I’d spent years toying with the idea of dipping my toe into travel journalism. I’d always been a passionate traveller, racking up visits to over 110 countries, but never had the confidence to take this next step – a combination of imposter syndrome, putting other commitments first and thinking ‘that ship has sailed’. I had been told I wrote well, but had never written in a journalistic context and had no idea about the travel media industry.
A change in day-job situation gave me a window of opportunity (or, more accurately, a kick up the backside) to finally pursue travel journalism, initially as an interest, but with hopes it might become a career. In considering how to build my understanding, I wanted a comprehensive course that would both improve my writing and provide an introduction to the business of freelance journalism. I was also conscious of cost and to avoid any course that made outlandish claims.
What impressed me the most about The Ultimate Travel Journalism Course was the speed and depth of feedback that came back from my tutor, candid but supportive, often extending over multiple pages. Although there was a lot of material to cover and the assignments required a lot of thought, I finished the course with both a portfolio of articles and a far clearer understanding of what would come next. I also appreciated the number of real-world examples included – advice from editors/PRs, examples of strong openings and endings to articles, and also what to avoid (never, ever talk about ‘hidden gems!’).
I still use my portfolio of notes from the course as a ‘Bible’ and consult it several times weekly. Three examples of this: I found out about TravMedia (de facto LinkedIn for travel journalists and a must-have), I used the pitch and follow-up templates to reach out to publications, and finally, I used the invoice template to bill The Independent for an article I had written.
Since completing the course, I’ve successfully pitched to BBC Travel, Travel & Leisure, The Independent and Conde Nast Traveller, three of which have been published.
BBC Travel: Are The World’s Most Beautiful Islands in Danger
The Independent: The Perfect Car-Free Tuscan Base – this was based on an article I wrote during the course
Travel & Leisure: The Wild Freedom of Lofoten’s Summer
Two of these were ‘dream’ publications that I never thought I could write for – or more accurately, not without years of experience - but the course taught me there’s nothing mythical about getting accepted. It’s having an eye-catching idea, knowing the publication, pitching in a concise but compelling way and then delivering on the story - all of which is covered in depth during the course.
Alongside paid work, I run my own blog (www.someoneelsescountry.com) to showcase both my bylines and my own work. I’ve also secured my first media trip and started working with a couple of tourist boards to create content promoting their destinations. Becoming a freelance travel journalist is hard work and I’m not pretending for a second that I’ve ‘made it’ yet – there’s a continued flood of work to pitch, write, build relationships and promote yourself. Starting out also comes with the perpetual uncertainty of what comes next and imposter syndrome doesn’t just vanish overnight.
That said, the guidance I would give anyone considering travel journalism is that the best investment you can make is one that improves your odds of getting paid. This course has done that for me – from a base of literally zero knowledge, the structure and the quality of my tutor’s feedback gave me a framework to launch with (relative) confidence into the world of travel writing. I would therefore recommend it without reservation.
TO READ MORE OF PHIL's WORK, VISIT INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, BLUESKY, AND Travmedia
