Yaya Onalaja-Aliu

One half of the UK’s most successful travel blog - Hand Luggage Only, Yaya is an award-winning travel blogger with a passion for travel (…and food) based in London. Yaya has lived in 3 different continents across the world and travelled to all the continents in the world (except for Antarctica). Yaya has also lived for many years at a time in Wales, England and Scotland, getting to know each part of Great Britain, not just as a keen visitor but as a local. This unique perspective of travel, both close to home and far away led to him creating the Hand Luggage Only blog - a travel community, with over a million followers and with millions of page views each month. With many years of travel and indeed, travel blogging, under his belt, Yaya’s an expert at finding the best places to explore, the best spots for food, how to experience a place like a local and uncovering the hidden gems you might otherwise miss on your travels. In recognition of his expertise in travel, Yaya has been made an ambassador for England’s tourism board, worked alongside Scotland’s tourism board to curate itineraries to help visitors explore some of the very best Scotland has to offer and helped millions discover incredible places to visit in Wales. His expertise in the travel spaces has also led to multiple international awards from the likes of Pinterest and Vuelio.