In 2017, Cassie De Pecol broke two Guinness World Information and gained recognition within the Nationwide Lady’s Historical past Museum as the primary lady on file to journey to each nation on the planet. Besides, she very possible wasn’t.
De Pecol has been extensively coated as the primary lady to journey to each nation throughout a number of media shops together with CNN, Forbes, The New York Occasions, and Right now. Her success has been pushed by movies and pictures printed on-line that doc her travels.
In an in depth report by The Washington Put up’s Taylor Lorenz, De Pecol’s claims are strongly questioned and lower to the core of the journey influencer market: Does touring to each nation rely when you don’t {photograph} it and submit it on the web?
The report definitively states that regardless of her claims, De Pecol is just not the primary lady to journey to each nation on the planet. That honor possible belongs to Dorothy Pine, who traveled extensively all through the twentieth century. Even when Pine’s travels can’t be absolutely verified, there are others who declare their travels can or have already got been.
In line with Speedy Journey Chai, which cites a number of organizations that confirm journey claims, there are literally 11 ladies who’ve traveled to each nation on the planet and there are very possible others who could not have made their travels publicly identified.
Lorenz spoke with Nina Sedano who, at 56, is probably the most traveled lady in Germany and in addition says she’s visited each nation on the planet. Not solely that, she says she accomplished her journeys by the top of September of 2011, properly earlier than De Pecol’s supposed file. When Sedano tried to contact De Pecol about her claims, she didn’t hear again. The Put up’s report cites different occasions De Pecol was confronted about her claims, to which she additionally ceased communications.
De Pecol is at the moment the topic of a lawsuit introduced by Vacationers United. The group is suing her underneath D.C.’s Shopper Safety Procedures Act (CPPA), claiming that De Pecol engaged in deceptive or false promoting.
The grievance alleges that she “defrauded traders and sponsors by telling them she was the primary lady to journey to each nation on earth when she was not, however she additionally misled and deceived press even years on, about her accomplishments.”
De Pecol denies these accusations.
“This grievance is one more baseless assault on me and my accomplishments,” De Pecol tells The Washington Put up. “I intend to vigorously contest what regrettably seems to be a rehash of the identical untenable allegations which were leveled in opposition to me prior to now.”
De Pecol does maintain two Guinness World Information: “quickest time to go to all sovereign nations (feminine)” and “quickest time to go to all sovereign nations (general).” The group doesn’t monitor a file for “first lady to journey to each nation.”
A ‘Watershed Second’
Vacationers United hopes that the lawsuit will convey extra consideration to influencer advertising, particularly in terms of journey. De Pecol’s claims have been largely uncontested so far maybe as a consequence of her massive social media following. She has lots of of hundreds of followers on Instagram and TikTok, hosts a podcast, has given a TED Discuss, has accepted paid talking engagements, and has written a e-book, all of which hinge on her declare as the primary lady to journey to each nation.
Audrey Walsworth, one other lady who says she has traveled to each nation earlier than De Pecol did — and whose declare has been verified — tells The Washington Put up that she hopes this case will convey extra fact-checking to influencer advertising. She says the issue with social media is that there’s a lot on the market, that individuals assume it’s true.
Taylor Lorenz’s full story can — and may — be learn on The Washington Put up.
Picture credit: Header picture licensed through Depositphotos.
