Our Story
Stay Dine Explore’s journey begins long before the website itself.
Founder Charisse Smith spent the early part of her career working for the internationally renowned scuba diving publication DIVE Magazine, selling classified advertising to destinations across the globe, including the Maldives, Philippines, Florida Keys, Malta, Egypt, Spain, Barbados, Antigua, and many more.
Immersed daily in stories of adventure, marine exploration, and far-flung destinations. The powerful editorial created by an exceptionally talented team quietly ignited a deep, suppressed appetite for exploring the ocean and the wider world, a dream first formed in her late teens that would later resurface at exactly the right moment.
Charisse went on to build a highly successful career in advertising, working across radio, digital, and performance marketing and launching multi-million-pound media marketing agencies supporting nearly 100 clients across the UK. Helping businesses generate leads, grow sustainably, and flourish became her driving purpose.
Yet travel, remained close to her heart.
During multiple visits to the breath-taking island of Barbados, one simple question kept resurfacing:
“If I were a visitor arriving for the first time, how would I truly know what to do in Barbados?”
- Which boat cruise should you choose?
- Where are the best places to eat?
- Which excursions are genuinely worth your time?
What she discovered was a gap between the incredible experiences available and how easily travellers could find them online and in one place.
Many websites were outdated, incomplete, or visually unappealing. Listings were scattered and often failed to showcase the true quality of what existed.
Crucially, this wasn’t because businesses lacked passion or professionalism. Restaurants, excursion providers, car hire companies, and activity operators were busy delivering amazing experiences every day. Maintaining websites, updating listings, and managing online visibility simply wasn’t their forte.
But without that visibility, they were missing a vital pipeline of future bookings and new customers, something Charisse had spent her entire career helping businesses solve.
In that moment, everything aligned.
Ideas flooded in. Visuals formed. The long-suppressed desire for creating something in the travel space resurfaced with clarity and urgency. Charisse describes her stomach “somersaulting” as she mapped out the concept in the new space she had in her head, eager to call her UK team and bring it to life.
Stay Dine Explore was born.
Barbados, the island that sparked the idea, became the natural launch destination. Offering businesses free listings was a way to give back while building a platform designed to drive traffic, awareness, and enquiries.
Stay Dine Explore will grow across the Caribbean and beyond, becoming a trusted guide for travellers seeking authentic experiences, whether that means luxury stays, hidden culinary gems, cultural discoveries, or unforgettable ocean adventures.
Our mission is simple:
Help travellers discover the very best of each destination
Help local businesses be seen, chosen, and thrive
Inspire people to explore more deeply and meaningfully
Because travel isn’t just about going somewhere, it’s about experiencing it fully.
Stay. Dine. Explore. REPEAT
