You cannot hope to bribe or twist, thank God! the British journalist. But, seeing what the man will do unbribed, there’s no occasion to. Humbert Wolfe 1886 - 1940
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Welcome to the home page of the British Guild of Travel Writers – the leading organisation for travel media professionals. We number among our members many of Britain’s most successful travel journalists, guidebook writers, editors, photographers and broadcasters. On this site you can find out about membership, view our events calendar, and buy our Yearbook – which comes with enhanced access to our website allowing you to read even more about our members and review our comprehensive travel industry directory
Front Page Opinion
Each week we hand the front page of the Guild website to one (or more) of our members to write on a subject about which they feel strongly. The Guild would like to point out that all views expressed in this column are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the organisation.
Our shared knowledge of the travel world: spreading the sustainable message
11 March 2010
Rosemary Bailey, British Guild of Travel Writers
I felt a real sense of support and camaraderie this year at the Guild’s AGM in Tenerife.
Although we are watching with dismay the collapse of traditional travel journalism, it seems to me there is still much we can do, and indeed that the Guild is more essential than ever. Not just to its members but the world in general.
Because while (paid for) travel journalism may be in its death throes, tourism most definitely is not. It is a major world industry: many countries are dependent on tourism to support their economy, and it is an important source of employment. And through enlightened ideas about sustainability, tourism can make a real contribution to increasing people’s environmental awareness.
So where does the Guild fit in? The other thing that impressed me enormously at this year’s AGM was the sheer extent of members’ knowledge. Everyone I spoke to had some speciality, not just particular countries, but also disabled travel, train travel, food, wine, sports activities, architecture, art, music, history, wildlife, back-packing, business, aviation, driving, walking, diving, golf, climbing, gay nightlife, eco-travel and industrial conservation. Between us all we cover the globe and many languages. And with so many new younger members we cover the generations too.
This is expertise that we could exploit and showcase, offer perhaps in some kind of consultancy capacity to tourist authorities, both in mature markets and to developing economies which have the opportunity to encourage sustainable tourism from the start.
I believe some members already do this, and perhaps we could learn from them. I see this not as PR but as genuine advice as to how best to exploit their potential for tourism.
Photo Gallery: Whenuapai Air Show 2009 New Zealand by Jeremy Hoare.
Flying straight through and arriving in Auckland, New Zealand, after just a coffee and a change of plane in Singapore, we found that this bi-annual airshow at RNZAF Whenuapai was on the next day.
So instead of being tired we went to it and hardly noticed the jetlag and it was well worth the effort for the fine display.
From top: RNZAF Havard; Tiger Moth with wingwalker;
RNZAF Vampire; Red Checkers aerobatic team.
What’s your earliest memory of travel?
At the age of seven, without telling my parents I was going, I rode my bike from Ilford to Southend and back - 27 miles each way - and filled the gasmask case I used for my sandwiches with winkles picked from the seashore to prove I'd really been there.
How did you get involved with travel professionally?
I travelled extensively as a journalist, promotion man and sometime record label manager working in the music business. I... Read more...
"On my first visit, in 1983, the roads were empty except for heavy trucks, black government limos and battalions of bicycles. Today the roads are clogged with cars that the Chinese drive like bicycles. It is not that they are aggressive, just that, like cyclists, they seem reluctant to stop for fear of wobbling and falling off. Driving in China is a series of collisions that you never quite have."
I felt a real sense of support and camaraderie this year at the Guild’s AGM in Tenerife.
