The travel writing genre is alive and well, contrary to what some may think. The explosion in travel and the “shrinking” of our world has not dampened the consumer’s thirst for information about faraway places. Rather, it has increased it. With the Internet making it easier to find markets for travel articles, opportunities have exploded. In addition, the category “travel” has itself been expanded to include things like best restaurants, best zoos, best hotels and dozens of other specialty topics.
There is a hunger for information like never before, as shown by the existence of cable channels like The Travel Channel, NatGeo and The Food Network. While some might contend that these channels replaced the travel writer, actually they’ve expanded opportunities. They’ve increased the consumers’ interest in faraway places, great restaurants and attractions, both near and far.
With the hunger for information comes the desire for entertainment. The travel writer is no longer a glorified tour guide, or simply a purveyor of instructions and roadmaps. Today’s travel writer is an entertainer as well as an educator. The author who can make the travel experience come alive is worth his or her weight in gold to the travel industry by creating marketing opportunities.
In order to succeed in the travel writing market, you don’t have to travel extensively. Become an expert on the town or region in which you live, and put it on paper. Your location is a travel destination for someone, especially if you live in a major metropolitan or tourist area. Your expertise in local logistics can provide great value to the tourist, for which publishers will pay.
Another great perk of becoming a travel writer is that it’s fun! You’re actually experiencing the places, the people and the things you’re writing about, and making it easier for others to experience them as well.