SIGN UP TO THE NEWSLETTER
Sustainable tourism, storytelling, and social impact for for content creators. News, tips, and industry guides, straight to your inbox.
Whether you’re a writer, blogger, influencer, photographer, videographer, podcaster, or some other content creator working in the travel and tourism industry, you have a job that many people envy.
But you know being a storyteller is hard work And with that hard work comes incredible responsibility.
After all, your job lets you interact with interesting people, participate in engaging activities, and see incredible places… but you also have the difficult decision of deciding what deserves coverage and how you’re going to frame every single piece of content you create.
Your job is more than just creation. You must:
- Decide who or what you will feature — and who or what you will leave out.
- Think critically about word choice, imagery, messaging, personal perspective, and historical and cultural context.
- Know where to find and how to incorporate underreported stories, people, or social and environmental issues that bump up against tourism.
- Understand how the content choices you make impact the behavior and actions of readers, listeners, followers, and fans.
- Stay on top of new ways to approach travel content.
And you need to do that over and over again, even as you juggle travel plans, assignments, and relationships that keep your career afloat.
Rooted is here to provide you with the tools and resources you need to understand and feel confident navigating the relationship between sustainable tourism and responsible storytelling.
New Course Available Now: Responsible Travel Writing
It’s time to demystify all that terminology!
This guide is a go-to resource to help make sense of 50+ common words and phrases related to sustainable tourism (yes, even that murky term “sustainable tourism” is defined!).
This A-to-Z collection touches on topics related to the environment, tourism supply chain, consumer behavior, and more.
Recent Articles for Travel Content Creators
As an influential link between potential travelers and the the destinations they visit, travel writers must discuss the climate crisis.
Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency is an industry initiative to put the planet first. Through Rooted, I commit to doing my part to cut carbon emissions.
People are eager to travel again, but the tourism industry must remain committed to implementing sustainable tourism practices.
Page [tcb_pagination_current_page] of [tcb_pagination_total_pages]
Rooted Resources for Travel Content Creators
August 14, 2020
July 8, 2020
June 24, 2020
May 25, 2020
April 27, 2020
Page [tcb_pagination_current_page] of [tcb_pagination_total_pages]
Additional Information and Insight for Travel Content Creators
Resources for writers:
Solutions Journalism Network - Educational resources and support for solutions journalism.
Cultural Appropriation for the Worried Writer: Some Practical Advice - What to know about appropriation and writing outside your identity.
A Primer on Responsible Travel Writing - Advice on avoiding stereotypes, cliches, and inappropriate characterization in commercial travel writing.
Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong about the World — and Why Things are Better Than You Think - Journalism often thrives on extremes. This book uses data to highlight some of the misconceptions the media (and society in general) perpetuate. It also offer strategies for recognizing and thinking beyond those misconceptions.
Resources for travelers:
Uncornered Market - A wealth of resources for anyone who wants to be a more sustainable traveler. A few top picks include these articles on top sustainable travel tips, voluntourism, and how social media influencers can use their power for good.
Leave No Trace - According to Leave No Trace, 90% of people don't realize the environmental footprint of their actions. This website is a wealth of information on sustainable environmental practices primarily focused on its seven principles.
What Travelers Can Do to Save the Planet - Published by AFAR in the wake of COVID-19, this article suggests habit changes and how to positively create impact related to carbon emissions, plastic waste, supporting local communities, and other issues.
The Thoughtful Traveller - A basic guidebook created by World Expeditions outlining basic tenets for ethical travel. It was developed several years ago, but the information is still solid.
