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travel journalism
travel journalism, a field of journalism encompassing communication about journeys beyond one’s immediate surroundings. More specifically, travel journalism consists of written or multimedia content in which travel serves as a central element of the narrative. An article detailing the best coffee shops to visit in a particular city would constitute travel journalism, whereas a piece examining the business operations of a local coffee industry would not. The former is designed to inform travelers about activities available at a destination, while the latter focuses on commercial aspects without targeting potential visitors. The classification of content as travel journalism often depends on the publication or platform in which it appears rather than on rigid criteria. Numerous magazines, websites, and blogs are dedicated to travel content, and popular destinations frequently produce their own materials to promote local attractions.
Travel journalism encompasses diverse formats, including guidebooks about tourist destinations, investigative reports on political situations in foreign countries, restaurant reviews from visiting diners, and feature articles describing experiences in various locations.
History
Travel journalism, in its broadest interpretation, has existed since the development of written communication. Explorers returning from expeditions historically documented their encounters with unfamiliar cultures and territories. Marco Polo’s Il milione gained widespread popularity among 13th- and 14th-century Europeans, and accounts from missionaries and explorers were published for audiences who often financed these voyages. During the early 19th century, several authors achieved recognition through travel narratives, including Herman Melville, whose Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life recounted his experiences in the South Pacific, and Robert Louis Stevenson, who documented his travels in In the South Seas.
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Technological advances during the 19th and 20th centuries reduced travel costs and increased accessibility to distant locations, thereby expanding demand for travel content. Publications such as National Geographic, first issued in 1888, initially served as research journals but gradually evolved to accommodate readers who sought vicarious travel experiences through reading. The magazine began monthly publication by the century’s end. Early readership was modest but increased substantially with the introduction of photography, particularly color images of natural landscapes, in the early 20th century. Color photography, cartography, and comprehensive articles contributed to the magazine’s expansion in the 1950s, reflecting growing public interest in travel coverage. Additional publications emerged to serve this expanding market, including Travel + Leisure (1971), which targets a broad audience of leisure travelers interested in upscale experiences, and Condé Nast Traveler (1987), which focuses on luxury travel and affluent audiences.
By the 1990s, developments in printing technology, including digital typesetting and affordable color printing, enabled publications to produce content rapidly and economically. Subsequent technological innovations facilitated the emergence of travel blogs, which provide platforms for individuals to share photographs and narratives, as well as substantial travel media enterprises.
Forms of Travel Writing
Destination and Experiential Coverage
Destination pieces constitute a prominent category of travel journalism, typically appearing as feature articles in magazines, websites, or newspapers focusing on specific journeys or locations. Such content appeals to both readers seeking vicarious experiences and active travelers. While National Geographic presents a combination of destination features and investigative pieces, this type of content also appears in publications devoted primarily to other subjects, including current events, culture, or entertainment.
Online travel platforms have become known for destination coverage, though travel guides and sponsored content, also termed advertorial, have gained prevalence. Although regulations require disclosure of advertising relationships and financial transactions, the boundaries of acceptable practice in travel journalism remain subject to debate.
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Exposés
Investigative travel journalism, or exposés, typically examine serious issues, such as illegal trade practices or human rights concerns, in destination locations. These pieces aim to inform readers about events occurring elsewhere rather than to encourage tourism. They frequently address political topics and may evaluate the social, environmental, or humanitarian dimensions of covered subjects. Exposés generally target consumers of substantive news content and appear in news-oriented publications and platforms. This category is particularly suited to television journalism due to its informative nature and visual impact.
Travel Guides
Guidebooks represent one of the oldest forms of travel journalism, created to assist travelers in planning visits to specific destinations. These publications exist in numerous varieties and are often produced by freelance and staff writers for publishers. Guidebooks typically include hotel and restaurant reviews, cultural guidance, planning advice, maps, local information, and activity recommendations. They may cater to youth travelers or more experienced visitors. These publications emphasize specific, practical information but may also include the anecdotal perspectives characteristic of shorter destination pieces.
Although guidebooks remain popular, sales have declined since the mid-2000s as online resources, often available at no cost, became more accessible. Websites offer extensive articles customized to traveler interests, allowing users to access detailed information on specific topics in addition to comprehensive guides. To adapt, many traditional guidebook publishers maintain robust online presences that often attract more readers than their print editions and offer digital and mobile application versions of their content.
Memoirs
Travel memoirs constitute another widely consumed form, intended for home reading rather than as practical guides. These works may be lengthy and often emphasize the author’s personal experiences and reflections more than destination details. Examples include John Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley (1961), which recounts his journey across America with his poodle, Paul Theroux’s The Great Railway Bazaar (1975), about the author’s four-month train journey from London through Asia and back, and Cheryl Strayed’s Wild (2013). Whether contemplative, humorous, or somber, travel memoirs contribute to readers’ literary experience rather than explicitly promoting visitation.
Video
Multimedia travel journalism combines television and online platforms to present travel content through video and audio. This format is available through television networks and streaming services in various forms, including investigative programs addressing international issues and travel programming providing destination inspiration and guidance.
Blogging and Social Media
Since the mid-2000s, several new formats of travel content have emerged: social media, video-sharing platforms, podcasts, and blogs. Social media platforms, particularly Instagram, enable travelers to create and distribute travel-related photographs and videos. Popular accounts attract millions of followers, and content creators may receive compensation for visiting destinations and producing material. Given the ability to search networks using keywords or hashtags, these creators reach extensive audiences.
Video-sharing platforms and blogs have become accessible travel resources. Some blogs may be difficult to distinguish from corporate travel websites. The blogging format allows travelers to share photographs and reviews with audiences ranging from personal acquaintances to global readership. However, blogs may face ethical challenges, particularly when operated by individuals who receive complimentary travel in exchange for coverage.
Video-sharing platforms feature both professional content produced by media organizations and material created by individual bloggers and travelers. Audio podcasts function similarly, allowing users to create and distribute content. Both corporate producers and independent creators participate in podcast production.
Contemporary Challenges
Economic Considerations
The shift away from paid subscriptions toward free or inexpensive online content has resulted in reduced staffing and budgets for traditional journalism outlets. Consequently, travel journalism generally offers modest compensation. Entry-level writers may receive minimal payment for articles, and many blogs do not compensate contributing writers. Higher fees are typically paid to senior, established writers.
Objectivity
Questions of objectivity arise throughout travel journalism, particularly regarding guides and features about destinations or businesses. Because individual travel articles typically provide limited compensation, writers often participate in press trips, or familiarization tours, funded by destinations hoping for subsequent coverage. This practice raises concerns about objectivity, as some publications believe accepting complimentary travel may compromise a writer’s independence and result in biased coverage. Proponents argue that editors should collaborate only with trustworthy writers and that restricting coverage to writers who can afford expensive travel limits diverse perspectives. Some publications cover travel expenses for writers, though reduced budgets make this practice rare and typically reserved for established professionals.
Parachute Journalism
Parachute journalism refers to the practice of briefly visiting a location, observing limited aspects of it, and subsequently producing articles that may rely on broad generalizations about the destination. Given demand for constant content and limited budgets for in-depth reporting, parachute journalism has become increasingly common. To address this concern, many publications prioritize hiring writers residing in covered areas or writers from specific backgrounds to provide authentic perspectives.
The original version of this article was published by SAGE Publications inThe SAGE Encyclopedia of Journalism.