How to create armchair travel inspiration for clients
By recommending everything from travel-themed TV shows to podcasts, agents can transport their clients to faraway places without them even having to leave the sofa. We round up content to inspire your clients’ next adventure during lockdown.
Although it might feel as if the media is solely focused on coronavirus right now, there’s still plenty of inspiring travel content out there to bring some cheer to people’s living rooms. And sharing this content with your clients in your agency newsletters or on your website is a fantastic way to connect with them and get them thinking about their next adventure.
The Inspiring Travel Company’s Ultimate Guide to Your Holiday From Home digital magazine is a great example of a supplier being proactive and engaging with clients during the lockdown. The guide is full of content to keep clients entertained during lockdown, featuring recipes, travel blogs, activities for kids’ travel-themed films to watch at home and more.
“People have always wanted to travel, and even during isolation, they will likely be researching where to go on their next holiday when they have their freedom back,” says Alexis Sharples, director of marketing at the Inspiring Travel Company. “Holidays From Home was designed to put a smile back on [people’s] faces, entertain, inspire and acknowledge that we all have a little more opportunity for some ‘me’ time.”
From new travel TV shows to books set in far-flung destinations, we’ve created our own inspirational armchair travel guide that you can share with clients in newsletters or online during the lockdown.
Television shows and streaming services
Race Across the World
Now in its second series, this show pits five pairs of travellers against each other in a race to traverse multiple countries and win £20,000. With only the cash equivalent of their airfare available to them and no smartphones allowed, the teams must pass through five checkpoints on their way to the final destination, coming up with innovative methods of earning money to keep them going. The latest escapade takes contestants on a journey from Mexico to Argentina’s Ushuaia.
Where to watch: Aired on BBC Two every Sunday at 8pm and also on BBC iPlayer.
Ainsley’s Mediterranean Cookbook
Following on from the success of Ainsley’s Caribbean Kitchen, which aired last year, this Mediterranean iteration of the show sees chirpy celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott journey through Spain, Sardinia, Morocco, Corsica, Cyprus and Jordan, preparing traditional fare along the way.
Where to watch: The 10-episode series airs on ITV on Sundays at 10.30pm-11.30pm, with two episodes currently available to watch on ITV Hub.
Contiki’s weekly film club
Every Thursday from 2 April, coach tour operator Contiki will host a film club on Netflix Party – an app that can be downloaded on Google Chrome and which allows multiple people to connect to the same stream, use live chat and watch films together. Each film will showcase different destinations from around the world, with Eat Pray Love debuting – the adventure flick takes place in Italy, India and Indonesia and stars Julia Roberts.
Where to watch: The films will be available via links shared on Contiki’s social media platforms.
Sorted Food
Visit The USA's free video-streaming service GoUSA TV includes 28-part food series Sorted Food, which follows a collective as they travel around the states exploring different American culinary scenes. It's ideal for clients who are planning a trip to the US next year and who are fans of the country's diverse food scene. Over on YouTube, the Sorted Food channel is full of more foodie content, including recipe video tutorials for much-loved dishes and snacks such Louisiana's po'boys.
Where to watch: GoUSA TV is available for free without subscription on iOS, Android, Amazon Fire Stick and Apple TV.
YouTube channels
Bald and Bankrupt
Englishman Benjamin Rich – aka Mr Bald – is the star of this show, travelling to far-flung corners of the former Soviet Union to connect with locals. Whether he’s drinking homemade wine with babushkas in Moldova or having a barbeque with locals in Belarus, Mr Bald’s antics and episodes are full of laughs, history and human intrigue. Most recently he has explored Cuba’s Communist history, travelled on “Africa’s worst train” and roamed the streets of La Paz in Bolivia.
Where to watch: More than 150 episodes are available on the Bald and Bankrupt YouTube channel.
The Budgeteers
In this show, three friends from across the globe attempt to backpack around countries and continents with only $1,000 to spend in total. There are four seasons charting the trio’s adventures in south-east Asia, Central America, India and Sri Lanka, with three mini-series also online. From sampling street food to embarking on epic road trips by scooter, the exploits of the Budgeteers should certainly inspire clients to start thinking about their next holiday.
Where to watch: There are more than 70 videos accessible on the Budgeteers’ Youtube channel.
The Bucket List Family
In 2015 the Gee family sold all their possessions and set out to travel the world with their three small children. They have visited 65 different countries together, which they've documented on YouTube. Episodes cover everything from snorkelling with humpback whales in Tonga to rubbing shoulders with penguins in Cape Town.
Where to watch: There are more than 150 free videos accessible on The Bucket List Family Youtube channel.
Podcasts
BBC Sound Odyssey: Loyle Carner in Guyana
Recommended by The Guyana Tourism Authority for the new armchair travel guide created by the Latin American Travel Association (Lata), this podcast follows hip-hop artist Loyle Carner to discover his roots via the music and gastronomy of Guyana, before attempting to record a new track with the help of local musicians.
Where to listen: Available on the BBC Sounds website (bbc.co.uk/sounds) or app.
Our Americana
This podcast tracks the adventures of Josh Hallmark as he discovers the US from his camper van. The six-month journey sees him visit 40 states, three provinces and numerous small towns, exploring communities, history and politics along the way.
Where to listen: Apple Podcasts, Spreaker, Stitcher, Radio Public, Castbox and Spotify.
Books
Hidden Places
Penned by Sarah Baxter, Hidden Places offers readers a guide to the world’s most secret, off-the-beaten-track attractions. From a mysterious underwater monument off the Ryukyu Islands in Japan to a prehistoric village covered by sand for centuries at Skara Brae in the Orkney Islands, clients can explore 25 destinations brought to life by illustrations.
Where to buy: Available to purchase on Amazon from £14.99 or from £11.99 for the Kindle edition.
Gibbous Moon over Lagos
Author Pamela Watson returns to Africa in a follow-up memoir to her first book, Esprit de Battuta: Alone Across Africa on a Bicycle. Gibbous Moon sees her attempt to set up a business in Nigeria’s largest city, with accounts of adventures to the beaches of Badagry Creek and Niger River thrown in for good measure.
Where to buy: Available on Wordery (wordery.com) in paperback from £9.63.
Captivating content
Haslemere Travel sends out an armchair inspiration newsletter to its clients each week. Owner Gemma Antrobus explains why:
“Our website was built by Net Effects, and we also use their e-marketing system. Net Effects founder Steve Rushton suggested adding inspirational travel content [from suppliers] to our newsletter. For example, Leading Hotels of the World now has a downloadable colouring book of its properties, which we will add to our armchair travelling guide.
“There will come a time when people get sick of doing virtual exercises with Joe Wicks at 9am every morning. So whether it’s a 360° virtual tour of a hotel or a travel film, we need to share inspirational content with clients.
We’ve already had some great feedback from our customers about the newsletters. Even if only a few people are looking at them, it will hopefully introduce them to new destinations and encourage them to travel.”
Do you have any recommendations for travel-themed content that would appeal to clients? Pop any recommendations in the comment box below. Thank you!
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