Borders are opening, flights are being booked and suitcases are well and truly packed - travel options have finally returned. While we haven’t been able to leave our bubbles and borders, people have had to make do with articles, videos and social posts to ease their wanderlust. And now, the media plays a crucial role in reintroducing Australians to the wonderful world of travel.

As part of the first instalment of Telum's Post Lockdown Travel Journalism series, we spoke to journalists across Australia who shared their thoughts on where travel content is headed.

Kerrie McCallum, Editorial Director of Premium Food and Travel at News Corp Australia:
Our travel editors and journalists play a critical role in helping build confidence to navigate both international and domestic travel again. We need to be on those first flights out, explaining what the experience was like, and demystifying the process, so our audiences feel comfortable to take the plunge and do what they love again. Some people will be on the first plane out, others will wait and see, and will look to us to help them through that process accurately. 
 
We've seen across the board through COVID record engagement with trusted media sources, and travel journalism is no different. Trust is critical, and we know trusted sources are what resonates with consumers more than ever. They need to be able to rely on travel information more than ever before to navigate the myriad challenges we've faced - and those that are still ahead.
 
Consumers have been through a roller coaster of emotions, and staying ahead of these needs has never been more challenging. For a brand like Escape, it is up-to-the-minute news on everything from border closures and openings to vaccination passports and varying quarantine requirements, that are setting record traffic targets. Despite many Australians not being able to travel, we have seen record audiences and engagement online. It shows the hunger for information but also a strong appetite to dream about destinations when they can visit again. 
 
Imagery is incredibly important in travel - to me, it captures a moment in a critical way that can sell a place and an article as well as a strong head and intro does. Dreaming and inspiration are something we work really hard to create at both Escape and Travel + Luxury. Imagery is currency, and we can't underestimate how important that is as part of the package in travel. What's changed aside from consumer sentiment and the shifting needs for information - there are layers to stories we didn't have before. And in the media landscape in travel over the past 18 months, we have seen great digital advancements. You can convey strong stories and content through moving imagery, and it is really important to grow an audience.  
 
At the luxury end of the spectrum, we see the desire to dream greater than ever. There is a lot of talk about 2022 being a year of 'revenge spending', particularly for consumers who have been able to save throughout the pandemic. They are cashed up and ready to go. We launched a glossy magazine, Travel + Luxury, led by The Australian, in the middle of a pandemic and the response has been extraordinary. I think that goes to show that high-end dreaming, and that mix of international and domestic travel seen through the lense of luxury lifestyle is really desirable to that audience.  

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Anthony Dennis, National Travel Editor for Traveller, Sydney Morning Herald and The Age:
The opportunity for travel titles in 2022 is not only to inspire readers as the world reopens but to continue to be a trusted source of information and advice in the time of COVID-19. Overseas travel will be a more challenging process for the foreseeable future, and expert, up-to-date travel advice will be essential and make the difference between a good trip and a great one. The devil is in the details.
 
There is also an opportunity to lead the way with travel content that informs and inspires - there has been a major reset in the way we travel and what we are looking for. Readers are keen to tread lightly on the planet; avoid over-tourism and enjoy authentic, meaningful and unique experiences. And we're all so keen to get on the road again!

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Kate Webster, Owner / Editor-in-Chief of Captured Travel Media: 
As the travel industry reopens, travel journalism and content will be vital in not only updating and keeping travellers informed of the new world, but also inspiring them to maybe change the way they travel and tread more lightly.

I will be more focused on pushing out content across my outlets that offer suggestions and educate travellers to be more mindful of their travel choices. It is a different world now to what we once knew and those changes may be hard to adapt to at first – so patience, kindness, and a little understanding are paramount.

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Russell Palmer, Executive Producer of Sydney Weekender:
For the best part of this year, travel stories have been as much aspirational as they have been inspirational. Viewers have been glued to their couches wondering when those beautiful stories can finally become their reality. We’ve always taken it for granted that a weekend away can be done on a whim, or that interstate travel is easy and affordable, but COVID put the brakes on the great Aussie break. It’s been up to us as broadcasters to push to the very limits of what we can shoot during lockdown, so our crews can produce stories that take our armchair travellers to magical places.
 
As the travel industry begins its grand reopening, our content won’t just be about the pictures and the places - but the people who are welcoming travellers back to their regions and towns. It’s time for viewers to see past the entertainment value of a story and support the travel industry by safely venturing beyond their neighbourhoods and regaining that adventurous spirit. The message in our stories will change from “Hey, look at this” to “Come and see for yourself.”

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Sofia Levin, Freelance Culinary Travel Journalist and Seasoned Traveller Founder:
A silver lining of this pandemic has been the connection that comes from a shared, global experience, even one characterised by hardship. It crosses cultures, the same way food links people from different backgrounds. Food and travel are inextricably linked. As travel reopens, people will be in one of two camps: those jumping on the first flight to another hemisphere, and others easing back into it with staycations and regional weekends away.

With increased interest in cooking, ingredients and supporting local businesses during lockdowns, culinary travel will be bigger than ever - both domestically and internationally. In Australia, state governments are already investing heavily in agritourism; new hotels know that dining is an integral part of their offering and those booking trips will peg dining experiences as points of interest that are equally as important as major attractions. 
 
Travellers have never been more curious. They want real experiences, a sense of discovery, and human connection – and there’s no better way to achieve that than through food. Wherever possible, I want to encourage people to eat curiously to learn more about others, and consequently themselves.
 
I’m looking forward to working with local and international tourism boards across different mediums, delving deeper into culture and sharing the stories of the people behind the plates. Simply writing and publishing an article these days has a short-lived impact. In print, people miss it. Online, it gets pushed further and further down a feed. To properly engage an interested audience, journalism needs to become more holistic. Words should be supported by imagery, digestible but meaningful video, and social media distribution.

There are countless ways to tell a story, and smart publications and brands will engage all-rounders and small, nimble teams to deliver all of the aforementioned in a neat package. At best, this converts digital and print audiences into real travellers while supplying the commissioning organisation with a suite of professional content. At worst, it’s an approach that educates, entertains, and inspires potential travellers while celebrating cultural diversity – which is far more than a single article can achieve.