Travel magazines suck.

[RBerns]

We moved into our current apartment two months ago. The old tenants (would you believe it?) didn’t have their mail forwarded to their new address, so we get their mail. Normally, we just put it in a stack. However, it turns out that the old tenants had a subscription to National Geographic Adventurer and National Geographic Traveler. Picking up the copy of National Geographic Traveler, I was reminded of the grandiose shit that travel magazines really are.

Their main problem is just how hard they try to make each destination seem interesting and the awful techniques that they will use to do so. This issue has a large article on Barcelona. Rather than just straight-forwardly describing the city, they have a married couple describe their recent trip through the city together. Alright, fair enough. One photo shows a man and a hot woman kissing passionately (the authors, perhaps) with the caption “a pervasive sensuality seems to captivate all who enter this city’s energy field.” Oh, for the love of God. That’s right, ladies and gentlemen: everyone who lives in Barcelona is constantly overcome by sensuality. Would you believe it? No, you don’t? Too bad, because National Geographic Traveler said so! Another page has two images, one of a middle-aged spaniard sipping tea in an ornard room and another of a fine chef serving meat. The enlarged caption for representing both is “the best way to get to know Barcelona is to dance with her, slowly, passionately.” The sap in that line is so thick that that it could be used as an industrial glue. Any hope of legitimate meaning is lost in the attempt to describe an entire city is some sort of enticing, exotic woman.

The fact that travel magazines are so hopelessly cheesy is only their most obvious flaw. If I ignore that element, there is still one complaint that I have. Travel magazines always portray an entire city as though it were merely a large conglomeration of hospitable foreignors waiting for rich American tourists to come by. Cities are groups of people going about the daily functions of their complex lives. Their citizens vary greatly in their political outlooks and personal tastes. They are not chiefly, mostly, and sometimes not even slightly concerned with decadence. They may not even be aware of the very attractions that are portrayed as key elements of their city, and if they are, they might not think that they’re such a big deal. After all, I have not been to any of the finest restaurants of my city, not been on the Spirit of Washington Dinner Train, not seen the Seattle Symphony, and never seen the Blue Angels. I know of less-well-advertized things to do in my city that are probably more interesting, and I have personal interests that affect my behavior as well. I know quite a few Seattleites, and I am yet to meet one that is simply a token human being whose purpose is to be a model citizen for rich tourists to observe. Travel magazines cut through all of these facts, giving the impression that French people do not exist because they have complex lives that they enjoy living, but to make you giggle at their cute accents and serve you Boeuf Bourguignonne with an expensive signature wine.

I know, I’m ranting. This is just how it is, right? Still, to anyone who steps back and examines the articles themselves, anyone who reads such garbage cannot marvel at the sappiness and cultural chauvanism that runs through them.

[jacquilynne]

Given how much most urban economies rely on tourism dollars these days, I’d guess most people would be perfectly happy to have the ups and downs of their home lives glossed over to make their city sound attractive to tourists.

I don’t quite buy your cultural chauvinism argument for one other primary reason – which is one you almost manage to make yourself, namely they write the same way about American cities. They’d write the same way if they were covering whatever city the author lives in or the magazine is based out of. It’s not some deep-seated lack of respect for the locals.

[Slithy_Tove]

I hate that magazine, too, and I think it’s the “National Geographic” that piques my resentment. I’ts as if the “swim at home” ad or the ad with the pretentious jerkoff in the beret crawled from the back pages to take over all the worthwhile stuff in Harpers magazine.

Same gall that I get when I watch the local news (poor kids burned in apartment fire: sad but no more than the story about the spontaneous panda abortion at the zoo. Now our consumer reporter compares the cup-holders in SUV’s.), or what used to be known as public television (furnishing, landscaping & remodeling your McMansion; what to cook in its kitchen; and what’s the value of the shit in its attic) : The best way to look at our world is as just a nice place where the middle class spends its money. (actually all our money, since it’s mostly borrowed)

(Maybe it would be better if the ads took over Harpers, since I’m turning into a boorish Lewis Lamphan-style scold)

[Liberal]

I’ve never gone anywhere where the destination lived up to its hype in travel mags with one exception — San Francisco.

[even_sven]

It’s because most travellers suck. Very, very, very few people know how to travel well, and those arn’t the people buying these magazines.

[neutron_star]

It couldn’t be any worse than that cable TV abortion called The Travel Channel. It’s been about two years since I’ve seen it, but if it hasn’t changed, every single show they aired was basically a thinly disguised infomercial. Consequently, nine out of every ten shows were about how you simply must go to Las Fucking Vegas. :rolleyes:

[MsRobyn]

Someone gave me a subscription to National Geographic Traveler. I’d at least leaf through each issue for the year I got it. Then I realized that it’s just porn for the middle class and declined to renew.

Robin

[Liberal]

Things have improved on the Travel Channel. They now warn you about Las Vegas scams and pitfalls.

[Shamozzle]

I agree, most travel mags are shit.

Outpost isn’t too bad, though. At least, when I used to read it.

[Voyager]

That travel writing sucks is nothing new. In Tristram Shandy one of the books is an account by Sterne of traveling in France, and it seems that travel writers 250 years ago wrote the same as today. He mentions that, as a travel writer, being in a country for two days makes him an expert.

When you see an article about a place you know, how often does the writer get it right? Way under 10% in my experience.

[RBerns]

@Voyager

That travel writing sucks is nothing new. In Tristram Shandy one of the books is an account by Sterne of traveling in France, and it seems that travel writers 250 years ago wrote the same as today. He mentions that, as a travel writer, being in a country for two days makes him an expert.

I am reminded of the Onion line “Woman Who Loves Brazil Has Only Seen Four Square Miles Of It.”

@jacquilynne

Given how much most urban economies rely on tourism dollars these days, I’d guess most people would be perfectly happy to have the ups and downs of their home lives glossed over to make their city sound attractive to tourists.

I don’t quite buy your cultural chauvinism argument for one other primary reason – which is one you almost manage to make yourself, namely they write the same way about American cities. They’d write the same way if they were covering whatever city the author lives in or the magazine is based out of. It’s not some deep-seated lack of respect for the locals.

The fact that every city that attracts tourists makes money off of it doesn’t really have to do with my criticism. I was addressing the distortion that goes on in travel magazines, not whether or not it is economically good for tourist cities (it is).

I tend to think that using idealized characters and obscure blanket statements about a population is disrespectful, even if this is not the most serious disrespect that one can imagine. Can you picture a travel magazine describing the citizens of Toulouse as easy-going, friendly people who like to eat cheese and sip wine? Sure you can. Can you picture a travel magazine being honest and saying that while some people in Toulouse are nice and like to drink wine, some are hard-asses and will make fun of your inability to speak their language? I’m guessing not.

[Boyo_Jim]

I’m gonna try my hand at travel writing for Gary, Indiana, America’s murder capitol (with a real world translation in parens):

Gary is the PERFECT city for a motor coach tour! (You don’t want to get out of your car.)

The Gary you see through the windows is a wonderful example of early 20th century urban industrialism. (You don’t want to open your windows. The air and the economy has been stagnant for decades.)

Gary has some of the most passionate and colorful people in America. (They kill each other in record numbers, and bleed a lot.)

Unfortunately we couldn’t stay long enough to sample Gary’s famous night life. (We got too frightened during the day.)

[Princhester]

From what I’ve seen, those magazines are just selling a dream. The people who buy the magazines aren’t going to go. They don’t need to know, and don’t care to know, what it’s actually like. They just want to escape mentally to somewhere that sounds better than where they are.

[jacquilynne]

@RBerns

The fact that every city that attracts tourists makes money off of it doesn’t really have to do with my criticism. I was addressing the distortion that goes on in travel magazines, not whether or not it is economically good for tourist cities (it is).

No, but it goes to my reply, which is that these are not put-upon, hard-done-by people who are too world weary from dealing with their own travails to be outraged by this latest indignity. Your belief that they need to be defended, when they could do it themselves, if they didn’t realize it was in their own best interests to be portrayed that way, is as patronizing as what you’re ranting about.

I tend to think that using idealized characters and obscure blanket statements about a population is disrespectful, even if this is not the most serious disrespect that one can imagine. Can you picture a travel magazine describing the citizens of Toulouse as easy-going, friendly people who like to eat cheese and sip wine? Sure you can. Can you picture a travel magazine being honest and saying that while some people in Toulouse are nice and like to drink wine, some are hard-asses and will make fun of your inability to speak their language? I’m guessing not.

If they did the latter, what would the reaction of the people of Toulouse be? And outside of NYC where being an asshole is tapped as a quaint quality on par with cheese eating, are there any other American cities where they’d make a similar portrayal? If you’re making an argument on cultural chauvinism, what’s the culture that they’re chauvinistically in favour of?

[Sunspace]

@even sven

It’s because most travellers suck. Very, very, very few people know how to travel well, and those arn’t the people buying these magazines.

Okay, I’ll bite.

How does one ‘travel well’?

[elmwood]

@jacquilynne

And outside of NYC where being an asshole is tapped as a quaint quality on par with cheese eating, are there any other American cities where they’d make a similar portrayal?

Yes. Travel articles about Buffalo, New York generally portray the city’s citizens as friendly, “genuine”, “real”, “authentic” “down to earth” blue-collar sports fanatics who subsist on a diet of fatty ethnic food.

[elmwood]

@jacquilynne

And outside of NYC where being an asshole is tapped as a quaint quality on par with cheese eating, are there any other American cities where they’d make a similar portrayal?

Yes. Travel articles about Buffalo, New York generally portray the city’s citizens as friendly, “genuine”, “real”, “authentic” “down to earth” blue-collar sports fanatics who subsist on a diet of fatty ethnic food.

[Beware_of_Doug]

@Sunspace

Okay, I’ll bite.

How does one ‘travel well’?

Food is said to travel well when it retains its taste and character despite a long journey.

Perhaps it applies to humans as well: if you avoid doing/buying/eating touristy crap and instead seek out genuine experiences when you visit a new place, you are traveling well.

[Beware_of_Doug]

@elmwood

Yes. Travel articles about Buffalo, New York generally portray the city’s citizens as friendly, “genuine”, “real”, “authentic” “down to earth” blue-collar sports fanatics who subsist on a diet of fatty ethnic food.

You forgot “Catholic” in the list of adjectives. Also, all the women are named Joanne.

[T_SQUARE]

@Beware of Doug

Food is said to travel well when it retains its taste and character despite a long journey.

Perhaps it applies to humans as well: if you avoid doing/buying/eating touristy crap and instead seek out genuine experiences when you visit a new place, you are traveling well.

But doing touristy crap is why people tour in the first place. I’ve been to a lot of countries and I have friends all over the world, but at the end of the day, I’m going to Egypt to see the pyramids, not to see Cairo’s bus system.

As for travel magazines, I like the photographs, but wouldn’t use the magazine to plan a trip or pick a destination.