Travel and Escape (2013): Are Travel Writers Obsolete?

Tony Wheeler:

I don’t think travel writers will become obsolete. People are still going to want information in a trusted fashion. However, the way we get that information is changing. We read as many words as we ever did, we just don’t always read them on paper—we read them on screen, on our phones and through the internet. But we still read those words, so the demand for information is still there.

Agustinus Wibowo:

The world is constantly changing, the way we travel is changing and the travel writers are changing too. We look back at travel writing in the 19th century, and it’s more about the destinations and people’s experiences in undiscovered lands. Nowadays, nearly everyone can travel. There are so many budget airlines and it’s easier to get a passport. If a travel writer wants to insist on being the first person to visit a place, they won’t survive. Nowhere is untouched.

Travel writing has become more about connection with your readers. Readers don’t just want information about the place—they can get that for free on the internet. They want to buy your book to see behind the place. The point of connection is getting more and more important and travel writing is getting more and more personal. We share emotion between the writers and the readers. The reader is proud to share what the writer has experienced, and they consider the writer’s journey to be their journey too.

Don George:

I think there is the kind of travel writing that Lonely Planet writers do, which is great and won’t go away because they are experts at what they do, and then there is another branch of travel writing, which is storytelling.

Storytelling is this incredibly ancient and abiding art. It’s one of the things that distinguishes us as human beings. We like to share our stories. The travel writer connects with the world outside and then connects his experience with the readers’ lives and worlds. That’s what’s so hopeful and inspiring about travel writing for me. It brings the world closer together on a foundation of understanding, respect, community, and wonder. If we, as travel writers, can communicate that to our readers, we infuse the world with this sense of dignity and respect, appreciation and understanding. That makes the world a better place. For me, that’s the heart of what travel writing is all about. It’s incredibly important so it’s not going to go away.

What do you think? Are things like social media, blogging and TripAdvisor taking over from the traditional travel writers?