustainable tourism is also at the heart of her project.
“The fundamental rule in all stays is to not cause harm,” reminds Naïa Journey’s founder, who advocates tourism that is more respectful of residents, the environment and local cultures.
Providing a legal and regulatory framework for immersive travel
With Naïa Journey, Lea Joulia aims to address a gap in the tourism sector.
“ Travelers are looking for something different from a classic trip today. They want to live an experience and meet people.” explains the founder of Naïa Journey.
But the young business leader also points to the missteps promoted on social networks. She mentions in particular the proliferation of trips organized without a legal structure or protections for travelers.
“Many travelers do not necessarily think to check the insurance or the legal structure behind a stay.” explains the entrepreneur.
She regrets a form of unfair competition between registered agencies and certain influencers or travel planners on Instagram.
“I’m very active on networks; I find about a hundred travel offers per day on wellness-themed topics, not all of them are compliant. When you create a real agency, it takes a lot of money, time and energy.”, notes Lea Joulia.
Nevertheless, she remains optimistic about the sector’s future. “I think people will eventually tell the difference,” says the Naïa Journey founder.
“ Travelers are looking for something different from a classic trip today. They want to live an experience and meet people.” explains the founder of Naïa Journey.
But the young business leader also points to the missteps promoted on social networks. She mentions in particular the proliferation of trips organized without a legal structure or protections for travelers.
“Many travelers do not necessarily think to check the insurance or the legal structure behind a stay.” explains the entrepreneur.
She regrets a form of unfair competition between registered agencies and certain influencers or travel planners on Instagram.
“I’m very active on networks; I find about a hundred travel offers per day on wellness-themed topics, not all of them are compliant. When you create a real agency, it takes a lot of money, time and energy.”, notes Lea Joulia.
Nevertheless, she remains optimistic about the sector’s future. “I think people will eventually tell the difference,” says the Naïa Journey founder.
A long and costly creation journey
Even though she was already familiar with the tourism world, Léa Joulia did not anticipate the difficulty of starting a travel agency. “That was a big shock.”
Between financial guarantees, insurances, administrative steps and the capital required, the path was long. The young entrepreneur explains that she was supported by the Chamber of Commerce, accountants and lawyers to build her project.
“Luckily I had support. I wouldn’t have been able to do this alone,” confides Léa Joulia. “It’s complicated, but it’s also what protects travelers.”
Between financial guarantees, insurances, administrative steps and the capital required, the path was long. The young entrepreneur explains that she was supported by the Chamber of Commerce, accountants and lawyers to build her project.
“Luckily I had support. I wouldn’t have been able to do this alone,” confides Léa Joulia. “It’s complicated, but it’s also what protects travelers.”
Measured ambitions for the coming years
For the future, she intends to grow her agency gradually, without losing the original spirit.
“I want people to think: if it’s a Naïa stay, you can go with your eyes closed.”, explains the business owner.
She already foresees new projects, notably around South Korea.
At the same time, she is developing an initiative called Alta Events. The goal: fund solidarity projects and enable people who cannot afford to travel to do so.
Ultimately, Léa Joulia aims to advocate a travel vision that emphasizes openness and human encounters.
“If travelers return exactly as they arrived, we’ve missed something,” concludes the founder of Naïa Journey.
“I want people to think: if it’s a Naïa stay, you can go with your eyes closed.”, explains the business owner.
She already foresees new projects, notably around South Korea.
At the same time, she is developing an initiative called Alta Events. The goal: fund solidarity projects and enable people who cannot afford to travel to do so.
Ultimately, Léa Joulia aims to advocate a travel vision that emphasizes openness and human encounters.
“If travelers return exactly as they arrived, we’ve missed something,” concludes the founder of Naïa Journey.
