Five Things Readers Look
for in Travelogues

chillibreeze writer — Abha Iyengar

Need an editable PowerPoint World Map

Chillibreeze Travel Writing Skills Assessment

A friend of mine recently remarked that some places are so well defined by savvy travel writers, that if he visits a place he has read about previously, he gets a sense of ‘déjà vu.’ Indeed, travelogues have become very popular in recent times. People interested in visiting new places, exploring different cuisines, learning about different cultures, and seeking adventure will inevitably pick up a travelogue.

Identifying the target reader
The reader may be anyone, let’s say, an Indian wanting to visit Paris. S/he may have a vague idea of Paris, having heard a number of friends talk about it. S/he wants to find out more about the city before he decides to travel to it. That’s where a travelogue comes in.

When one picks up a travelogue on a place of interest, one is looking for information, albeit not only dry facts and statistics. He wants to relive the experience of the person writing the travelogue and learn through it. So a travelogue is a form of storytelling that brings out the essence of a place. A travelogue helps a potential visitor learn about a place in an entertaining manner - the facts are given to him in the form of emotion and experience and that makes all the difference. The writer may be an enthusiastic traveler who writes as a hobby or a professional who travels to write. So let’s take a look at the five things a good travelogue must always have.

1. The Visual Experience:
   First off, the travelogue has to have the pictures and photos so the reader can actually see the place and get a visual experience. Merely, saying that Paris has the Eiffel Tower and describing it textually is not enough. A picture does speak a thousand words and will present a tourist attraction in all its breathtaking brilliance authenticate its description.
   
   
2. The USP of the Place:
   The reader would like to know about the place, its location, historical attractions, entertainment scene, and above all, what makes it special. Paris has the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower for history and art buffs, the Seine for nature lovers, the MOMA for art lovers, the Champs Elysees for shoppers, the Montparnasse for the intellectual bohemians, and the boulevards for romantic coffee sippers. Add to all this the delectable French with their rounded words, inbred sophistication, and heady wines for the Paris experience.
   
   
3. The best Time to visit:
   Each place has its seasons. The reader may be looking to travel when he has a few days or weeks off, which may not coincide with the best time to be in Paris. He may, if the article is good enough, be convinced to leave his job and visit Paris when the weather is suitable!
   
   
4. Budget considerations:
   If a reader has to travel from Delhi to Paris, he would like to know the various possibilities of transport and their relative time and cost. Stating the cost of air travel is not enough, the experience of the air travel would add to the pizzazz of the article.
   
   Again, the reader may be looking for cheaper or more exciting options. That is why travelogues catering to specific requirements of types of travelers have cropped up, e.g. The Backpacker’s Guide to Paris, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Europe etc. Apart from travel, he would have to factor in the place to stay, the city travel and the food costs. The writer may be able to provide a general overview borne of his own assessment. He could mention the budget or luxury hotels, the relative costs, the best form of transport and its availability, the kinds of food and where to eat.
   
   
5. The Pitfalls:
   A reader also needs to know what works and does not work in a particular place. For example, it is not advised to travel in the Metro in Paris without buying the ticket. There are officers, big burly guys, who will waylay you suddenly and ask you to produce your ticket. And no amount of smooth talking or palm greasing will work here.

Reading the travelogue, the reader will know whether to chalk it up as a future destination. For example, Paris is an alive and young city, a lover’s paradise, and also more suitable for people on the go. If the reader is looking for a quiet European holiday, he may do well to choose another place, tucked away in solitary splendor.

The travelogue has to be descriptive and imbued with the enthusiasm of a first-hand personal recounting. It requires a no shades drawn telling, whether good or bad or simply indifferent. If it is a travel story written with candidness and humor, it will draw the reader in.

No travelogue can do complete justice to a tourist attraction. Travelogues are subjective and yet have the ability to connect a potential traveler to a place of interest.

 

Editor's note: Most articles submitted to Chillibreeze go through a selection process. Only 30 percent of submitted articles are accepted for publication on the Chillibreeze.com featured article list. All accepted articles are edited and proofread for glaring errors of punctuation and grammar. Sentence structure is changed in certain cases and sometimes, entire sections are rewritten. If you notice any errors that have slipped through the cracks, do let us know! (Email us at info at chillibreeze dot com).

Chillibreeze's disclaimer: This is a contributed article and was published on Chillibreeze in May, 2010. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article. The relevance of the facts and figures cited (if any) could change after a period of time.

 

More on Chillibreeze.com

Related links

What Makes for a Good Travel Article?
Srisailam – a Travelogue
Travel Jaipur – the Attractions in the Pink City
A Sliver of Sikkim: A travel diary
Bangalore to Mangalore by Road

Other popular articles on Chillibreeze

Weight Loss Tips for a Healthier You
Surviving Indian Summers
Therapeutic Humor: Why Some Doctors Are Taking Humor Seriously
An Unguided Trip to Mt. Titlis from Zurich
Outsourcing: Treading a Careful Path

Out of 5 “chilies”, our editorial team gave this article...

---

—About our writer: Abha writes for chillibreeze.

 

 

 

>> Read more articles written by Chillibreeze writers:

1. Articles related to Content and Outsourcing
2. NRI and Expat Articles
3. Potpourri
4. Travel Writing
5. Book Reviews and Interviews

More resources for Writers on Chillibreeze.com Chillibreeze offers Indian writers the opportunity to work on customer projects. We are also India’s biggest writer network and a one-stop shop for Indian writers and editors. The writers’ section on Chillibreeze offers freelance writers and editors a variety of tools to advance their careers. Resources for writers include: Assessment of your writing, editing and proofreading skills Writing courses Expert Feedback on your article An opportunity to promote yourself on our website Top websites for Indian writers Tips and resources for Indian freelancers Book Publishing services And more……………….. Explore our writers’ section using the links on our left-hand side menu.