10d • Stories, Wins & Photos
Travel Professional?
I’ve spoken with more travel professionals across more situations than most people ever will. Conferences, trade shows, webinars, airport lounges, casual conversations—every corner of the industry. And there’s a pattern I can’t ignore anymore:
Most of them are boring. Even the energetic, outgoing ones somehow manage to make me drift off.
The reason is straight forward: They all sound like a sales brochure.
Not a memorable one either—more like the generic kind you find in a hotel lobby rack, full of interchangeable phrases that could describe any destination, any company, any person.
A Bit of My Background
Before anyone thinks this is just cynicism, here’s the context. I spent about ten years as the director of a highly successful travel company in London. My work focused heavily on Spain, Turkey, and Southern Africa—three regions I know deeply, not just as products but as lived experiences. I’ve seen how powerful authentic storytelling can be, and I’ve also seen how quickly canned marketing language kills genuine interest.
Why So Many Professionals Sound the Same
The U.S. travel industry leans hard into polished, “professional” language. The problem is that this language has been recycled so many times it’s lost all meaning. Words like exclusive, unforgettable, tailored, and bucket‑list get tossed around until they become white noise.
Strip away the branding, and most pitches are indistinguishable.
The Fix: Find Your Own Voice
Finding your voice isn’t about volume or enthusiasm. It’s about being unmistakably yourself.
It’s the difference between:
“We create customized, immersive travel experiences across the globe…” and "The first time I watched the sun rise over the Drakensberg, I understood why people fall in love with Southern Africa. That’s the kind of moment I help people find.”
One is marketing. The other is human.
How to Break Out of Brochure‑Speak
- Tell the truth, not the tagline. What do you genuinely love about the places you send people?
- Use real language. If you wouldn’t say it to a friend at a backyard barbecue, don’t say it to a client.
- Share moments, not features. People remember stories, not bullet points.
- Let your quirks show. Your voice is the only thing your competitors can’t copy.
- Aim for connection, not perfection. Travel is emotional. Your communication should be too.
The Bottom Line
When you speak in your own voice, people pay attention. They trust you. They remember you. Not because you’re polished, but because you’re real.
And in an industry overflowing with brochure‑speak, being real is the most powerful differentiator you have.
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Travel Professional?
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