Receiving her Ph.D. at NYU in Sociocultural Anthropology in 2004, Vail's dissertation focused on the "backpacker subculture," travel narratives and the 'gentrification' of the Bolivian tourism industry, a topic she would return to in her award-winning feature-length documentary film, Gringo Trails.
[2] Upon its release, Gringo Trails was featured in a number of international publications, including The Hollywood Reporter,[3] Condé Nast,[4] Der Spiegel,[5] and Globo.
[6] Vail also appeared on interview with CNN International,[7] RadioLIVE New Zealand and RTÉ 2fm, in conjunction with the film's release.
[11] Vail has been a featured as an influencer in travel and tourism by The New York Times,[12][13] The Wall Street Journal,[14] and internationally in Spain's La Vanguardia.
[15] Along with her academic and filmmaking career, Vail has worked as a travel and cultural consultant, acting as the main anthropology consultant and APP co-writer for the Nomads virtual reality documentary, developed by Canadian-based digital artists, Félix & Paul Studios and the Samsung Gear VR.