Lessons From a Travel Blogger: Jami Savage Shares Her 'Ah-ha' Moments
Do you wish someone would give you the inside scoop about travel, blogging, and running your own business which combines both?? You're going to love Jami's insights.
Do you ever struggle to turn a “no” into something positive? Do you wonder just how long you have to write until you’re a “real” writer? Does it sometimes feel like it’s hard to balance the wonderful things about being a writer with the prosaic realities of being self-employed?
I’ve been there - and so has my friend and colleague Jami Savage. Passionate about using her voice to create positive change in the tourism industry, Jami runs a popular travel blog, Adventure Awaits. On her site and through her social, travellers can learn how to use their own tourism dollars as a catalyst for change worldwide.
In 2023 Jami was a Finalist in the Travel Industry Association of Canada’s – Media Member Of The Year. In 2024 she won 1st Place for Self-Published Travel Blog from TMAC. Her latest news includes launching the Travel Media Accelerator program, a mentorship and coaching program to support Bloggers and Creators in growing their business online.
I asked Jami for insights about what it takes to make in our industry and she didn’t hold back.
Like you, I’ve been a travel writer and blogger for a long time. I’ve seen a lot of changes to both travel and travel writing over the past decade. One thing that hasn’t changed is that people still say “Wow! That must be the best job” when I describe my work. What is it about this field that makes it so captivating?
The people! I have never met a more grounded and kind industry in my life. From fellow writers and creators to destination hosts, to adventure tour operators, our industry is powered by two things: passion and hospitality. It’s such an honour to work in the industry and showcase the amazing humans who make tourism so special.
Travel writing is often seen as a fun job (and it is!) but sometimes it feels hard to be taken seriously. If someone has been working as a blogger or influencer for a while and they want to take things to the next level, what can they do to establish or maximize their credibility? What about someone who has been writing in a different field and wants to take on some travel-focused work?
The biggest “ah ha” moment for me was realizing that almost everyone in the travel industry came into the industry as a second or third, or fourth, or fifth. career. It’s challenging, if not impossible, to go to school to become a travel writer. Ten years ago, it was most common for people to evolve into travel writing as a retirement hobby. With the explosion of blogging and social media, creators were formed, and a new travel writer was born. Now you’ll see 25-year-olds and 70-year-olds sitting next to each other at a conference table, sharing their own journeys in the travel industry.
Having said all that, I think that most people struggle with imposter syndrome and think that they don’t belong in the room. But the whole room is made up of people who, somewhere in their careers, decided to follow their passions and learn about the industry.
If you’re looking to move beyond being a hobby blogger or content creator, you need to establish yourself as a credible media member. This is done through accreditation processes and associations such as TMAC and the SATW (and more).
If someone is writing in a different field and looking to get into the travel industry, welcome! There’s more work than there are quality writers, so know that you’ll be invited with open arms to give it a try. I’d recommend starting small and simple, offering to publish stories for local blogs or outlets, and grow your portfolio from there.
Artificial intelligence has already had a big impact on travel media. What advice would you have for someone who is looking to stand out from AI generated content? Is there still a market for personal essays? Long form content? What about less-than-perfect photos and videos?
Travel is about exploring new places, meeting new people, and building connections. All things that AI can’t do. Readers want to connect with first-person stories and get real-world advice from someone who’s had those experiences. AI may help us in some aspects of life, but in Travel Writing, there will always be a preference for lived experiences. In fact, Google is giving preference to non-AI stories, knowing that people prefer this content.
So my answer is yes, there’s a market for personal essays, long-form content, as well as less-than-perfect social feeds.
A lot of people have a list of dream publications they’d love to write for (I’m looking at you, National Geographic!) But, of course, they can’t take every single pitch from every single writer. Can you speak to how you balance staying motivated about going after a dream publication versus being realistic and recognizing that second or third choice publications are still pretty awesome?
When I first started blogging, I heard “no” about 9 out of 10 times. To this day, I still hear “no’s” regularly for pitches I send out. Whether it’s budget, fit, timing, or logistics, there are a lot of reasons why a story or campaign may not come together.
However, every single “No” has done two things for me:
It’s given me an opportunity to learn. To investigate what I could have improved upon, to learn lessons, and craft better pitches going forward.
To network! Many times I’ve been turned down, I’ve accepted it with grace, maintained the connection and often worked with partners years down the road.
I often like to remind people that travel writing isn’t all glamour. I still have to do my taxes and edit my website just like any other self-employed person! What prosaic tasks in your day-to-day life do you love? Hate? Wish you knew about before you entered this field?
This is so true… as much as it’s absolutely amazing to be standing in the middle of the Arctic Circle looking up at Northern Lights, or swimming next to a sunken ship in Curacao surrounded by a school of fish, there’s about 90% of my time that is spent managing a business and not travelling!
Being an entrepreneur is the foundation of any successful business, travel writing included. So I have systemized my business using project management tools so that I can push through the harder and less desirable tasks, and get to the fun and rewarding tasks more easily. (goodbye taxes, hello photo editing).
This is the time of year when people start mapping out their calendar, including where to go and what events to participate in. Why do you think conferences and in-person events are important? Do you have any advice for someone attending for the first time?
Conferences absolutely changed the trajectory of my career. Once I started attending in 2018, I grew my business and eventually went full-time in 2022.
There are a lot of conferences to choose from, and as a beginner, it’s hard to decide which one is worth investing in. When deciding, here are three tips I recommend:
Know YOUR Market - Do you have an outlet that can publish articles for that market? For example, if you are a blogger and have a US audience but are looking at a conference in Australia, which Australian Industry members are they may be looking at local outlets, or US destinations. Go where you can offer great ROI for industry partners (stories and campaigns that align with their target markets)
Start Small - Go to a local networking event or conference to practice your pitch, your cadence, your introductions, and your follow-ups.
Be Prepared - Know how to dress, who you’re meeting with (and who you dream of meeting with), how to pitch, how to use your media kit, and when to follow up.
Finally, are there any lessons from being a travel writer that you think all writers could benefit from? What has this industry taught you that you wish all writers could know?
Imposter Syndrome
Everyone struggled with imposter syndrome at the beginning, and even today, many still do. Since 99% of people entered the industry indirectly, they know it’s normal. If you write about travel and have an outlet, you’re a Travel Writer. So leave the syndrome at the door and throw yourself into the party!
Realistic Expectations
Don’t be disappointed if you get rejected right away or multiple times. Plan on making relationships that will last 3+ years, so that if you don’t get picked right away, you can still evolve a relationship and keep doors open for future collaborations.