In todayâs competitive travel industry, destinations and DMOs (destination marketing organizations) need more than traditional ads and baseline influencer collaborations to stand out. Travelers crave authentic storytelling, expert insights, and experiences that go beyond standard marketing strategies.
One of the best and most unique ways to have your destination stand out among a sea of content is bringing in seasoned travel experts. These are the people that know how to uncover compelling narratives and angles â and harness them to shine a spotlight on a particular destination.
To explore this further, we sat down and spoke with Jonathan Thompson, host of Adventure Cities and an award-winning travel journalist with bylines in National Geographic Traveller, Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveller, and Esquire. Jonathan has explored over 100 countries across all seven continents, and he believes that compelling storytelling is the key to making destinations irresistible to audiences.
The Power of Newness: Fresh Stories Make Destinations Shine
Travelers trust experts. Unlike traditional ads, expert-led storytelling creates an emotional connection with your audience. âThe question I get asked the most is: How can we promote our destination better?â Jonathan says. âAnd the answer is always the sameânewness. Whatâs different? Whatâs changed? Whatâs happening right now?â
But that doesnât necessarily mean promoting brand-new hotels or attractions. âNewness doesnât have to be about something thatâs just been built â it can be a fresh perspective on something historic,â Jonathan explains. âFor example, in Adventure Cities, we filmed in Amman, Jordan, where three Millennial sisters run a cookery school teaching traditional recipes. The dishes werenât new, but the fact that local women were leading the business and empowering others was. That was the story.â
Finding a fresh take on a familiar concept is what makes travel journalism so powerful. It moves beyond surface-level promotion and creates compelling narratives that resonate with travelers.
Jonathan Thompson, and Maria Haddad (co-owner of Beit Sitti) in Amman, Jordan
Watch đ How Beit Sitti is Breaking Social Barriers | Jonathan Thompson in Amman, Jordan
Finding the Right Stories: The Third Idea
Identifying a compelling narrative that resonates with travelers is key to moving beyond surface-level promotion â and into content which draws genuine attention. So how do destinations identify the stories that will work? Jonathan swears by the rule of âthe third ideaâ.
âThe first idea you have is the same idea as everyone else,â he explains. âThe second idea is the same idea as all the other clever kids. Itâs the third idea you want: the idea thatâs unique to your destination, that nobody else can tell â and that will make audiences sit up and pay attention.â
Jonathan shares an example of a âthird ideaâ from filming for Adventure Cities in Alice Springs, Australia:
âWhen people think of Alice Springs, most will picture the Outback. So the first, most obvious story idea would be something like hiking through the Outback. The second idea might be wildlife â seeing kangaroos in their natural habitat. But the third idea? Visiting a baby kangaroo sanctuary in the Outback where you can help take care of orphaned joeys. Now that is an experience worth telling people about â and exactly the kind of story that will drive travellers toward a destination.â
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The Role of Travel Journalists: Why Bring Them In?
For DMOs and tourism boards, working with expert travel journalists isnât just about direct media coverage, itâs also about discovering their own valuable, untold stories.
âMany of the best travel stories arenât planned, says Jonathan. âGood travel writers will spot them once theyâre in a destination. Take the baby kangaroo sanctuary. I didnât go to Australia intending to write about it, but once I saw it, I knew it was a story people would love. And once youâve hooked them with the story, they canât help but learn about the destination too.â
The Power of Visual Storytelling
While strong writing is essential for impactful storytelling, Jonathan emphasizes that visuals â both video and photography â can make or break a storyâs impact. Thatâs where working with a company like Heliconia becomes invaluable.
âGood visuals can turn a decent story into a fantastic one,â he explains. âWhat Heliconia does incredibly well is capturing that sense of place. You donât just see the landscapeâyou feel the energy, the movement, the people around you. Itâs wonderfully immersive â you really feel like youâre right there with them.â
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Beyond just filming, Jonathan highlights how Heliconiaâs expertise in storytelling sets us apart. âItâs not just about getting beautiful shotsâitâs about getting the right shots. Heliconia understands how to visually craft a narrative. When weâre shooting, the filmmakers and directors donât just say, âHereâs a cool location.â They ask, âWhatâs the story here? How do we tell it in a way that will grab peopleâs attention?'â
This combination of expert journalism and top-tier production ensures that destinations donât just look good, they connect with audiences on a deeper level.
The Long-Term Impact of Travel Journalism
Unlike traditional advertising campaigns that fade after a few months, expert-driven articles, content and TV episodes have an evergreen lifespan.
âWhen content has strong legs, it tends to run a long way,â Jonathan says. âIn other words, good material is naturally evergreen. Strong articles, blogs or TV episodes will remain online indefinitely. And that means solid content produced now will still be influencing travelersâ decision-making in five, 10 or even 20 yearsâ time.â
Best Practices for Working with Travel Journalists
Jonathan also offers some key doâs and donâts for destinations looking to engage with travel journalists effectively:
DONâT: Think Short Term with Your Storytelling Strategy
âInvesting in expert storytelling isnât just a short-term marketing strategyâitâs a long-term investment for a destination that will keep giving for years to come.â
DO: Focus on Human Stories
âPeople connect with people. A new hotel is interesting, but the chef ignoring all the rules in its restaurant thanks to his unique personal journey? Thereâs a real story.â
DONâT: Constantly Draw Comparisons to Other Destinations
âItâs quirkiness and uniqueness that travel writers and editors are looking for, so lean into that as much as you can. Look for differences with rival destinations, not similarities.â
DO: Keep it Simple
âIf your story cannot be summed up in a short sentence, itâs probably too complicated. If it takes too long to explain, itâs unlikely to resonate.â
DONâT: Chase Dead Ideas
âIf an idea isnât working, move on. I see so many destinations getting stuck on pushing a narrative over and over that just doesnât resonate with audiences. If itâs not landing, move on and look for something different. If youâre really stuck, fly a travel journalist in and let them help you.â
DO: Think About the Visuals
âGood visuals can turn a good story into a great one. Thatâs why working with companies like Heliconia is brilliant. Their team really knows how to bring these stories to life â not just in terms of collecting incredible raw material on the ground â but also because they have a team of talented editors, marketers, and production experts behind the scenes that put these pieces together in the perfect way too.â
Jonathan with a local hiking guide in Aqaba, Jordan
The Future of Destination Marketing
As the travel industry evolves, the demand for authentic storytelling will continue to grow. In 2025 and beyond, it is important that destinations embrace expert-led content. Marketing strategies and plans that involve expert-led content will have a major advantage for destinations looking to set themselves apart from their competition.
âA destination is about more than its landmarks,â Jonathan concludes. âItâs most interesting stories are to be found in its people, and in the unexpected innovations and trends they create. Those are the stories that audiences are interested in â and those are the stories that last.â
Follow Jonathan:
Instagram: @jt_travels
Facebook: @Jonathan.Thompson.Travels
X: @jt_travels
Muck Rack: @jt_travels
About Heliconia
Our mission is simple â to âGuide People to a Lifetime of Adventureâ. Heliconia specializes in creating award-winning travel media content that is broadcast into over 100M+ US TV households on platforms like Discovery Channel, PBS, FanDuel Sports Networks, and OutsideTV. From outdoor adventures to family escapes and culinary journeys, our productions inspire audiences to explore the world. Curious about who Heliconia is? Watch our promo reel or explore any of our shows here: Adventure Cities, Great Family Adventure, Outdoor Eats, Facing Waves, Epic Trails or Road Trip Angler
If youâre ready to explore how Heliconia can film with you to showcase your destination, schedule a call with Stefanie Manton, Heliconiaâs Tourism Partnership Manager.
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If youâre interested in finding out more about Heliconiaâs new Television Advertising Platform, please schedule a call with our Ads Manager, Adam Best.
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Heliconiaâs Partner Portal offers a powerful solution for tourism boards and destinations to track their campaign performance. Our Partner Portal offers real-time analytics across television, social media, and YouTube, as well as on-demand access to a library of royalty-free photo and video assets. To learn more about Heliconiaâs Partner Portal, book a call for a demo or walkthrough of this innovative platform.
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For tourism partnership inquiries, contact:
Stefanie Manton
Tourism Partnership Manager
stefanie@helipress.comÂ
For Commercial Sales:
Adam Best
Ad Sales Manager
adam@heliconia.caÂ
For Brand Partnerships:
Malvin Young
Brand Alignment Manager
malvin@helipress.comÂ
For Media Inquiries:
McKenzie Dolan
Marketing Manager
mckenzie@heliconia.ca
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