MATTER 2014 – What We Learned
THE INAUGURAL SEMINAR SERIES
9AM – 12PM, Monday 10 November 2014
PALAIS DES CONGRÈS, MARRAKECH
The inaugural MATTER 2014 was a series of RSVP-only seminars designed to provide a platform on which the PURE community could impart knowledge, share ideas and collaborate to drive the industry forward.
The inaugural event welcomed visionaries from within the PURE community and expert outside influencers to talk on a range of MATTERs that are key to the development of high-end experiential travel under three streams: MARKETING, SUSTAINABILITY and INSIGHT. Each stream consisted of three 30-minute seminars followed by a Q&A opportunity. The event began with a networking breakfast and concluded with a second networking session where attendees continued their discussions.
MARKETING
The digital landscape is constantly evolving and in today’s climate it is especially important to stay current. In the marketing room we heard from media and marketing experts on how to choose from the options available and the best practice for each, along with innovative ways of harnessing the new media.
Click on the tabs below to read what we learned from each of the three sessions.
TALKS
THE POWER OF INSTAGRAM IN THE TRAVEL MARKETER'S ARSENAL
BE MORE SOCIAL: CREATING CHARISMATIC CONTENT
WHY EVERY TRAVEL BRAND SHOULD BUILD A MINI MEDIA COMPANY IN 2015
Jeremy Jauncey
Founder, Beautiful Destinations
Mobile is redefining the travel industry, with Instagram growing at a rumoured rate of 1 million new users a day. Jeremy Jauncey, Founder of the largest travel influencer on Instagram, Beautiful Destinations, shared with us why the platform is such a powerful tool for today’s travel marketers. He explained exactly how Beautiful Destinations made the Burj Al Arab the largest hotel account on Instagram, as well as how to effectively use Instagram to quickly grow a global audience.
TOP INSIGHTS
Instagram is a tenth of the size of Facebook, yet it has 15% more engagement. Instagram is potentially an extremely influential platform, but many travel brands do not invest as much, if any, time in it compared with other seemingly more established platforms
60% of leisure travellers post about their trip in real time. By finding a way to engage with travellers, you can in turn reach out to their social media following. The power of recommendation should never be underestimated – especially in the travel industry, whose role is to sell dreams.
92% of luxury brands are already on Instagram, yet the high-end travel industry has been slow to pick it up. Armed with evidence that the ‘wish list’ or ‘bucket list’ concept is rife on image-led social media and bearing in mind the success of other luxury brands in utilising this, the travel industry should look to them as an example to follow.
Want to read more? Download Jeremy’s presentation here
Jeremy Jauncey
Jeremy is a serial tech entrepreneur, investor and UK Trade & Investment deal maker on the Global Entrepreneur Program. Founder of Beautiful Destinations, the world’s largest travel influencer on Instagram with over 3.5 million followers, and Co Founder of Tictrac, a digital health and analytics platform, Jeremy is an avid traveller and passionate health enthusiast.
Juliet Kinsman
Editor-in-Chief, Mr & Mrs Smith
Social media is the new word of mouth, with this talk exploring the art of storytelling through these channels. Editor-in-Chief of Mr & Mrs Smith, Juliet Kinsman took us through the key functions of social media and gave tips on how to find your voice, hone your own ‘house style’ and create an archive of material and content that you can repurpose. Juliet shared her advice from a 20-year career as a journalist and editor and her experience in creating a distinct voice for brands such as Mr & Mrs Smith, Butterfly House and Firmdale Hotels.
TOP INSIGHTS
52% of people said that friends’ social media pictures influenced their travel choices and 49% of people post an update about an upcoming holiday – by engaging with this audience, you are able to tap into their social media following and maximise on the power of recommendation.
Think of social media as a party, complete with friends, acquaintances and lots of potential new connections to be made. Travel brands who push a hard sell when they communicate in this informal social situation become the ‘salesman at the party’, whom everyone avoids because they seem out of place and intrusive.
Instead, think about the words and the tone of voice you use – while these should be adapted to suit your audience, you should always make an effort to sound human so that people feel comfortable engaging with you, rather than defensive.
Storytelling is the holy grail of social media – you should aim to entertain and inform your audience with everything you share.
It’s important to ensure that your tone, vocabulary and taste are consistent for your brand across everything you do.
Founding editor at Mr & Mrs Smith, Juliet Kinsman is instinctive about what makes a stay stylish and special. In two decades as a journalist, her travel tips and interior design articles have appeared in publications from Condé Nast Traveller to The Independent; she’s co-presented a travel show for the Discovery Channel; and she’s been a speaker on many a travel panel. There’s nothing Juliet loves more than inspiring people to squeeze the most out of time in a new destination, from the hyperlocal to the glamorous, as her fashion and hotel recommendations in the most recent edition of the Louis Vuitton New York City Guide attest. She’s behind much of Mr & Mrs Smith’s social activity and she has worked as a social media consultant to many hotels including Butterfly House, Firmdale Hotels, The Zetter and Marbella Beach Club.
WHAT MAKES JULIET A PUREIST
“I’m a PUREist because I’ve always been an experientialist and someone who loves evangelising about the exciting things I’ve seen and done, always eager to stray from the obvious path.”
Ross Borden
Founder, Matador Networt
The founder of media company Matador Network, which receives over 1.7 million users per month, explained why content is the single most important marketing objective for travel brands in 2015 – and why ‘digital storytelling’ is over-hyped and misunderstood. We learned why paying for social followers is always a bad decision; the difference between bloggers and influencers; how to seed your content to your target audience; why emails are more important than all social numbers combined; how to build a content engine for next to nothing; and how to empower your guests to become brand ambassadors. Plus, we got a crash course in analytics, landing pages and converting traffic into bookings.
TOP INSIGHTS
Travel brands should focus on content – this is the single most important thing you can invest in for you and your partners because it drives eugenic search, engagement and, most importantly, it takes traffic and turns them into bookings.
A common misconception is viewing content as a sales funnel, which it isn’t. Instead, you should concentrate on becoming a genuine expert that people trust in order to build brand credibility.
Take your time over content creation; it’s far more effective to create one really great piece that appeals to the right people, than to spread your resources too thinly and spam people with content that doesn’t interest them.
Remember: the only thing consistent on the web is change. Do your research and keep on top of content marketing trends to stay ahead of the curve and keep your audience’s attention.
Everyone in the travel industry is in the ‘inspiration business’. Travel brands create life-enriching experiences, but they need to market those in a way that inspires travellers – they should aim to create a desire or even a need in their audience for whatever product or service they offer through great content.
Ross Borden is the CEO of Matador Network. In the six years since Matador launched its first site, it has grown from zero to 1.7 million unique monthly visitors without spending a dollar on advertising. In the last four years Ross has worked with dozens of brands and destinations on custom content and viral marketing campaigns. Ross has lived in Spain, Kenya, and Argentina and currently splits time between New York and his native San Francisco.
SUSTAINABILITY
Responsible, sustainable travel is at the heart of everything PURE stands for. In the sustainability room we took a closer look at some of our PUREists’ most successful conservation and sustainability projects and gained a better understanding of both the positive and negative influences travel can have on our environment and communities.
Click on the tabs below to read what we learned from each of the three sessions.
TALKS
PARKS BEYOND PARKS: TOURISM AND CONSERVATION IN KENYA
WORKING WITH GOVERNMENTS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
OVERCOMING THE BARRIERS TO SUSTAINABLE LUXURY
Stefano Cheli
Managing Director, Cheli & Peacock
With an incredible diversity of eco-systems, wildlife species and communities, Kenya is home to some of the world’s most cutting-edge conservation initiatives. The majority of Kenya’s wildlife lives outside of National Parks and Reserves on surrounding community land. Population growth, climate change, development and cultivation are all contributing to the increasing challenge of protecting some of Kenya’s last wilderness areas and key wildlife species. Since the 1980s, Stefano Cheli has had a major hand in the development of Parks Beyond Parks – the creation of wildlife conservation areas outside of national protection. Today, over 2.7 million hectares of land are protected by private sector and community conservancies. Stefano talked to us about his interesting journey from farmer to hunter to conservationist.
TOP INSIGHTS
“Parks as islands cannot survive – you become like a cattle rancher rather than a wildlife manager.”
“By bringing tourism to areas outside government control, you are empowering communities to earn from the tourism product.”
“Employment and revenue from the tourism product is a good incentive against poaching.”
“If you are a true lover of conservation, it’s not just about wildlife – by embracing it holistically you will help everything.”
Born of Italian parents, Stefano grew up in Kenya, spending his early days on a coffee farm in Thika and later on mixed farms in the Rift Valley. His father was the General Manager for a group of farms and lodges owned by an Italian Count, which included Loisaba Ranch and Oasis Lodge at Lake Turkana – Stefano’s favourites. Stefano completed secondary schooling in Italy, completed his National Service on the ski slopes of the Dolomites, and Fiumicino Airport in Rome, before returning to Kenya in 1980 as General Manager of Loisaba Ranch, where he met his wife Liz.
WHAT MAKES STEFANO A PUREIST
“I’m a PUREist because I imbibe the African wilderness, landscapes and extraordinary wildlife – not ticking off lists or seeking glitz.”
Wilhelm von Breymann
Minister of Tourism, Costa Rica
Costa Rica’s Minister of Tourism navigated the issues impacting the complex relationship between government and the travel industry. These included:the public policies needed to improve travel companies’ performance indicators; the impact of certification programmes on the competitiveness of travel companies; and the need for cooperation between the public and private sector. Additionally, the talk covered the pending challenge for all government sectors: responsible tourism development, a 50-year vision.
TOP INSIGHTS
“You must involve the community to have successful sustainability. Social media makes this much faster and more global.”
“Competition makes you more innovative and make a statement as a sustainable operator or lodge.”
“The private and public sectors must work together – our tourist board facilitates this interaction.”
“The issue in the future will be how to manage tourism growth sustainably.”
“Successful sustainability is profitable – you work from passion, but you also have to survive.”
“If you can start a successful sustainability model, people will follow.”
It all started with the passion and spirit of adventure inherited by Wilhelm’s father, a German youngster who migrated to Costa Rica in the early 1950s in search of a more peaceful place to live. Yet, he found more…great nature, great weather, great people and love! As a young man, Wilhelm started working as a tour guide, exploring every corner of Costa Rica. In the 1990s he became founder and co-owner of several companies including Costa Rican Trails, Panama Trails and Sixt Rent a Car. In May 2014 he was appointed Minister of Tourism, tasked with bringing together both private and public sectors to keep Costa Rica as a destination with a firm commitment to corporate social responsibility, conservation, reforestation, authenticity, community development and sustainability within the tourism industry.
WHAT MAKES WILHELM A PUREIST
“I’m a PUREist thanks to my passion for free-spirited travel, which has taken me to ride my motorcycle through the unwinding roads of America, Europe, Africa and Asia, exploring cultures and searching for new horizons.”
Panel moderated by Jen Murphy – Deputy Editor, AFAR, with:
Zita Cobb – Innkeeper, Fogo Island Inn
Sonu Shivdasani – CEO, Soneva Resorts, Residences & Spas
Keith Vincent – CEO, Wilderness Safaris
Zita Cobb, Sonu Shivdasani and Keith Vincent discussed the definition of sustainable luxury in today’s world and the barriers to running a truly sustainable hotel or tour operation. Talking points included: how to educate consumers about sustainability; integrating and benefitting the local community; how to prevent sustainable luxury becoming elitist; and the role of the media in telling sustainability success stories.
TOP INSIGHTS
“Sustainability and luxury are not incompatible. It’s all about the experiences you create and service” – Sonu Shivdasani
“People are looking for integrity – when something is consistent and complete. People feel that” – Zita Cobb
“Travel used to be distraction – now that all life is distraction, luxury has become about giving back to yourself” – Zita Cobb
“The keys to sustainability are also good business decisions – they add value for the future” – Keith Vincent
“Our biggest barrier is changing mindsets and proving that sustainability can be luxurious” – Sonu Shivdasani
Jen Murphy is the Deputy Editor of AFAR Magazine. She oversees the magazine’s hotel, food and lifestyle coverage and also edits and assigns features. When she’s not traveling the globe scouting stories, she splits her time between San Francisco and New York City. Jen is the former travel editor of Food & Wine magazine and a columnist for the Wall Street Journal. You can follow her adventures on Instagram and Twitter at @jengoesafar.
WHAT MAKES JEN A PUREIST
“I’m a PUREist because of my perpetual curiosity about the world and never-ending sense of wanderlust.”
Growing up on Fogo Island, a remote fishing community, Zita Cobb developed a deep belief in the value and power of place itself – and a profound respect for human ways of knowing that emerge from respectful relationships with place. After a career as a finance professional in the high technology industry, she returned home to establish Shorefast Foundation, a registered charity of Canada. She is the President of Shorefast and Innkeeper of Fogo Island Inn. Zita is dedicated to economic and cultural resilience for her island home and to developing sensible, next generation business models that support the development of contemporary rural communities. She believes that the key to resilience for rural communities lies in the specificity, community and genius of place and in rediscovering and preserving the chain of intellectual heritage and cultural wisdom.
WHAT MAKES ZITA A PUREIST
“I’m a PUREist because I have a deep belief in the value and power of place itself – and am humbled and motivated by the knowledge that what matters is what we do.”
Sonu Shivdasani is the Chairman and CEO of Soneva Resorts, Residences, & Spas. He is an alumnus of Eton College and Oxford University. With his wife, Eva, he created Six Senses Resorts & Spas, opening with Soneva Fushi in 1995. At the time of its sale in 2012, the Six Senses Group had grown to 26 resorts and 41 Six Senses Spas. Since 2012, Sonu and Eva have focused their attention on Soneva Resorts, Residences & Spas. They have established The SLOW LIFE Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation committed to supporting the development and operation of projects and campaigns that have a positive environmental, social and economic impact.
WHAT MAKES SONU A PUREIST
“I’m a PUREist because our core purpose at Soneva is to create innovative, enlightening SLOW LIFE.”
Keith Vincent has been committed to the Wilderness Group for over 20 years, playing an instrumental role in creating a strong company culture centred on the 4Cs philosophy (Commerce, Conservation, Community and Culture.) Growing up in Zimbabwe, Keith knew at the age of nine that he wanted to contribute to the conservation of his country’s wildlife and the protection of its wilderness areas. He developed a love for the outdoors and natural history of the country, becoming a professional guide in 1980. He then worked throughout Zimbabwe for various safari companies before settling in Victoria Falls in 1984. Keith began working for Wilderness Safaris in 1993 and after six years as Chief Operating Officer, was appointed CEO in July 2013.
WHAT MAKES KEITH A PUREIST
“I’m a PUREist because I am passionate about conserving Africa’s wilderness areas and deeply committed to the 4Cs ethos (Conservation, Community, Commerce and Culture) – a PUREist at heart.”
INSIGHT
With the help of PURE experts, we explored the issues that keep our suppliers and Private Travel Designers up at night – i.e. how do you constantly reinvent a destination? How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?
Click on the tabs below to read what we learned from each of the three sessions.
TALKS
HOW TO MAKE BUYERS REMEMBER YOU AT TRAVEL TRADE EVENTS
DESIGNING MESMERISING TRAVEL EXPERIENCES
TRAVEL MEDIA: IS IT STILL RELEVANT?
Katy McCann
Managing Director, Suite DNA
Lisa Lindblad
Founder, Lisa Lindblad Travel Design
“What was your favourite meeting of the day?” is the most common question asked at trade events. One of the secrets to success is simply ‘to be remembered’. PURE only invites the most inspiring travel companies and hotels across the globe – so being one of the chosen few, it shouldn’t be too difficult for you to make a memorable impact in a 20-minute time slot, right? Of the thousands of hotel meetings Katy attended in the last 10 years from site visits to trade shows, only a handful really stood out. And often it isn’t the hotel that first comes to mind, but the person she met with. Together with well-respected travel designer Lisa Lindblad, she talked about the secrets behind a good sales pitch and what really makes buyers walk away from a meeting with a smile on their face.
TOP INSIGHTS
Make sure you know who you are meeting and what they do – who are their clients? What sort of travel experiences do they specialise in? Doing your homework will help you to tailor the questions you ask your buyer, which in turn will help you to tailor the information you give them and leave them more fulfilled.
Try your best to build a personal rapport with your buyer – making the effort to find out exactly what they need and the issues they face, and above all being approachable and friendly, will make you memorable.
Make sure you know your destination inside out – teach buyers what their clients can do there and why they should go there. Don’t rely too heavily on a presentation to showcase your product – passion and enthusiasm is more impressive.
Try to tell a story, rather than just showing your buyer pictures of the rooms or the spa that they can find on the internet. In one-to-one meetings it is the human element that counts, and the stories that make a product memorable.
Maintain contact with your buyer after your meeting, but keep it brief – appreciate that everyone is busy and spamming buyers will only irritate them. There are no rules on how long you should wait after your first meeting to contact a buyer, you should just communicate in a way that you would feel comfortable with were you in their position.
Katy McCann is Founder of Suite DNA. Suite DNA Hotel Consultancy advises on hotel development across the world plus other projects related to Katy’s expertise. Previously Katy was Global Head of the hotel collection at Mr & Mrs Smith and over 10 years was lucky enough to personally visit and stay in over 2000 hotels. With such detailed first-hand knowledge, in January 2013 Katy also set up Suite DNA Private Travel, looking after select clients and managing their every travel need.
WHAT MAKES KATY A PUREIST
“I’m a PUREist because I believe that luxury in travel is something wild and untouched with a story to tell, which feels almost undiscovered.”
Lisa Lindblad is the Founder of Lisa Lindblad Travel Design, which she began in 1997 when the concepts of travel and design were foreign to each other. Lisa’s experience as a life-long traveler and anthropologist had taught her that good travel was not the result of some haphazard coupling of excursions, hotels and guides but rather the creation of something akin to theatre. Pacing, contrast and a distinguishable voice were intrinsic to creating a seamless and successful adventure, a whole that would turn out to be more than the sum of the parts. It takes wide experience, deep knowledge and a marrow-deep passion as well to build textured, vibrant trips, and this Lisa had assembled over years of childhood travel to Europe and then on an 8-month journey across Africa, which culminated in years spent in the East African bush.
WHAT MAKES LISA A PUREIST
“I’m a PUREist because I search for the essence of places and people and try to celebrate it.”
Michael Poliza
Photographer,Founder, Michael Poliza Private Travel
Federico von Sanden
Founder, FVS Travel
In the competitive experiential marketplace, leaving your clients with images that will remain in their hearts and minds forever requires an ever-increasing degree of surprise, authenticity and personalisation. As a travel designer and photographer who has been mesmerising his clients with his generosity, promise out of the ordinary and perfectly timed delivery for the last five years, Michael Poliza is well versed in the art of creating such unforgettable experiences. Together with fellow Private Travel Designer Federico von Sanden, he gave tips on how to build great itineraries, create routes and design transfers that outpace the competition with practical examples and easy-to-follow guidelines.
TOP INSIGHTS
“The small details matter. Be specific and don’t compromise on the dream you are creating.” – Michael Poliza
“Dream experiences are 360 degree. Consider the experience you are creating from all angles and perspectives, overlook nothing.” – Michael Poliza
“Sometimes ‘roughing it’ is okay – don’t be afraid to take people out of their comfort zone.” – Michael Poliza
“The most important thing in travel is people. You can’t create amazing experiences without amazing partners.” – Federico von Sanden
“Try to get the issue of time out of your clients’ heads; free them from restrictions with creative itineraries.” – Federico von Sanden
“Not everything costs a lot – understanding your client allows you to delight them with simple things.” – Federico von Sanden
For the past decade, Michael’s photography has been portraying the wonders of Africa & beyond and making them known to the rest of the world. Transfixed by the beauty and uniqueness of the wildlife and landscapes captured in his stills, wealthy individuals seeking the extra “oomph” for their holidays started to approach Michael to ask him if they could take part in his expeditions. For over five years, he has been successfully catering to a high-end authentic experience-hungry clientele. Michael was nominated for two PURE Awards in 2013: Best Outbound Travel Designer and Most Influential PUREist in Experiential Travel.
WHAT MAKES MICHAEL A PUREIST
“I’m a PUREist because I feel very much at home when I am surrounded by untouched wilderness. I love honest and authentic experiences. The purer the better.”
Having travelled the world as a child and teenager with his parents, Federico was bitten early by the travel bug. As the travel industry grew and travel became very
affordable, he had a growing desire to create journeys tailored towards people’s
individual, once in a lifetime travel ideas – the sort that other companies would not touch; Federico von Sanden Travel was eventually created in Cologne, Germany, back in 1988.
Recently he began designing new horseback riding safaris across the Andes and exclusive
heliskiing journeys from Patagonia to Peru, combined with extreme polar dog
sledding experiences. One of his favourite Designed by FvS trips was landlocked salmon
fishing in Mongolia.
WHAT MAKES FEDERICO A PUREIST
“I am a PUREist because my main objective has always been to amaze my friends and clients with real stories
and authentic moments that capture the overall magic of the travel experience, which is
fuelled by my desire to inspire and give an original impartial view on every destination.”
Press panel moderated by Graham Boynton – Journalist, with:
Ross Borden – Founder, Matador Network
Klara Glowczewska – Travel Editor at Large, Town and Country
Wendy Perrin – Founder, wendyperrin.com
Tom Robbins – Travel Editor, Financial Times
Charles Starmer-Smith – Head of Travel, Telegraph Media Group
As circulations continue to decline and luxury tour operators report that they no longer get the response from travel sections that they did a decade ago, we asked our press panel: is conventional print media still relevant? And if not, where are today’s luxury travellers going for their information? We found out out how small luxury properties, operators and ground handlers can get their messages out to the travelling public in a changing media landscape – and how media can prove that visits to their websites result in real purchasing decisions.
TOP INSIGHTS
Media isn’t dying – it has just morphed. The way people consume media is changing, but it still sits under the same umbrella; the travel industry needs to adapt to consumer behaviour rather than the other way around.
The so-called distinction between print and online travel media is too broad – instead, the focus should be on the quality of the content, rather than the medium.
If you are considering using travel media partnerships to enhance your brand and increase your exposure, think carefully about the audience each publication or writer appeals to. Is that your target audience? Don’t waste your time and effort reaching out to an audience who don’t have a vested interest in your product or service.
Crucially, travel media sells a story and allows people to ‘live’ the experience vicariously. It is stories, rather than facts alone, which inspire people to travel – and this is the value of travel media to the travel industry.
In contrast to the theory that travel media encourages travellers to buy directly from suppliers, an increased focus on new, exciting stories of previously unheard-of activities in increasingly inaccessible locations actually inspires readers to seek out buyers who can help them realise this dream – thus travel media is actually driving business to the industry, rather than killing it.
Graham Boynton has worked as a newspaper and magazine journalist in Britain, the USA and Africa for more than 30 years and covered everything from international politics to the arts, travel and sport. He has written for newspapers (Daily Telegraph, Sunday Telegraph, Financial Times, Mail on Sunday, Washington Post) and international magazines (Vanity Fair, Esquire, Newsweek, The New Statesman). He is the author of the critically acclaimed book on the final days of white rule in Africa, Last Days in Cloud Cuckooland, which was one of the Washington Post’s Best Books of 1998. He was a senior editor at Condé Nast Traveler US for 10 years and the Group Travel Editor of the Telegraph, where he founded Ultratravel Magazine. He now writes and consults and has recently had cover stories published in both Newsweek and Vanity Fair.
WHAT MAKES GRAHAM A PUREIST
“I’m a PUREist because I have an addiction to travel that over the past few years has taken me to the places of my dreams – Cuba, the Serengeti, the Cape winelands, the American Deep South. A world of movie sets.”
Ross Borden is the CEO of Matador Network. In the six years since Matador launched its first site, it has grown from zero to 1.7 million unique monthly visitors without spending a dollar on advertising. In the last four years Ross has worked with dozens of brands and destinations on custom content and viral marketing campaigns. Ross has lived in Spain, Kenya, and Argentina and currently splits time between New York and his native San Francisco.
Klara Glowczewska is a vastly experienced American magazine editor who has worked for Vanity Fair, Condé Nast Traveler and The New Yorker. She was Editor-in-Chief of Condé Nast Traveler for nine years and is currently Travel Editor at Large of Town and Country magazine, heading the relaunch of Town & Country Travel.
Wendy Perrin worked at Condé Nast Traveler in the US for 25 years, mainly as a problem-solving consumer advocate. She wrote the travel advice column The Perrin Report for 17 years and The Perrin Post blog for 7 years. She recently joined TripAdvisor as their Travel Advocate and is the founder and editor of WendyPerrin.com.
Tom Robbins has been Travel Editor of the Financial Times since 2010 and has given the weekly travel pages, which are published globally, a particular focus on luxury in far flung and adventurous locations. He is a Fleet Street veteran, having started at the Sunday Times in 1998 before moving to The Observer in 2005. He is the author of White Weekends (Bantam Press), a much-praised book about skiing.
Charles Starmer-Smith began his journalist career as a trainer at the Daily Telegraph in 2001 and after stints as travel news editor and managing editor he was appointed Head of Travel in 2012. He has been responsible for the multi-platform development of Telegraph Travel and is also editor of the luxury travel magazine Ultratravel.