Travel writing

Generic overview of travel writing

Travel writing is a genre that has, as its focus, accounts of real or imaginary places. The genre encompasses a number of styles that may range from the documentary to the evocative, from literary to journalistic, and from the humorous to the serious.

Travel writing is often associated with tourism, and includes works of an ephemeral nature such as guide books and reviews, with the intent being to educate the reader about the destination, provide helpful advice for those visiting the destination, and inspire readers to travel to the destination. Effective travel writing should allow readers a vivid recollection of the area/areas being described in a way that is useful and entertaining. Travel writing of various degrees of quality may be found on web sites, in magazines and in books.

Travel writing has also been produced by other types of travelers, such as military officers, missionaries, explorers, scientists, pilgrims, and migrants.

Another way to describe it and may be easier is: it is about the exploration of differernt lands, cultures, religion, people, attitudes and understandings of the different countries that make up the world we live in. It is also about how we might travel to these places and peoples'and how we should try to exist when we arrive.

Guide books

A guide book is a book for tourists or travelers that provides details about a geographic location, tourist destination, or itinerary. It is the written equivalent of a tour guide. Modern travel guides often now take the form of travel websites rather than printed books.

Travel literature

Travel writing which is valued as literature in its own right may be referred to as travel literature. Travel literature typically records the experiences of an author touring a place for the pleasure of travel. An individual work is sometimes called a travelogue or itinerary, but it is generally not written in journal format, with specific dates recorded, as in a travel journal.

Travel journals

A travel journal, also called road journal or travelogue, is a record made by a voyager. Generally in diary form, a travel journal contains descriptions of the traveler's experiences, and is normally written during the course of the journey, with the intention of updating friends or family on the journey. Travel journals may be published in printed form, or online as blogs. Some travel blogs today are built with the intent of supporting the traveler financially during their journey,

See also

• British Guild of Travel Writers
• Dolman Best Travel Book Award (begun 2006)
• Thomas Cook Travel Book Award (ran from 1980–2004)
• Imaginary voyages
• Outdoor literature
• Travel literature