65 Years of Travel Writing History with Daniel James Clarke from the British Guild of Travel Writers (BGTW)

Sixty-five years ago, overseas travel was a rare thing even for relatively well-off people in Britain. Currency controls meant it was illegal to take more than £50 abroad. Strict pricing controls on European airlines kept fares stubbornly high. The role of a travel writer was to persuade people to overcome these obstacles, brave the “metal tubes in the sky,” and set out to places where no one they knew had ever been before. Travel has changed a lot over the past seven decades, and travel writing has changed with it. Charting and championing the evolution of this art form has been the British Guild of Travel Writers (BGTW). I became a member earlier this year, and have been impressed by the energy and supportiveness of this venerable institution. As the Guild looks back, they have anthologised the contributions of their members over the years. Giants of the industry reflect on their long careers, such as John Carter and Hilary Bradt, while contemporary writers – many familiar guests on the Travel Writing Podcast such as Ash Bhardwaj and Daniel Stables – bring fresh contributions. Daniel James Clarke is a British travel writer based in Portugal who has authored numerous guidebooks and articles on the country. He is also Vice President and Head of Sustainability at the BGTW. Daniel joins the Travel Writing Podcast to talk about the changing purpose and enduring value of travel writing, and to discuss their new anthology in which he played a role, Around the World in 65 Years: 101 Stories & Experiences from the Road Less Travelled, edited by Mary Anne Evans, published by Bradt Travel Guides and available from November 4, 2025. Listen here or find the Travel Writing Podcast on Spotify or iTunes.