We have seen in our history how travel writing transformed and shaped our understanding of the world and societal challenges. It gained importance in ancient times up to the early modern world as it became a channel for knowledge and discoveries.
According to Herodotus, a Greek historian, travel writing in ancient times was composed of diaries and dispatches that describe their adventures and discoveries in far-flung lands. It presents the narrative text of travel experiences, church businesses, and expeditions. For instance, Antonio Pigaffeta, the first known “literary” travel writer, narrated his voyage around the globe. His writing tackled everything that had happened and everything he had gone through (Edwards, n.d.).
𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘥𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘥 𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘦𝘴 (𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘥, 2018). Traditional travel writing will compete with modern media which is used by the majority of the population of the present world. Like podcasts, blogs, televisions, radio, video presentations, social media platforms, etc. Travel writing will no longer be only published in books or seen in written journals, but it will be accessible to everyone connected to the said media. It will become more engaging and appealing because its primary focus is imagery and sound that traditional travel writing books did not.
In frame: Mr. John Paolo Quiñanola
Furthermore, as the world faces a digital revolution, travel writing will focus on personalized blogs or stories posted on major social media outlets rather than discoveries or expeditions. There will be more connectedness and engagement between the writer and the reader.
Another significant revolution that will occur in travel writing is the potential of a 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳. “In a shrinking globe, everyone with a computer is a traveler,” postcolonial scholar and travel writing critic Bill Ashcroft remarks, meaning the globalization and the rise of new media opened an opportunity for people to become travel writers. People can now travel from place to place because of the modern technologies of mobility and information technology, as being said, anyone can write their own travel experience and publish their journal. Also, virtual traveling became popular among people on the internet. Through an internet search, people could visit new places and experienced traveling without actually traveling. With only that involvement, people gain travel experience and will be able to create and share their stories.
Therefore, the future of travel writing in the digital age changes the way the writers express their journeys and stories as it will become more digitally focused.
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