Zoe Dawes
When you go on holiday what research and planning do you do beforehand? No doubt you will have been on the internet – maybe to look for package deal, accommodation or cheap flights. You may also have Googled to find out more about your proposed destination, finding websites and blogs with lots of handy tips and advice. Now there is a new resource inspiring travellers and holiday makers with stunning visual imagery and links to a world of information and choice. Pinterest is on the travel map!
As a travel writer with my own blog The Quirky Traveller, I need to keep up with the trends in tourism and the ways people choose their destinations. I’ve been on Pinterest for over a year now and in that time it has really taken hold of the imagination in a way no other photography site has. If you are not sure what Pinterest or how it works then there are some tips to get started here. I’d just like to tell you how you can use it to plan your next holiday.
A great many of the photos posted on Pinterst are about travel related topics – countries, culture, art, food, people, towns, villages, resorts, hotels, adventure, nature etc. They cover every budget from back-packer and camping to luxury, specialist and tailor-made. You can look for a theme or topic using the search bar and now that Pinterest has introduced #hashtags it makes your search even more effective. If you were thinking of going to #Andalucia in #Spain you’d search those words and this photo may come up:
Sunset in Montefrio has tags to #Spain #Andalucia and #travel. You may not have heard of this charming village before and can then add it to your list of possibilities.
Another advantage is that many photos are linked back to the website that they originated from, which means that no matter how many times it is shared far and wide that link stay with it. So you can click on the Montefrio photo and it will take you to a piece about a Moorish-style villa with lots of info about things to do and even an option to book a holiday there.
I am a Pinterest addict and as well as sharing The Quirky Traveller photos, I have boards set up to add pictures of my own hobbies and interests – everything from books, food, social media, transport, design and even doors.
To see more of how Pinterest works, do join me and share your favourite photos.
Happy pinning!
Article and pictures by Zoe Dawes
Zoë Dawes, founder of award-winning blog The Quirky Traveller, is an accomplished and entertaining travel writer captivating her audience with an engaging and informal style. Based in NWUK with a love of the arts, culture, natural beauty and people, she shares tales of inspiring landscapes, secret places off-the beaten track and her travels around the UK and abroad.
Zoë is also part of Pinterest’s UK Pin It Forward (#PintItForward) campaign. Recently, 300 bloggers from the UK shared boards and stories about what inspires them and how Pinterest is a part of their personal passions and also recommended their own favourite pinners.