What travel brands can use from the most inspiring travel industry speakers
- Arnold
- Jun 26
- 5 min read
They are the adventurers who can hold audiences enthralled with their tales of derring-do. Whether they explore the world by land or sea, love to explore nature or connect with other cultures, today’s adventurers light up a wanderlust in all of us.
These top travel speakers can also teach a lot about how travel brands can connect with potential customers and encourage them to plan their own real life adventures.
The travel industry is experiencing tremendous growth, and with more competition than ever before, it takes a lot to stand out from the crowd.
Travellers are increasingly seeking unique and immersive experiences through experiential travel, and the adventurers who share their stories are a great place for brands to get inspiration. They are experts in engaging, educating and entertaining their audiences and we can use some of their approaches to strengthen brand loyalty and drive bookings through the roof.
What travel brands can learn
To truly resonate with travellers, brands should embrace the power of storytelling. For the whole of human history, gathering together to tell stories and share experiences has been how we learn. It is something that adventurers and the great travellers know.
Weaving personal anecdotes and compelling narratives, complemented by stunning photography and videography, creates emotional connections and makes destinations and experiences more relatable and appealing. And just as it works for those inspiring travel industry speakers, it also works for brands.
Travellers also value authenticity. Brands that demonstrate genuine passion for their destinations and share their expertise offer invaluable insights, mirroring the connection great speakers create through heartfelt storytelling.
Great travel speakers often focus on the transformative power of travel, highlighting personal growth and new perspectives in a clear and concise way. Brands can tap into travel’s ability to enrich lives and create lasting memories, using clear calls to action in their marketing to drive bookings and engagement.
Don’t be afraid to engage in humour, to speak as a person and let your brand’s personality shine through, and remember that in the world of travel, even the smallest encounters can make an experience unforgettable, so don’t be afraid to share those fun anecdotes and experiences.
As well as inspiring people on an individual level, speakers also foster a sense of community. Likewise, travel brands can build online and offline communities to connect with their audience and create a shared sense of adventure.
Get inspired
Here are some of the most inspirational travellers and storytellers, each of whom can help you hone your brand voice, create your own compelling travel brand and make deeper connections with your audiences.
Known for his unique voice, expert knowledge of the animal kingdom and his passion for the natural world, David Attenborough is practically a national institution in the UK. The English broadcaster, writer, and naturalist has produced groundbreaking documentaries since the 1950s, including the award-winning Blue Planet and Planet Earth, as well as the recent The Year The Earth Changed.
After working as the Director of Television Programming for the BBC from 1968 to 1972, he decided to write and produce his own television series, becoming the household name he is today. In recent years, he has also gone on to write several best-selling books, such as Adventures of a Young Naturalist: The Zoo Quest Expeditions and other personal autobiographies like Journeys to the Other Side of the World: Further Adventures of a Young David Attenborough.
As a recipient of awards and recognitions, including several BAFTAs, a Peabody Award and even a knighthood, Sir David Attenborough has become one of the world’s top travel speakers. With such a passion for nature, our planet and the animals we share the planet with, his speeches inspire and amaze, especially this stirring acceptance speech he made for the Blue Planet II Impact Award in 2018:
“Never before have we had such an awareness of what we are doing to the planet, and never before have we had the power to do something about it… Surely we have a responsibility to care for our blue planet. The future of humanity, and indeed all life on Earth, now depends on us.”
That deeply emotive call to arms and Attenborough’s dedication to protecting our planet are two elements every travel brand should be embracing.
Many inspirational travel industry speakers like to blend the excitement of adventure with raising awareness of more serious issues. One of these speakers is award-winning TV explorer and bestselling author Simon Reeve. To date, he has travelled to and filmed in over 120 countries, enjoying a wide range of real-life adventures, from a 25,000-mile journey around the equator to exploring the most remote areas of the Indian Ocean.
Simon uses his travels for good by sharing stories of Earth's most beautiful and remote areas while also focusing on some of our planet’s most dangerous locations and uncovering the serious issues communities are facing. He talks to people who have overcome adversity and allows the audience to see the world through his eyes.
After filming more than 20 TV series and publishing over six books, he became a leading travel industry speaker and inspirational investigator. He has delivered several speeches full of powerful words to entice entire audiences. A simple piece of wisdom from his book Step by Step is:
“Careful planning and preparation guarantees powerful experiences.”
As a brand interested in the world around you and how you can be part of the solution to challenges our planet faces, you have the power to influence change, highlight worthy causes and create communities that look after each other.
From rowing across the Atlantic in adverse conditions to crossing the sandy deserts of the Empty Quarter, Ben Fogle is one of the few real-life adventure seekers who has experienced many epic journeys in his life. The award-winning broadcaster has shared his experiences with the world through numerous series and books, including the hit TV show New Lives in the Wild.
Fogle is passionate about helping our planet and raising awareness about some of the issues in the world, including endangered animals and malaria. He has become an ambassador to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Tusk, and Hearing Dogs for the Deaf and a patron of The Red Cross and the United Nations.
After touring over 200 locations worldwide, from Morocco to Papua New Guinea, he has transformed his adventures into immersive experiences for audiences around the world. He often speaks about where his life has taken him, how seeing different cultures and struggles has shaped his way of thinking, and how he’s just as human as the rest of us, stating:
He said: “I'm equally happy bouncing across the African savanna in an old Land Rover as I am staying in a luxury resort in The Maldives. Travel and the wilderness excite me.”
The way Fogle connects with audiences through a whole variety of different touchpoints is something all travel brands should embrace. From writing to presenting, solo adventures to showcasing the stories of others, Fogle finds different ways for people to connect with travel. It is this type of approach that can help you reach wider audiences and influence more people to experiment with travel.
Have your own adventure
The stories of intrepid adventurers, charting the globe's farthest reaches, resonate deeply. These narratives, shared with passion and insight, offer invaluable inspiration for travel brands seeking to cultivate a unique voice and forge deeper connections with their audiences. Travel, after all, is about crafting memorable experiences that enrich our lives.
The power of sharing stories is bigger than you may realise and at Peregryn, we’re a travel copywriting agency with the skills and experience to help you build those long-lasting connections.
So, if you’re searching for expert copywriting for the travel industry that engages people on an emotional level and elevates your brand, reach out to us. We can all be inspired by the world’s greatest adventurers.
