Exclusive interview with Lenka Josefiova

Photographer: Kürşat Açar
Edit: Emma Cheer @cheerio_snaps & Lora Muratova @lorochkamuratova
Location: Cappadocia, Turkey

Interview By Halila Siham :@halilasihamofficiel

We are so glad to be bringing you in this issue Exclusive interview with our magazine Cover model Lenka Josefiova.

She is multi-awarded Beauty Queen originally from Czech Republic, but currently based in Turkey between Cappadocia & Istanbul.

She is known on social media as The Travelling Beauty Queen, which truly suits her so well. Before she was living in many other places around the world such as Czechia, Dubai, London or Bali.. 

Her career achievements are truly extraordinary. She has 24 international titles & 27 magazine covers under her belt.

She dedicated her career mostly to international beauty pageants & modeling, TV presenter, actress, brand ambassador & motivational speaker.

Nowadays she is focusing her career on blogging & she had became very successful travel blogger. She concentrates on luxury travel. 

This red hair beauty recently won award: Best Ambassador of tourism in Turkey 2022 by Buzz magazine awards.

She was Brand ambassador of lot of international brands & companies. Lenka has visited 59 countries & have been collaborating with lot of tourism boards around the world such as ministry of tourism of: Thailand, India, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Tunisia, Romania, Czechia etc. 

She is a winner of international beauty & tourism competition Miss European Tourism 2015 in Malta.

Lenka was also a judge at lot of beauty pageants around the world in the Philippines, Dubai & Czechia.

Currently she is National director of Miss Czechia Kate Cast for international beauty contest Miss Elite World, which grand final is set to be in 10 June in Somabay, Egypt. 

In this exclusive interview we will get to know more about her!

You have recently won Best Tourism Ambassador in Turkey 2022 in our Buzz magazine awards. What this award means for you?

This award means a lot to me. It’s always been my biggest passion to promote tourism around the world. I have moved to Turkey about a year ago & I have promoted tourism a lot here since then.

I have visited so many beautiful places in Turkey, such as Istanbul, Cappadocia, Pamukkale, but also lot of places at the seaside: Antalya, Kas, Kalkan, Fethiye & I have shared lot of content, photos, videos & stories from here.. Some of my videos from Turkey got viral on Tik Tok with up to 2,5 million views.. I am happy that it got recognized by your magazine awards & by my fans & that I was able to win this amazing award.

It’s always nice to see getting recognition for your work, so I truly appreciate it.. Turkey is such a beautiful country with so much culture, amazing food & so many interesting spots to visit.. I hope that everyone will get the chance to visit Turkey one day & to experience it as well.. 

You have visited 59 countries. Which places are your most favorite in the world & why?

It little bit changed over the years as I kept visiting more & more countries, but there are few places that are really very close to my heart.. Let’s make TOP 6 of my favorite places in the world. On the number 1 spot for me is definitely Bali.

I made Bali my second home for some time & I have visited this magical island already 4 times. Bali is giving me spiritual vibes & happiness.

I absolutely love the island life there.. It truly is the island of Gods & one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited in my life.. Bali has just so much to offer, from stunning nature including volcanoes, rice terraces, beaches, to beautiful temples, unique luxury resorts, amazing beach clubs, great restaurants & cafes, friendly Indonesian people, I just love everything about Bali.

Number 2: Swiss & French Alps. I have visited France & Switzerland many times, but I just love the Alps.. The luxury you can experience there is just on another level.. My last trip to the Alps was one of the most amazing trips in my life.. I loved having jakuzzi outside when it was snowing, drinking champagne, while watching beautiful mountains views..

Number 3: Cappadocia in Turkey.

I have visited this place already 6 times. In my opinion it’s one of the most unique places you can visit in the world.. I love the fairy chimneys, staying at the cave hotels, all the adventure experiences you can get try here such as hot air balloon, ATV, horse riding & much more.. It’s one of the places I always like to come back to..

Number 4. Mexico. I have visited Mexico twice, I have travelled a lot around Mexico, especially on the Yucatán peninsula & I definitely want to visit again.

I felt in love with Mexican cuisine, Cancun beautiful azure beaches, Tulum vibes, which reminds me so much Bali, over water villas in Riviera Maya, one of the New 7 Wonders of the world – Chichén Itzá & Pink Lagoon, which is such an unique place to visit..

Number 5. Romania. I have travelled to Romania already 5 times & soon I will be going there for the 6 th time. It’s of the countries which not that many travel bloggers go to, but I think it’s such a pity, because it just have so much to offer! From stunning nature, beautiful castles, beaches, great food & so many unique places to visit.

I collaborate with Romanian tourism board, which gives me a chance to explore this beautiful underrated country more & more..

Number 6. Barcelona.

This city is famous for its unique architecture, art, nightlife, beaches & great cuisine.

I have visited Barcelona few times & it’s my most favorite city in Europe.

I just love Spanish vibes, Sangria, tapas, food market La Boqueria, La Rambla street, Barceloneta, Gaudí architecture such as phenomenal La Sagrada Familia or Park Güell & so much more. No wonder it ranks in TOP 10 in World’s best cities. Barcelona is really a vibe!

What are your upcoming trips for the rest of this year?

I have upcoming trip with Romanian tourism board in June. We will visit Bucharest, Brasov, Corbeanca & vineyard Dealu Mare. I had press trip with the same tourism board back in 2019 & I loved it so much.

I am so excited to get back more to the international travels this year & visit Romania again.

In September I was invited for another press trip to Romania for the Flight Festival in Timisoara, which is the first edutainment festival in South East Europe. I was also offered another press trips with an airline. 

Later this year I am planning to go back to Dubai sometimes later this year & I will definitely go again to Cappadocia as this is my favorite place in Turkey.

I would love to visit more places at the seaside as well, such as Bodrum, where I haven’t been yet, or Fethiye, which I really like.. 

You have competed in so many international beauty pageants around the world & won so many beauty awards & titles. Which one from all is the most valuable for you and why?

The most valuable title for me is Miss European Tourism title. I have won this title against 43 countries, on my second try.

First I was competing in Romania in 2014, I placed in TOP 10 & won Best national costume award, but it wasn’t enough for me, so I have decided to pursue my dream of winning international beauty pageant & to join again, until I will manage to win the main title..

So the year after in 2015 I have joined the same competition again, and I have won the first place: Miss European Tourism Queen.

And why this title is so special for me?

Because promoting tourism have always been my biggest passion since my childhood, and with this title I get many more opportunities to get to do what I really love.. It’s very close to my heart..

Now you are National director for your home country Czechia for Miss Elite World. How do you like your new role? 

I like it. It’s nice to be on another side now & to be able to help with my pageant experiences to another Beauty Queens. I am national director of Miss Czechia Kate Cast for Miss Elite World. The competition is happening now in a beautiful place at Somabay in Egypt.

Kate is very successful international model & she won some national pageants in Czechia before as well as awards in some international pageants.

Unfortunately during the competition she started to have big health issues, even ended up at the hospital, she had unbearable pain, which made for her very difficult to continue her great performance at the contest.

But I am so proud of her that despite this, she still tried to push through & kept fighting. That’s the spirit that I love. I am also a fighter & to never give up is one of my life mottoes. 

What’s it really like to be travel blogger/influencer?

I love my job. But it’s not always what people think from seeing my social media posts.

They think I am just having fun, travelling the world & not working. But they don’t see how much work & effort really goes into it.

With that said I am not trying to complain. Thanks to being travel influencer I got to stay in some of the most luxurious hotels, resorts, villas, ski challets & luxury camps around the world.

My most expensive hotel collaboration was worth of 30 000 usd for 3 days stay. It was in Switzerland in Gstaad. I also really love collaborating with tourism boards. 

I am grateful for all the opportunities my job has given me. I just want people to understand it’s not just fun all the time, we work really hard. 

Where is somewhere that you have never been & you really want to travel there?

There are still many places that I have never been to & that are on my Bucket list to visit..

I would love to see Machu Picchu in Peru & Chris the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, which will make my list list of seeing all the new 7 Wonders of the world complete.

Machu Picchu is located more than 7,000 feet above sea level in the Andes Mountains and is the most visited tourist destination in Peru.

To me it’s truly unique place. If I will already make it to Peru, I would like to see Rainbow mountain as well and in Brazil another unique place to see is Lencois Maranhen

ses National Park – White sand dunes. Another special place is Salar De Uyuni, which is the world’s largest salt flats in Bolivia. 

One of the places that have always been on my bucket list is Easter island in Polynesia. I was always very keen to visit this place, its famous giant stone statues really impress me.

Another that fascinate me is Flamingo beach at the Renaissance island in Aruba.

I have always loved pink flamingos and it’s my dream to see them up close and to take photos with them.

1.  Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

Thank you for taking time to read this very long interview with me:) It’s always a pleasure being interviewed by you, you are such amazing magazine.

I feel honored to be already for the second time on the cover of your magazine.

It was nice to share with you & your readers a bit more about my life, my career & my travels.

I really hope that I can inspire your readers to pursue the life they want to live & to achieve all their goals & dreams.. 

I would like to end this interview with my favorite quote: “ The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. “

 Where can we learn more about you & connect with you? 

You can follow me & connect with me mainly through my Instagram & Tik Tok accounts, where I am the most active. My Instagram is: @thetravellingbeautyqueen & my Tik tok is: https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSd9YkWvr/ under the same nickname: @thetravellingbeautyqueen

You can also find me on Snapchat: travelqueen666 , Facebook: Lenka Josefiova & YouTube: @thetravellingbeautyqueen