When Story Becomes the Journey

A quick signal from Jeremy Jauncey on where travel storytelling is headed next. Here’s my interpretation:

𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗼.
𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲.

For a very long time, travel marketing was built around checklists.
Landmarks. Bucket lists. Proof-of-arrival moments.

In conversation with Jenny Southan at Globetrender a few days ago, Jauncey shared his thoughts on where travel marketing is heading.

One thing was clear: the future belongs to narratives that reflect real, lived experience.

They’re choosing 𝘀𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿.
They’re choosing 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴.
They’re choosing places that let them 'enter' a 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲, not just pass through it.

And that changes everything, not just how stories are told, but how brands need to rethink who they are and how they show up.

Digital inspiration is no longer the top of the funnel.
It is the 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺.

Discovery, planning, booking, anticipation, arrival, it’s all happening inside narrative now.

You can see this thinking come to life in the Creator Academy Jauncey is building with Beautiful Destinations.

Which leads to the biggest shift of all:
↳Destinations and brands can no longer think in 'campaigns.'

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀.
𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀.

Always-on.
Multi-voiced.
Grounded in reality.
Built on trust.
Identity-led.

The new generation doesn't respond to slogans.
They respond to stories that feel like recognition.

Not “come here.”
But “this is for someone just like you.”

This isn’t just storytelling or content marketing evolution.
It’s an identity shift.
And most of the industry hasn’t caught up yet.

Hospitality brands that understand this won’t just market better.
They’ll resonate longer.

Your pace.

Image via Beautiful Destinations