About Us
Ms. Balkissa Irene Maiga, Owner
My story and passion for travel
I founded Prospect Travel in July 2021, driven by two key motivations: a lifelong passion for travel and a deep-rooted desire to help friends and family explore the world.
Having grown up in Francophone West Africa, I was introduced to travel early in life. At 18, I spent a transformative month in Lyon, France—an adventure that included grape harvesting in the vineyards, camping in the Alps, and a memorable river cruise with nightly stops in charming towns, where we shared evenings with locals. That journey sparked a longing to see more, to experience more.
Though I didn’t always have the means to travel freely, I was fortunate to explore many countries in West Africa—including Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Nigeria—as well as Morocco in North Africa. I also had the chance to visit Belgium (Namur, Bruges, Brussels, Ostend) and several cities in France, including Lyon, Dijon, Paris, Le Mans, Mâcon, and Strasbourg.
After an enriching early career as a social worker in West Africa, I relocated to the U.S. in the early 2000s and pursued a degree in Organizational Management with a focus on Project Management. For the past 16 years, I’ve supported government officials by planning their travel and providing policy guidance—gaining valuable insight into the U.S. travel industry along the way.
In the summer of 2021, I enrolled in a Travel Advisor Certification program. Shortly after, Prospect Travel was officially launched. It quickly became evident to me that this is the beginning of something great and big! From day one, it was evident that this journey wasn’t just about building a business—it was about shaping a meaningful path, one that blends passion, purpose, and the joy of helping others see the world.