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No one knows this more than me (hello, I work on a travel show, sponsored by a cruise company) as I write to you from quarantine, having adjusted to a new normal, amazed at my own dogged ability to wrap my head around new words, new technology, new pathways. You can rely on me to be authentic, but I will also push you to be calm and optimistic.
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After years spent travelling the world, 2021 will have me taking you on all sorts of wonderful domestic journeys, with my new show Country House Hunters. It’s been renewed for a second season and we haven’t even finished filming the first. Which, may I add, has been filmed during lockdown, hence my dogged optimism. It has also sold overseas, so clearly our wanderlust has not been defeated. The ratings of Getaway, also back for its 30th year in 2020 (my 25th) prove to us that armchair travel is alive and well. You see, dear Traveller, I won’t give up on you and your wish to explore and learn.
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My colleague Jack Walden has loved pushing that quality in you, as weekly in 2020 we would share conversations from across the globe, from people who all had such remarkable tales to tell. The link we shared … a love of journeys to come. Our driving ethos. Thank you for listening, thank you for asking questions, making suggestions on people we should interview (we love your ideas), thank you for sticking with us (particularly as we lost sponsors due to businesses effected by Covid) and thank you Jack for pulling everything together from my home to yours, across the nation, one farm to another.
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A few things we learned and have to look forward to…
Regional travel is our shining star
Caravan parks are booked solid (Bright Holiday and Caravan Park was one of the most googled holiday choices in Victoria) and people are finally checking off their Bucket List of local destinations they’ve always been meaning to sample.
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Indigenous learning has never been more appreciated and productive
A positive to emerge from BLM, is us embracing all the talent, creativity and bloody great storytelling amongst our indigenous communities across the world. A highlight for me was spending time with the Tour Guide Jackie Spencer at Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve, on the Great Ocean Road. As emus wandered around us, we walked within an inactive volcano and Jackie shared local stories that were so riveting I whipped out my diary to take notes. I wanted to remember every pearl of wisdom to share later with my children. Once again, so much to be proud of and look forward to.
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New forms of travel are evolving all the time
I learned about the growing trend of 'Home Exchanges’ in 2020, via our article with Allison O’Shea; virtual travel, emphasising it’s cool if you can’t make it to Galapagos, we’ll bring it to your home; Slow Travel has seen a boost, why fly when you can cycle? Bike to Boat in Croatia is more popular than ever; how about experiencing the slow food movement of Italy alongside the famers themselves with Landmade Travel who redefine ‘concierge travel’, swim tours are doing swimmingly (sorry, couldn’t help myself) across the globe; sustainable luxury and green travel are super sexy now and hooray we even have major hotels turning their backs on miniature plastic bottles. Wonders never cease! Let’s all consider the environment, and our travel footprint, as we make our way through the world into 2021.
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As you can see, I’m just scratching the surface on what we have to look forward to this year. Many positives have bubbled up to the surface from the boiling pot of 2020’s challenges and that is cause for optimism.
Here’s to enjoying the here and now of 2021.
All my love,
Catriona x
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