The Evolution of Travel Writing: From Page to Platform
Twenty years ago, a travel writer carried a notebook and a film camera.
Today, she carries a phone, a gimbal, and an audience.
Attending the World Travel Market reminded me how far storytelling has come. Walking through the halls, I saw both worlds side by side the seasoned travel journalists taking notes for their features, and the modern creators capturing moments for their platforms. Both curious. Both necessary.
When Travel Writing Lived on Paper
There was a time when a travel journalist’s byline in BBC Travel, Condé Nast Traveler, The Guardian, National Geographic, or Vogue defined aspiration. These writers were the voices that transported us, painting the world with words. Their craft was slow, deliberate, and refined through the lens of print.
That art isn’t gone, it has simply evolved.
Readers haven’t stopped seeking stories, they have just changed where they find them. Inspiration now arrives in real time, often through a single photograph, a short video, or a thoughtful caption that makes someone stop scrolling and dream.
The Shift to the Digital World
Most travellers no longer walk into agencies or flip through brochures. They explore online. Social media became the new travel magazine, and creators became the new columnists.
Tourism boards, DMOs, and brands adapted, learning to collaborate with digital storytellers who bring something irreplaceable: authentic connection. These partnerships have blurred the line between journalism and influence, showing that truth and creativity can coexist.
The New Storyteller
Bloggers and content creators revived the essence of travel writing but added their own rhythm. They don’t wait for commissions or approvals; they self publish, blending photography, film, and narrative into living stories. In this digital era, a creator is writer, editor, producer, and publisher all at once.
A New Kind of Balance
The beauty of this evolution is that it is no longer a competition between old and new.
There is space for both: the precision of the journalist and the pulse of the creator. Publications are now embracing creator perspectives, while creators are learning to honour the discipline of editorial storytelling.
Why It Matters
For those of us who love travel and the art of communication, this shift is freedom. It allows us to write from our lived experiences, to share in real time, and to own our voices.
Travel writing hasn’t disappeared; it has expanded.
And those of us who write from truth, curiosity, and connection will always have a place in this ever changing industry.
