One of the best ways to show off one’s country and culture is by starting a travel blog. It’s also a creative way of sharing the sights and sounds, as well as unique personal stories, experienced by the traveler-blogger. Here are some of the best pieces of wisdom from several of the most successful travel bloggers in the Southeast Asia region.
Make a Travel Blog a Tourist Destination
1. Create a Positive Perception
“A tourist judges a place by what people say.”
- Rebecca Saw, top Malaysian travel blogger
When you hear a country’s name, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? For Rebecca, this illustrates the power of perception, stemming from a bias/judgement which we (the travelers/visitors) already have about a certain place regardless if we’ve been there or not. For example:
- China: Spitting in public
- Israel: War and conflict
These perceptions have been ingrained into visitors minds because that’s what is constantly seen.
What can you do about it? Create and highlight the highs of your country, city, or neighborhood. Show off the beautiful beaches, the flavorful food, and the playful people! The images you use will greatly impact the expression and emotions of the place you are trying to promote.
2. Create a Story, not a Commentary
“Destination marketing is about telling stories and being human.”
- Windy Ariestanty, top Indonesian travel blogger
I actually like the term ‘destination marketing’ – the place is the brand which you are advertising as a travel blogger. How best to tell a place’s story than by sharing the life and experiences of the people in the place?
It’s not so much about what you ate, where you slept, or what fun activity you did. It’s about creating a story told from multiple perspectives, producing a more holistic and complete point of view as a result.
What can you do with this? Collaborate with other locals – fellow travel bloggers, photographers, and maybe even ‘super-tourists’, those tourists who visit that place over and over again, having fallen in love with it. Since this kind of arrangement promotes a place based on social proof (shared real-life experiences) and true engagement (collaboration), the story crafted becomes more complete and convincing.
How do you make a travel blog you own your very own personal travel brochure? Do share your thoughts and opinions in the comments!
Featured image of Palawan, Philippines by Joseph Ferris III via Creative Commons.
Inspired by talks at the Malaysia Social Media Week 2013. Quotes are not verbatim but still capture the spirit of each blogger’s message. While not a travel blogger per se, I am a travel-spot contributor at Smile, Cebu Pacific Airlines’ in-flight magazine.
- Rebecca Saw blogs at The Nomad Gourmand.
- Windy Ariestanty blogs at Windy Ariestanty.
About Jason Cruz
