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Ruth Addicott on the dramatic changes that have hit one of journalism’s dream jobs


ravel journalism has always been seen by many to be a dream job, and to do it well requires research, good storytelling skills and the ability to see beyond the hype. But travel journalism is changing. Over 80 per cent of


travel planning is now done online and the internet has given rise to professional travel bloggers, influencers and millennials carving out careers as ‘digital nomads’. Press trips have turned into photo shoots with poolside selfies and journalists are finding they are the only ones taking notes. All you need is an internet connection and a passion for


travel – anyone can live the dream. So how is this affecting travel journalists? The main concern is pay. Rates have fallen, fees are low and the issue of payment on publication means freelances can wait months to get paid. Freelances having to fund or blag flights, hotels and other expenses is also having an impact on the stories they can cover. As freelance journalist Will Hide says: “Why would you


go away for £350 and end up spending £250 on expenses? If I go off for five days to Miami, I get paid the same as a day trip to Cardiff.” Hide, who has been a travel journalist for 20 years, including


12 at The Times, says fees have not increased since he started and rates on most titles, including The Times and the Mail on Sunday, have fallen. The Daily Express said last April it would no longer pay for


travel features as it can get content for free. Annie Bennett, an experienced travel journalist, says it is no longer feasible to spend a week away on a trip. “I am writing a piece for The Independent today at a lower rate than when I first wrote for them in 1995,” she says. “I look for things I can research in a day or two, which is


usually enough as most articles are shorter now.” Like other freelances, Hide has been affected by payment on publication and, at one point, was waiting two years for two pieces commissioned by The Times. “One of them has just run, but I’ve heard the same from freelances on other papers,” he says. With so much competition, journalists are reluctant to speak out for fear of losing commissions. Travel journalist Tina Walsh recalls: “One editor put a call


out on Twitter for paid commissions and said she had a load of people offering to do it for nothing. There are quite a few publications – and a lot of websites – that don’t pay for travel articles, but still have ‘travel writers’ offering their services for free. What happens is the quality starts to suffer.”


12 | theJournalist 80%


Over 80 per cent of travel planning is done online


So what impact are travel bloggers and influencers having? Like many journalists, Hide believes this is a completely different market and sees no overlap, but feelings are mixed. Walsh believes many influencers are not only taking work from journalists but also having an impact on press trips. She recalls one trip to a Michelin-starred restaurant in the Italian lakes: “The bloggers and influencers didn’t speak a word. They just sat there taking photos on their smartphones, then stuck them on Instagram saying ‘Wow! Amazing steak!’ They didn’t ask any questions about the food or where it was from. Walsh also knows of national newspaper journalists applying for press trips and losing out to influencers, but notes that travel PRs still want print coverage. While journalists are struggling, many bloggers and influencers are earning a comfortable income off the back of their social media following. A survey by the Professional Travel Bloggers Association last


year found that bloggers earned $5,000 -$10,000 ‘(£3,800- £7,600) a year as brand ambassadors and 26 per cent charged to go on press trips. They charged $200 (£152) for Instagram


How to survive as a travel journalist


Boost your skills Travel journalist Will Hide advises writers to hone their videography skills, even if this is making short movies on an iPhone and editing them with Adobe Premiere. “I think video is going to be as important as the written word,” he says.


Find a niche Annie Bennett specialises in Spain and has a strong social media presence. “I’ll always walk another block in the hope of coming across something surprising,” she says. “The most important thing for me is speaking


Spanish and being able to talk to people in a natural way.” She stresses the importance of good writing and copy that is grammatically correct and engages and inspires readers.


Be flexible David Whitley (www. grumpytraveller.com) says journalists need to adapt to editors’


changing requirements. “Big 2,500-word features on Peru have been dying for a long time; they’re enjoyable, but I think too many travel journalists think that’s the only form of journalism that’s justifiable and it’s not.”


Broaden your expertise Like other freelances, Tina Walsh tops up her income writing about other subjects such as health and business, alongside copywriting and running travel writing workshops (www.tina- walsh.com). Susan Grossman, who also teaches travel writing, adds: “There is money to be made by writing content for travel industry members without compromising integrity. In fact, the industry welcomes independent reporting as it enhances their sites.” (www. susangrossman.co.uk)


Give a sense of place Grossman says: “A good travel writer will look at the bigger picture, put the place into context, compare and contrast, add a topical hook and evoke a sense of place.”


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