The Ultimate Travel Writing Resources List

by Travel Writing World

Beginning and advanced travel writers have it good these days with the abundance of online resources. In fact, they can use a wide variety of online resources to help them not only develop their craft, but pitch articles, get assignments, and connect with others in the field. You will find the web’s best travel writing resources below.

As you can imagine, it is difficult to keep lists of this nature updated. So, if you find a dead link, or know of an online resource that should be included on this list, please reach out to us or leave a comment below.

General Travel Writing Websites

There are a number of great travel writing websites that publish articles on how to be a better travel writer, how to pitch editors, and how to cultivate the right mindset. Some specialize in interviews with travel writers, offer book reviews, and much more. Here are some of the best travel writing resources.

TravelWriting2.com – Tim Leffel is the editor behind the Travel Writing 2.0 Blog, which publishes articles on travel writing, broadly defined. This is a good place to start. He also teaches a good online course (see below).

Rolf Potts – Travel Writer Rolf Potts rose to prominence following the success of his well-known book Vagabonding. On his website, he has articles on travel writing and profiles various travel writers. It also has articles that deviate from travel writing, including cinema and cultural commentary.

Travel Writing World – This is the website you’re currently on. It features articles on travel writing news, interviews with travel writers on its award-winning podcast, book reviews, and much more.

Freelance Travel Writing Websites

These online resources publish articles and offer services that are designed to help freelancers get more paid work or help with advice specific to freelance writing. Some post calls for submissions, leads, etc.

Travel Magazine Database – The title says it all. This premium service breaks down the various departments and sections of magazines and gives you a sense of what editors typically publish. It also includes the names and email addresses of magazine editors.

Pitchwhiz – This website is all about helping freelance writers connect with editors seeking submissions. You can see articles sought after by editors and even send them pitches through the platform. It is good practice to check once a week to see what editors are looking for.

Online Courses

There are a number of online courses that will help beginners learn more about travel writing. To be sure, there are more expensive face-to-face courses that some individuals may prefer, like the ones held in Paris and Santa Fe by Rolf Potts and David Farley respectively, but this is a list of some of the best self-paced online courses available today.

Travel Writing Overdrive – This self-paced course will teach you about breaking into the space from the perspective of blogging, building authority and presence online, and creating multiple streams of income.

Responsible Travel Writing – This premium course confronts travel writers, travel journalists, travel bloggers, and travel influencers with the industry’s ethical questions around topics like press trips, bias, interviewing, colonialism, and sustainability to name a few.

Conferences & Festivals

We previously published an article that goes into more detail about the various professional travel writing conferences in the United States, but here is a quick list of some of the major players:

Travel Writing Awards

Many of the professional associations hold their own yearly awards competitions. For journalists, the Lowell Thomas Awards and the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) Awards are two of the most active award competitions in the United States.

For travel books, the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards are among the most prestigious.

Travel Writing Associations

Many travel writing associations exist around the world. Most of them, however, have barriers to entry including membership dues and being able to demonstrate that you are active and a professional writer. That being said, they all offer their members perks like online webinars, networking opportunities, and the ability to attend conferences.

University Programs & Academic Journals

Travel writing as a field of academic study is small but strong. Several institutions, primarily in Europe, have centers that specialize in the study of travel writing. The most prominent in the English-speaking world is perhaps the Centre for Travel Writing Studies (Nottingham Trent University), which also is affiliated with the academic journal Studies in Travel Writing.

Another English-language journal on travel writing studies is Journeys: The International Journal of Travel and Travel Writing, which is published twice a year. In the Francophone world, you’ll find the Centre de Recherche sur la Littérature des Voyages, whose faculty and researchers are affiliated with the online journal Astrolabe.


We hope you found value in this list of travel writing resources. If you think we’re overlooking an important resource, please leave us a comment below or send us an email.

Happy writing!

Last Updated on 23 May 2021 by Travel Writing World

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