Here at Barcelona Tours we continue with our Travel Blogger Series. Asking what our favourite bloggers have been up to during the last year. Given that travel was off the table, how did they fill their time and what does the future hold?

We talked to Chris from Aussie on the Road.  We wanted to hear about his recent experiences and what he makes of it all.

Thanks for joining our Travel Blogger Series. How much did the pandemic affected your life as a travel blogger?

Both my travel blogging and my day job as a safari tour operator were severely impacted by COVID-19. My income dried up almost overnight. Thankfully, I was able to pivot into doing something different – running paid games of Dungeons & Dragons.

I am slowly starting to see offers trickle back in for partnerships as a blogger.  The depressed climate means people are making lowball offers. These aren’t worth the time and effort it would take to put them into action. I imagine travel blogging will be a hobby for the foreseeable future for me.

How do you think travel might change after the pandemic?

I think we’ll see a heightened level of caution being exercised by people, especially when it comes to travel insurance. Working in safari sales, I’ve seen countless people find out the hard way that their chosen insurance package did not cover them for events such as a pandemic. Thankfully, there are some reputable insurers who did work with my clients to help them recoup their lost money, but the vast majority were left high and dry by their insurers.

I also think we’ll see a slow period of growth.  Where people take tentative travel steps by visiting places closer to their own backyard, before making long-haul international trips.

We are asking everyone in our Travel Blogger series, what are your plans for future travels, where is top of your list to visit?

I haven’t seen my family back in Australia since the day after my wedding back in 2019, so my #1 goal would be getting back to see them. I’ve got a new nephew or niece on the way that I’m dying to meet!

Beyond that, my wife and I moved to Tbilisi right before the outbreak, and our plan had been to finally see some of Europe. Aside from having seen lots of Georgia, we haven’t made much headway in that area yet! My goal for 2022 would be to see as much of Europe as we can.

Do you think people during this time have lost interest in travel stories?

Not at all! I think there is still plenty of demand for escapism and daydreaming, but that doesn’t necessarily pay the bills as a travel blogger. I think as things begin to ease up, more and more people are excited to read about the countries they can visit now or will be able to visit soon. There are already plenty of countries opening for tourism with appropriate precautions- I think we’ll see these early adaptors getting a lot of attention, as cooped up bloggers make their way there and begin to sing their praises.

What is your opinion on the new travel measures that they are currently implementing in your country?

I applaud Australia’s efforts to curtail the spread of the pandemic. The swift and strict early lockdown prevented the pandemic from spreading out of control in Australia. Even if it did mean a major hit to the tourism economy.

What I wasn’t a fan of was the way my country left ex-pats stranded abroad high and dry. Between the inhibitive cost of international flights and the brutally expensive mandatory quarantine, it hasn’t been possible for us to get back home. No real support was offered to those of us who couldn’t get home before the borders were closed.

Now, our favourite question in the travel blogger series. If you have been to Barcelona before what would be your ‘must-see place to visit? If you haven’t visited Barcelona before, would you like to and why?

I’ve not had the pleasure to visit Barcelona (or any of Europe outside of Georgia and the UK) just yet, but that had been our plan for 2020. I’m definitely going to be building up a dream itinerary for a 2–3-month European itinerary once things get back to normal!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us Chris and taking part in our travel blogger series. We hope that Barcelona is on that dream itinerary! And incase Chris feels like a sneak preview he can check out some of the amazing things to do here

We continue with our series of posts on Travel Bloggers! Discovering how they have been affected by the pandemic and what the future holds. We spoke with Thomas Dowson about his niche blog ‘Archaeology Travel’. 

About Thomas

Archaeology Travel is a travel blog written specifically for people who enjoy exploring archaeology and history sites when they travel. It is produced by travel blogger Thomas Dowson, an archaeologist who trained in South Africa. His research focused on prehistoric arts of southern Africa and western Europe. 

In the mid-90s he moved to the UK where he set up the world’s first postgraduate degree program on rock art. Other research activities include the contemporary significance of the past, which continues to influence his writing on Archaeology Travel. Thomas travels to explore the ways in which archaeological and historical sites and museums are experienced. 

• How much has the pandemic affected your life as a travel blogger

In February 2020 when I was buying my visa to visit Jordan, already then there were restrictions for people from southeast Asia on entering Jordan. A few weeks later, on my return home via Paris, I got off the plane in Charles de Gaulle Airport and was very surprised to see how many people in the terminal were wearing masks. Back then it was voluntarily. 

A few weeks later Europe was in lockdown. It was a very strange feeling after 5 years of non-stop traveling as a travel blogger to suddenly find myself ‘grounded’. But I was able to use the time to develop a few features on Archaeology Travel. The pandemic, more specifically, not being able to travel, made me think carefully about what it is I was offering on my website. I am still learning! 

• How do you think travel might change after the pandemic?

Hopefully, we have seen an end to crowds. With social distancing being the order of the day, there will surely be fewer people visiting the once very popular attractions such as the Acropolis in Athens or the Colosseum in Rome. Those that see millions of visitors each year. Being with fewer people sounds like a great thing. But the way we experience these places will change as we are forced to follow one-way routes. 

I also hope everyone starts exploring more, rather than just chasing bucket lists. While there is nothing wrong with seeing the most popular sites, there are many other places just as worthy of our attention. Thinking about the Colosseum, for example, it is a great place and well worth visiting. But there are the remains of some 200 other roman amphitheaters around what was the Roman world. They may not be the size of the Colosseum or as well preserved but they are every bit as interesting. Visiting these places can be just as rewarding.  

• What are your plans for future travels, where is top of your list to visit?

Rome, I can not wait to visit Rome again. There are now so many new things to see there since my last visit, including the Mausoleum of Augustus. I have been to the Colosseum, but I want to see more of Roman and Middle Ages Rome. I would also love to do more long-distance travel, and the Great Wall of China and Machu Picchu are at the top of my list. 

• Do you think people during this time have lost interest in travel blogger stories?

It is too early for me to say yes or no now with any certainty.  My feeling is people are going to be more interested in authentic travel stories, as they search for experiences away from popular attractions that are difficult to visit.

• What is your opinion on the new travel measures that they are currently implementing in your country?

Personally, I think most if not all countries are doing the best they can: following good practices that are grounded in science. These measures in place now are not popular with everyone. But I have no time for conspiracy theorists. We are in a time when two groups of people are self-evident: those who are willing to play their part for the good of all and those who are shouting about some imagined loss of liberties. 

• If you haven’t visited Barcelona before, would you like to and why?

I have not explored as much of Sapin as I should have, yet. This is definitely something I hope to remedy soon. One area I have visited a number of times, and love, is Costa Daurada – Tarragona and Reus. The area has such a long and fascinating history. So Barcelona must be the next step: to go from Gaudí in Reus and the Romans in Tarragona to the Sagrada Família and the Roman ruins in the Museu d’Història de Barcelona Plaça del Rei. And of course, Barcelona is one of Europe’s great cities. I hope to get there this year, if not, definitely next year!

Thank you Thomas! We’d love to see you in Barcelona very soon.

Here at Barcelona Tours, as much as we love the beautiful city that is Barcelona, we also love to travel the globe.  

When we can’t do that travel blogs are the next best thing. At Barcelona Tours we love to hear from those who dedicate themselves to exploration.  We devour travel adventures accompanied by amazing photos. 

Curious to find out how travel bloggers have experienced the pandemic, we reached out to ask some of our favorites.  How has the pandemic affected them, and where they plan to travel to first when they are able to do so? 

Kathy is an Australian Travel and Lifestyle blogger at www.50shadesofage.com and although has travelled all over the world, she is very passionate about her own country – Australia. When she’s not travelling, taking photos and blogging, she enjoys long walks, yoga, reading, cooking and watercolour painting.

 We caught up with Kathy who shared some of her thoughts with us. 

Interview: Being a travel blogger during covid, what’s next? 

1.  How much has the pandemic affected your life as a travel blogger? 

Covid-19 and the immediate introduction of international and domestic travel restrictions in my country Australia, have heavily impacted my life as a travel blogger. Unfortunately, I’ve not been able to travel as frequently as before and this has limited the amount of material I’m able to write about. I also believe that my audience has disappeared dramatically because no one is planning trips nor can travel since the pandemic. Without the material and audience, it has been tough, to say the least.

2. How do you think travel might change after the pandemic?

I think travel after Covid-19 will change dramatically. I think for many people they will be afraid to travel overseas again and will limit their travel to within their own country. For others, they will be super cautious about travelling and will probably take more precautions. I believe things like Covid vaccine certificates, wearing masks and using hand sanitiser, will be mandatory for air travel. It will be a changed world for sure. 

3. What are your plans for future travels, where is top of your list to visit?

At present I’m only travelling domestically within Australia. I have trips planned to North Queensland and Tasmania this year. Recently I have paid a deposit on a cruise in June 2022 to Hawaii and Alaska, but I’m unsure whether this will eventuate at present. It will depend on whether the Australian government lift the international travel restrictions that are in place at present.

4. Do you think people during this time have lost interest in travel stories?

Yes, I do for international travel, but I believe that people are still interested in travel within their own countries. Most of the Australian content on my blog is attracting a good audience. I’ve recently been writing for a publication called The Big Lap Bible about travelling in Australia. 

5. What is your opinion on the new travel measures that they are currently implementing in your country?

I totally agree with the international travel bans that are in force in my country. However, I would like to see them slowly open up some of our nearest neighbouring countries within the Pacific and South East Asia sectors. We already can travel to our nearest neighbour, New Zealand which is a step in the right direction. I was totally in disagreeance with the domestic travel bans when they were in force. It made it very difficult for families and business people to go about their lives as per normal and impacted on businesses heavily. 

6. If you haven’t visited Barcelona before, would you like Barcelona Tours to show you and why?

I haven’t been to Barcelona, but had a trip booked to Spain and Portugal in 2020. That obviously didn’t proceed, but Barcelona and Spain are high on my bucket list. I would like to see the La Sagrada Familia, Park Guell and watch Flamenco dancers. Then sip on sangria, feast on paella, and stroll through the streets of La Rambla.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts Kathy. We would love to see you in Barcelona soon! 

When Kathy is able to visit us, we could certainly help her fulfil that bucket list. We would suggest she starts with our Gaudi Tour , follows that with a hearty paella lunch by the beach, and rounds off the day with a stunning flamenco show with some tapas and sangria at Poble Espanyol.