This is exactly the sort of thing you should be writing about remind us of the joys of travel. Stuart can not help but think as I read these posts that you could turn them into a fabulous book with your stories and accompanying pictures.
We all worry about those wonderful local hosts, restaurant, bars, guesthouses and guides and how if they will survive the pandemic
Just keep up the good work, you bring back good memories for me and even when you go to places I have not been to still has me itching to be able to travel again. As I was half way through responding got a Facetime video call from some friends in Chi Phat reminding me again of just what I am missing. the good news is that they appear to be surviving but I am somewhat confused as they tell me that they get fined for not wearing masks outside and then see pictures of parties and local weddings with hundreds and not a mask in view
As for the future of travel publishing then I too worry and share Antonia's views to a certain extent in that yes there will always be a market for those who wish to deviate off the banana pancake trail BUT the question is how do you cover the costs of being able to research these places. One idea might be voluntary contributions with info on guesthouses, transport and things to see and do from "trusted friends" as they travel around to supplement the work of the likes of David, Nicky and yourself
Unfortunately these questions rather assume that travel publishers are still around when Covid recedes. Considering how small the profits were before Covid, and the downward trend of the past decade or two, I rather suspect the remaining traditional publishers will have folded, and the only ones to reopen will be the digital-only ones, without the fixed costs of permanent offices and distribution. And how many of the digital publishers have paid travel writers (apart from TF)?
So I think Covid will have further accelerated the trend away from guidebooks and traditional travel writing, towards people planning their trips on Instagram. There will always be some demand for deeper research, of course, for the part of the population who wants to go where the crowds aren't, or wants to understand more about the places they go, but that has always been a minority. So TBH I don't think the travel writing industry has much of an impact any more (sorry!).
So my feeling is, give it a few years, and the overcrowding into trendy spots and the challenges of over-tourism will be right back to where it was pre-Covid.
Interesting thoughts Antonia! I wouldn’t say you’re being cynical, realistic more like it. The minority you speak of has long been much of our core audience, so def wondering how best to serve them going forward.
I think that puts TF (and others like it) in a good position, WRT that question. As the overcrowding continues to deepen, the small core will need you even more, to provide an alternative. And because the numbers we're talking about are small, it will make promoting 4th and 5th tier destinations more sustainable (for example, you don't need to worry so much that, if you promote a small town, it gets inundated with more tourists than it can sustainably manage). And, as you know your readers actually read, you can also help inform them of how to be more considerate travellers for their hosts, based upon what the host communities want and feel. So i think it puts you in a position where you can more easily be a help to people in the destinations you cover, rather than a hindrance, even if it is for only a small number of tourists.
I used to think the path forward for mass tourism was tourist boards working with social media types (influencers, shudder) to promote a large number of 2nd and 3rd tier destinations, to spread the mass of tourists around, but I now suspect the nature of which places get traction too capricious. Instead of the tourists going semi-evenly to 20 promoted locations, so they each get 5%, two of the locations become the trend of the season and get all the tourists, then a year or two later the influencers have moved onto somewhere else, and the next-big-thing crowd follows, so you still end up with a small number of destinations being drowned, with rushed development trying to cash in. Does anyone really think there won't be a mad dash to buy up empty beachside properties and build new infinity pools or attractions (as point of differentiation) within one year of borders reopening fully?
Gosh, I have become even more fatalistic over the last year, haven't I?
Hi Antonia, Yeah I think it is a hard thing to manage, how to get it right. At the end of the day many, particularly first time travellers, want to see the “hot spots” and it can be a real challenger suggesting they do otherwise. Upside I guess is I think we have a while to figure things out before significant numbers return.
I just really hope borders open soon, no matter what it takes.
I just really don't think it's going to happen.
Let's hope for the best...
This is exactly the sort of thing you should be writing about remind us of the joys of travel. Stuart can not help but think as I read these posts that you could turn them into a fabulous book with your stories and accompanying pictures.
We all worry about those wonderful local hosts, restaurant, bars, guesthouses and guides and how if they will survive the pandemic
Just keep up the good work, you bring back good memories for me and even when you go to places I have not been to still has me itching to be able to travel again. As I was half way through responding got a Facetime video call from some friends in Chi Phat reminding me again of just what I am missing. the good news is that they appear to be surviving but I am somewhat confused as they tell me that they get fined for not wearing masks outside and then see pictures of parties and local weddings with hundreds and not a mask in view
As for the future of travel publishing then I too worry and share Antonia's views to a certain extent in that yes there will always be a market for those who wish to deviate off the banana pancake trail BUT the question is how do you cover the costs of being able to research these places. One idea might be voluntary contributions with info on guesthouses, transport and things to see and do from "trusted friends" as they travel around to supplement the work of the likes of David, Nicky and yourself
Thanks Alistair—and that is great to hear Chi Phat is ticking over through this crazy period. Here’s to hopefully being able to get there in 2022!
Unfortunately these questions rather assume that travel publishers are still around when Covid recedes. Considering how small the profits were before Covid, and the downward trend of the past decade or two, I rather suspect the remaining traditional publishers will have folded, and the only ones to reopen will be the digital-only ones, without the fixed costs of permanent offices and distribution. And how many of the digital publishers have paid travel writers (apart from TF)?
So I think Covid will have further accelerated the trend away from guidebooks and traditional travel writing, towards people planning their trips on Instagram. There will always be some demand for deeper research, of course, for the part of the population who wants to go where the crowds aren't, or wants to understand more about the places they go, but that has always been a minority. So TBH I don't think the travel writing industry has much of an impact any more (sorry!).
So my feeling is, give it a few years, and the overcrowding into trendy spots and the challenges of over-tourism will be right back to where it was pre-Covid.
I guess I'm just a massive cynic....
Interesting thoughts Antonia! I wouldn’t say you’re being cynical, realistic more like it. The minority you speak of has long been much of our core audience, so def wondering how best to serve them going forward.
I think that puts TF (and others like it) in a good position, WRT that question. As the overcrowding continues to deepen, the small core will need you even more, to provide an alternative. And because the numbers we're talking about are small, it will make promoting 4th and 5th tier destinations more sustainable (for example, you don't need to worry so much that, if you promote a small town, it gets inundated with more tourists than it can sustainably manage). And, as you know your readers actually read, you can also help inform them of how to be more considerate travellers for their hosts, based upon what the host communities want and feel. So i think it puts you in a position where you can more easily be a help to people in the destinations you cover, rather than a hindrance, even if it is for only a small number of tourists.
I used to think the path forward for mass tourism was tourist boards working with social media types (influencers, shudder) to promote a large number of 2nd and 3rd tier destinations, to spread the mass of tourists around, but I now suspect the nature of which places get traction too capricious. Instead of the tourists going semi-evenly to 20 promoted locations, so they each get 5%, two of the locations become the trend of the season and get all the tourists, then a year or two later the influencers have moved onto somewhere else, and the next-big-thing crowd follows, so you still end up with a small number of destinations being drowned, with rushed development trying to cash in. Does anyone really think there won't be a mad dash to buy up empty beachside properties and build new infinity pools or attractions (as point of differentiation) within one year of borders reopening fully?
Gosh, I have become even more fatalistic over the last year, haven't I?
Hi Antonia, Yeah I think it is a hard thing to manage, how to get it right. At the end of the day many, particularly first time travellers, want to see the “hot spots” and it can be a real challenger suggesting they do otherwise. Upside I guess is I think we have a while to figure things out before significant numbers return.