A city guide in 48 hours
Posted: May 3, 2013 Contents: Chapter 2, Chapter 3 | Tags: Bill Addison, national geographic, national geographic traveler, travel journalism, travel journalist, travel research, travel writer, travel writing Leave a comment »Chapter 2 makes a claim that guidebooks are essential to the tourism process. Taken a step further, Chapter 3 discusses the essential skills and knowledge for a travel journalist creating a travel guidebook such as: find the “hidden,” secret” attractions that “nobody knows.” Bill Addison a National Geographic traveler has offered his version of these valuable guides.
Here’s what’s good about Addison’s post: one, which is reflected within the title of the article, Addison tackles a city in 48 hours. He breaks down the article in sections depicting activities ranging from the historical MLK house, Oakland cemetery, & historic eateries to contemporary museums, hangouts and restaurants. Two: each day is broken down into morning, afternoon, and evening segments. Each segment is filled with activities that seem to ensure a complete Atlanta experience.
However, the traveler should use this guide much like other travel guides, as a suggestion to how to…
The lost-and-found story
Posted: May 3, 2013 Contents: Chapter 4 | Tags: budget travel, budgettravel.com, Kaeli Conforti, lost and found, southwest airlines, travel journalism, travel journalist, travel writer, travel writing Leave a comment »Chapter 4 encourages the aspiring traveling journalist to explore her hometown through a professional journalistic scope. The text gives examples of various angles for the journalist to pursue. Kaeli Conforti for BudgetTravel.com follows a unique perspective, finding a hidden story covering the lost and found in his local airport. Judging by the vast amounts of expensive and inexpensive items found on planes there could be many stories to pursue. For example, the reuniting of a new bride and her only camera taken on a honeymoon trip, or a child and his favorite Disney memory.Take a look here.
Discovering your personal Rome
Posted: May 3, 2013 Contents: Chapter 4 | Tags: budget travel, budgettravel editors, budgettravel.com, insider secrets of rome, pope, Rome, travel advice, travel journalism, travel journalist, travel writer, travel writing Leave a comment »The new Pope naturally brings with him an upsurge of new and returning tourists to Rome and the Vatican City. New tourists look for any excuse and a perfect time to travel to Rome while returning tourists are thankful for a reason to return to the city. Accompanying the tourists are travel journalists eager to report on the new excitement of the city. Isn’t this the same already heavily touristy Rome boasting millions of tourists annually?
However, as expected of the travel journalist, BudgetTravel.com’s editors collaborated to create a sure way guide to experience Rome without the long lines, expensive meals, and as the editors put it “crowds, crowds, crowds”. In other words the editors put their market in its true context. They have followed an approach to show how Rome is still truly unique. Take a look here.
Surely other guides will pop up…
Tourism’s dark side
Posted: May 3, 2013 Contents: Chapter 6 | Tags: Heather Greenwood Davis, national geographic, national geographic traveler, travel advice, travel journalism, travel journalist, travel writer, travel writing Leave a comment »Chapter 6 encourages the travel journalist to write about the “worst” in travel. Heather Davis of National Geographic.com describes her family’s tough experience while traveling in China. More important than her stories of locals snapping pictures of her family at random and reaching out to touch their hair, are the lessons she learned after the experience. Here’s a bit from Davis’ piece:
As a family that believes there are things to be learned from everything in life, we try to turn even the most frustrating experiences into teachable moments. — Having your every move documented gets old, and quickly. The celeb-obsessed culture prevalent in many parts of the world can desensitize us to what it’s like to be on the other end of the lens. Our experience in China showed us how photo taking can go over the line and taught us to be better at…
Memphis civic and cultural lift
Posted: May 3, 2013 Contents: Chapter 2, Chapter 3 | Tags: cruise, Kim Cross, Kim Cross Southern Living, Southern Living, travel journalist, travel writer, travel writing Leave a comment »The text explores the benefits of city guides in Chapter 2; the text calls the guide a “crucial part of the tourist process.” Kim Cross of Southern Living.com has combined the advice of Chapter 2 and the lessons of Chapter 3 — creating what could be read either as a news story type, a destination, or journey type story. Cross shares news of the new expansion to “one of the world’s most visited music streets onto a mile-wide stretch of the Mississippi.”
This news appeals to the journey & cruise goer as with the expansion comes a relatively massive river cruise ship that is set to sail up and down the river in the near future boasting stops and natural sights of the Mississippi River. Cross does an excellent job of sparking intrest in the mixing of traditional and contemporary culture in the short piece for Southern Living.com. The new expansion will highlight and preserve historical Memphis culture and its staples while building new attractions to draw…
A travel story, or four, about a knife
Posted: May 3, 2013 Contents: Chapter 4 | Tags: Andrew Welsh, Andrew Welsh matador network, Japanese culture, matador network, matadornetwork.com, traditional Sashimi knife, travel journalism, travel journalist, travel writer, travel writing Leave a comment »Chapter 4 gives the travel journalist tips and cautions drawn from many sources, which should help him cover travel and tourism in his market. A major tip the text encourages is for the travel journalist to “travel for one story; come back with four.” Take for example Matador Network’s Andrew Welsh’s story about his one-of-a-kind, “good enough for you” Sashimi knife. Welsh’s trip to Japan on the outset was focused on taking cooking lessons to become a Japanese cuisine chef.
After becoming accustomed to the customs of the Japanese culture, Welsh developed ambitions to acquire a traditional Sashimi knife from a legendary swordsmith. This experience of acquiring the knife adds another dimension or rather adds another story to his experience. Andrew Welsh does an excellent job of painting the scenery and mood for his audience balancing history of the legendary swordsmith with the eerie feeling of the antique shop.
This article provides a prime example…
Food and wine — or moonshine
Posted: May 3, 2013 Contents: Chapter 3 | Tags: food and wine travel, matador network, matadornetwork.com, moonshine, Tereza Jarnikova, Tereza Jarnikova matador network, travel journalism, travel journalist, travel writer, travel writing Leave a comment »Tereza Jarnikova begins her piece with a confession — “I FEEL a bit strange to be writing an article about moonshine (or homemade alcohol) while living in Czech Republic.” However, Jarikova can feel more comfortable knowing that about 65 percent of travel editors interviewed in the text responded to a survey stating “food and wine” is an important niche’ topic to readers.
Tereza Jarnikova of the Matador Network takes her readers around the world, via an “incomplete” list of countries and their respective traditional homemade alcohol practices. In her article Jarnikova lists a common name for a homemade alcohol then lists the country it’s known for. She starts with Slivovice from the Czech Republic, followed by a description of its ingredients and creation process. Jarnikova also explains in brief the history of the alcohol and its significance for the home country. The travel journalist can use Tereza Jarnikova’s article to gain unique angles when covering…
Tourism is your destination’s villain
Posted: May 3, 2013 Contents: Chapter 3 | Tags: Eco tourism, green tourism, Nomadic Matt, travel journalism, travel journalist, travel writer, travel writing, www.nomadicmatt.com Leave a comment »Chapter 3 of the text teaches the travel writer how to reach the audience for travel journalism. Nomadic Matt is a renown travel writer and blogger; he writes for his own website www.nomadicmatt.com. A few days ago Matt wrote a piece explaining why and how travel writers and subsequently tourists often destroy “those off the beaten track destinations, those little local restaurants and quiet parts of the city where you are free of tourists.” Within the article Matt argues compelling points, even including a before and after picture of Ko Phi Phi, a once beautiful lush island that is now “overdeveloped.” Matt expresses such logical concerns as, “By driving people to the next ‘undiscovered’ place, do I just ruin it? Will I be that guy who returns and says, ‘Man, this place used to be cool 10 years ago.” Matt eventually passes the brunt of the blame off to tourists; specifically Matt blames those tourists who “end up supporting unsustainable tourism practices,”…
Niche’ audiences: Adaptive skiers
Posted: March 13, 2013 Contents: Chapter 2 | Tags: adaptive ski, adaptive skiing, americans with disabilities act, carrie jung, npr, skiing, travel blog, travel journalism, travel journalist, travel technology, travel writer, travel writing Leave a comment »Chapter 2 of the text describes special sets of audience segments such as students and seniors who consume travel journalism. Many ski resorts have eyes set on another special group of travelers. According to a report by npr news, ski resorts are reaching out to travelers with disabilities. According to the story, All resorts on Forest Service land must offer adaptive skiing under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Adaptive skiing allows an individual with physical disabilities the ability to ski down the mountain like an able bodied person. The NPR story focuses on a family new to the activity and presents the travel journalist an opportunity to reach out to an eager niche’ audience. Have a look, or listen.
Wine over ice
Posted: March 13, 2013 Contents: Chapter 3 | Tags: ice age trail, laurentide ice sheet, national geographic, sally younger, travel journalism, travel journalist, travel writer, travel writing, Von Stiehl Winery, wisconsin Leave a comment »Chapter 3 claims food and wine is an important niche’ topic to travel journalism consumers. The text details information on the audience, angles to pursue, an example of best coverage, and where you can learn more. Sally Younger of National Geographic pursues her wine story from an unexpectedly unique angle. The author describes in vivid details her surroundings as she catches a rest from her adventurous Ice Age Trail journey. What starts off as an adventure/ journey piece describes a destination as remarkable as the historic Ice Age Trail itself. A town with underground tunnels, grand fishing and more importantly great wine is set in a historical Ice age Trail.
Younger utilizes all of her travel journalism skills beyond observation by offering quotes from the locals that add validity to her story. The author uses sounds, feels, color, and descriptions of taste that takes the reader out of his chair and into the tavern in Wisconsin. Younger provides a prime…
