Travel Writing: Audience

In travel writing, the audience often consists of those who are interested in traveling, exploration, or learning about different cultures, traditions, and landmarks.
Depending on the publication or platform, your audience could be novice travellers, seasoned globetrotters, luxury travellers, budget backpackers, or any specific group.
Knowing your audience’s background, travel preferences, and knowledge level helps to define the tone, style, content focus, and depth of information in your writing.

A portion of the audience for travel writing espouses reading for leisure, fascinated by the descriptive, vibrant language, and engaging storytelling techniques often used.
These readers appreciate evocative descriptions, incorporating sensory language that allows them to imagine the experience first-hand.
It’s important to create a distinctive narrative voice and contain elements of surprise, humour, or suspense to enhance reader engagement and enjoyment.

Certain readers may be planning to visit the place you’re writing about, seeking travel advice and insights to inform their trip.
These readers need practical information - for instance, recommended sights, local customs, suitable accommodation, transport options, and perhaps safety advice.
A balance of objective factual information (such as weather, cost, location details) combined with subjective personal experiences and opinions (dining experiences, anecdotes, impressions) caters to these readers.

An element of travel writing caters to readers who are drawn to issues around sustainable tourism, cultural preservation, and eco-friendly travel.
These readers value writing that highlights these aspects and demonstrates informed, responsible travel practices.
Writers need to concentrate on conveying information about social, cultural, and environmental conditions, promoting understanding, appreciation, and responsible behaviour amongst readers.

Effective travel writing should also captivate readers who are not specifically planning a trip, persuading them to consider the destination as a potential future travel choice.
This requires the writer to emphasise the unique, desirable features of the place in an appealing manner using persuasive techniques.
Evoke an emotional response in the reader, create a sense of wanderlust, and subtly invite them to experience the destination themselves.