About

Ryan Slough is an award-winning travel writer, content creator, podcaster, photographer, and public speaker known for his immersive and historically rich approach to storytelling. As the Co-Founder of Wanderers Compass , he inspires travelers to move beyond surface-level tourism and engage more deeply with the cultures, histories, and communities they encounter around the world.

A U.S. Army Reserve Master Sergeant with more than two decades of military leadership experience, Ryan brings a unique perspective to his work, shaped by resilience, service, leadership, and a lifelong passion for exploration. His travels frequently focus on heritage destinations, castles, fortresses, and culturally significant sites, blending meaningful storytelling with practical travel insights and responsible tourism advocacy. Through Wanderers Compass, he encourages travelers to embrace thoughtful and immersive travel experiences while respecting the people and places they visit.

Ryan has received multiple recognitions for his contributions to travel media and storytelling. He was named a Forttuna Global Power 100 Honoree and was recognised by LA Weekly as one of its “Top 10 Travel Experts to Watch.” He was also honoured as a Writer of the Month by the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) for excellence in travel journalism and storytelling. In addition, Wanderers Compass and its founders were recognised by MSN among leading travel experts for their work in travel media and cultural storytelling.

Alongside co-hosting the Wanderers Compass Podcast, Ryan contributes to travel publications, destination campaigns, and collaborative media projects focused on meaningful and sustainable travel experiences. Currently pursuing a Master of Science in Strategic Communications, he continues to expand his work at the intersection of storytelling, tourism, media, leadership, and cultural understanding while helping build Wanderers Compass into a respected global travel media platform.