#EntrepreneurMonth: G&T transforming the travel writing industry

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A partner, not a competitor

We have identified these major stakeholders involved in the tourism industry:

1. Readers
2. Content producers
3. Media Publications
4. Tourism boards and tour operators

Through our website, we have created a space where content producers can display their work so that clients (media publications) can view it and make an adequate judgement on whether this contributor would be suitable to work with them on a required project. In the same way, those looking for exposure can approach this hub and select where they would like to advertise and who they would like to do the work for them.

Whilst we do produce a quarterly travel magazine and release weekly travel stories, this is a very small component of our business and we do not want to be seen as competition to the traditional magazines, but rather a partner from where they can source content for their own publication.

As the industry operates at the moment, a client would pay for exposure without knowing too much about that writer or media publication, so we have wanted to create a common hub where all parties have access to the same information and a better quality outcome can be expected. Through this hub, we hope to create many more job opportunities for those that might have the skills, but not necessarily the voice to be heard or opportunity to showcase their skills.

G&T: Grabbing the tourism industry's eye with authentic travel content

Cari Coetzee  18 Jul 2017

The modern way of working

The way of working has changed. Contributors can work when they want, how they want and receive remuneration based on the quality of their work. Contributions can be in the form of articles, photos or videos. The creativity shown by contributors in showcasing an area or tourist attraction has been inspiring.

Go and Travel was started in Cape Town and will always have a South African focus. However, we now have interested contributors and readers on five continents. By harnessing the power of technology and a rapidly changing industry we believe in creating a global product to benefit those who love the travel business.

Getting the best stories told right

We want to make sure that the best stories and experiences get told. Our approach to advertising is, therefore, one of promoting experiences and products that we believe in – and to that end, we endeavour.

We are not about marketing in the old sense of the word where sugar-filled soft drinks are advertised as being "healthy”. We prefer to talk of storytelling – and we are all about getting the right stories told. This is what we believe to be both effective and honest marketing, and in this way, we foster trust between suppliers and customers.

We’ve all heard the glamorous stories about the lucky few individuals who make a living from travel writing, floating from one five star resort to the next and being paid for it. While these “jobs” do exist, what is often not as well documented are the long hours spent hard at work behind the scenes to make this happen. Our standards are high and it takes a lot of work to get an article published.