Changing the face of travel journalism: A new PR initiative

I’ve always been passionate about travel writing. Today, I’m head of PR and communications EMEA at Intrepid Travel, but I started out on the journalism side, working as news editor at Travel Weekly magazine. And on more than a few press trips, throughout my career, I couldn’t help but notice the distinct lack of diversity among travel writers. Which, considering the importance of having perspectives from different backgrounds, just isn’t good enough. We need people from all different backgrounds. We all travel differently and have different experiences, and that should be reflected in our storytelling. Yet a lot of people are writing through the same lens.

The issue doesn’t just lie in journalism. Within the PR sector, from what I can see, there’s a real diversity problem too. The industry needs to do more to encourage people from diverse backgrounds to consider PR as a career option. At Intrepid, a B Corp, we’re all too aware of these shortcomings. We know we need to encourage and engage with individuals from underrepresented groups at a grassroots level, fostering a diverse and inclusive community. 

As part of our efforts to become a more inclusive travel brand, we partnered with six consultants to create our first Ethical Marketing Policy in 2021. We developed a set of commitments that we report on each year in our Annual Report. This has helped us to work with a more diverse range of content creators and ensure we offer a breadth of stories that are truly reflective of the diversity of the travel industry. As a certified B Corp, we’re held to rigorous benchmarks as it relates to DEI, and our ethical marketing guidelines are an important part of us maintaining our certification.  

But we wanted to do even more to tackle this challenge head-on when it came to travel media and the journalists we work with. Looking at all the work we’ve done around the Ethical Marketing Policy, I thought there must be something we could do to drive real change. So, I came up with an idea.

We put out a call – we wanted to give emerging UK-based writers from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds a chance to make their mark in the industry, even if they had limited bylines in travel media (fewer than five) – or had never been on a press trip before. The term diverse and underrepresented backgrounds could mean (but was not limited to) the following: people of colour; people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, people within the LGBTQIA+ community; and those living with disability or long-term illness.

The primary goal was to break barriers and open doors for budding journalists who lacked the commissions required for conventional press trips. We know from the way we work that people need a commission from a publication before that can come into play. But how do new and emerging writers get that first commission if they’ve never been on a press trip in the first place?

The response to our initiative was overwhelming – we received over 150 applications for the four places available on our Diversifying Travel Media press trip to Croatia in September. And the four selected participants will enjoy an all-expenses paid journey, along with morning activities and invaluable mentorship from a fantastic group of seasoned travel writers and editors. Our afternoon workshops will cover various aspects of travel writing, from pitching to editors, to finding unique angles for stories, networking, and understanding the expectations of PRs. Ultimately, we aim to equip them with the skills and knowledge to transform their experiences into compelling and commission-worthy pitches.

The overwhelming positive feedback we’ve received from fellow journalists has been truly heartening – many wished they’d had a similar opportunity when they were starting out themselves. Meanwhile, travel editors have already expressed their willingness to commission the writers we’re taking on the trip. And although only four people can participate, we’re aiming to find ways to engage with the other applicants, to support their growth and development as travel writers.

Our goal is to make this initiative an annual event, fostering a continuous stream of new talent entering the industry. As a global company, if this approach proves successful, we plan to implement it in other territories internationally. There’s clear demand for such programmes, and we hope to replicate our success in the US and beyond. This initiative wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work, commitment and passion from our established writers who are hosting the trip with us, who helped shape the idea from the beginning. 

In a year from now, we want to have made a difference to the travel journalists who joined, to hear their feedback and what they’ve gained from it – hopefully, big commissions! We want to help put them on the map and kickstart their careers.

Of course, we’re not perfect ourselves. As a travel company, we’re on our own journey with diversity. But we’re trying to be better. And the satisfaction of knowing we’ve played a role in fostering diversity and inclusivity in travel writing will be so gratifying for our team. As we embark on this crucial journey of change, we want to be an ally to underrepresented communities in travel, in journalism, and in PR. 

I’m so excited to see the impact of this initiative unfold and to hear the meaningful stories that emerge from our diverse group of writers. Together, we can make a difference and create an industry that celebrates diversity and welcomes the voices and perspectives of all.

Chloe Berman is the head of PR and communications EMEA at Intrepid Travel.