Our next webinar discusses how to create travel content and continue to offer inspiration responsibly as the world tries to return to the new normal. The panel is led by Maria Pieri, Editorial Director of National Geographic Traveller (UK), along with Ed Grenby, Editor of the Sunday Times Travel Magazine; Lyn Hughes, Founder and Editor in Chief of Wanderlust; and Sophie Griffiths, TTG editor.
Tune in to find out how travel bans, easing restrictions, refunds, air bridges and social distancing are impacting how all editors are having to create travel content today – and also, where you are most likely to be travelling to next.
10 Things We Learnt:
Summarised by Alexandra Meunier
BA journalism graduate, Roehampton University
The BSME held the sixth of its Lockdown Lunches on Wednesday 17 June, where Maria Pieri, BSME 2020 Chair and Editorial Director of National Geographic Traveller (UK) was joined by Ed Grenby, Editor of the Sunday Times Travel Magazine; Lyn Hughes, Founder and Editor in Chief of Wanderlust; and Sophie Griffiths, TTG editor.
1. ‘Unprecedented’ is the word: Panellists mentioned how the coronavirus is by far ‘the biggest story’ of their career. They described how it has brought countless challenges to the travel and magazine industries. Lyn Hughes, Founder and Editor in Chief of Wanderlust acknowledged the situation is unprecedented and difficult, but it also offered exciting new opportunities for creating new travel content.
2. Switching content: Since the beginning of the crisis, travel editors have had to come up with new approaches to the type of content created. As many of features are planned in advance, they have had to rethink almost everything. Ed Grenby, Editor of the Sunday Times Travel Magazine, said: “ We decided to focus on helping travellers plan trips that usually take long time to organise.”
He added: “It can be seen as an opportunity for travellers to find the time to prepare for more difficult and demanding trips. It is all about providing resources to people so they know where they can go and when.”
3. Looking back: Wanderlust’s Lyn Hughes, discussed the launch of their #WishIwasThere campaign. She said: “Not only has it offered readers great armchair travel stories, but it has also encouraged them to interact online by sharing their best travel memories.” She explained how the campaign has provided the publication with reader generated content. Maria Pieri added they had also launched their Stay Inspired campaign for National Geographic Traveller.
4. Being present: Sophie Griffiths, Editor of TTG mentioned the struggle of trying to keep their readers informed and up-to-date, as numerous businesses find themselves in difficult positions. She referenced the coronavirus support hub put in place on TTG’s website. She said: “It has helped professionals by offering them guidance, free legal advice and quick answers in response to their pressing worries.”
5. An impact on frequency: Maria Pieri shared how the situation has impacted publications’ publishing frequency. She goes on to explain how National Geographic Traveller had to merge some of their issues. Lyn Hughes confirmed Wanderlust had to do the same, while Grenby said they were lucky not to have had to. Pieri said she looked forward to what will hopefully be a more reassuring future.
6. Lonely Planet: The panel discussed the sad loss of one of their competitors but it was not a reflection of the state of the market – more a restructure of that company. Maria Pieri confirmed National Geographic Traveller would be taking on their subscriptions for those who wanted to still receive a travel magazine.
7. A new way of travelling: Lyn Hughes observed people seemed to share a desire to cherish travel more. “We might start seeing the public practising a more responsible form of tourism. As people feel like they might have taken travelling for granted and willing to try new options.” Ed Grenby remained sceptical saying people will probably go back pretty quickly to their old habits, after seeing how fast we’ve all adapted to the current situation.
8. Refunds and Insurance troubles: The issue of a reluctance or inability for the industry to fulfil their refund obligations was debated as a barrier to future travel. Ed Grenby noted it seemed to be a common practise for insurance companies to do everything they could to avoid compensating people.
9. A hard hit: Sophie Griffiths noted the travel industry is currently experiencing a catastrophic situation with thousands of jobs already lost. She stressed the need for the government to take serious measures as too many businesses may never recover if the situation carries on. She said: “Many people still fear travelling due to health and safety concerns, travel companies will have to step up and be proactive to reassure their customers and encourage them to travel again.”
10. What’s next: Panellists shared the hope advertising will return with green shoots being seen in the past few weeks and more importantly the expectation of a bright future for the travel industry. Lyn Hughes stated she had sent her first post-lockdown freelancer to Iceland. Separately, the main barrier to the return of travel was highlighted as being FCO advice – and secondly the issue of refunds and travel insurance, with quarantine also in the background. Griffiths noted the push to change FCO advice – currently banning all travel - was a campaign that needed to be taken up by the industry, with the hope it would be reviewed shortly.
Join us for the next BSME Lockdown Lunches on Wednesday 1 July at 12 noon. Magazines are too white. How do we fix it?
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Jasmina Matulewicz, BA journalism graduate at Roehampton University
