✨ Welcome to our brand-new series, TravMedia's Travel Writer of the Week! ✨
Each week, we'll be shining a spotlight on one of the incredibly talented, passionate, and inspiring Journalists or Editors from our amazing community.
This week, we'd like to shine the spotlight on Lisa Kjellsson - wellness and sustainability travel writer.
We hope you enjoy - happy reading !!
Where are you based?
I relocated from London to rural Dorset during the pandemic, which seemed like a good idea at the time. The peace and quiet is ideal for writing, but I miss city life.
What outlets do you write for? Who is your audience? What are your travel specialties?
I specialise in Indigenous cultures and wellness travel at the luxury end of the scale, so it's a culturally curious and discerning audience. I've written for CNN Travel, The Sunday Times, The London Standard, Wanderlust, City AM, Boat International, Robb Report, Sleeper, Country & Town House, Citizen Femme, Tatler and Condé Nast Traveller among others. I'm always pitching new titles too. Currently I'm writing about a recent trip to Tuscany for ITALIA! magazine.
Are you in-house or freelance (or both)?
Freelance.
What is your approach to press trips?
I mostly go on longer solo trips and I always have confirmed commissions. Typically I work with a tourist board or high-end tour operator to tailor an itinerary to my story angle(s). Occasionally I join a small group trip and they can be great. Some of my best travel memories – sleeping under the stars in the Empty Quarter desert, and a Kenyan safari – are of group trips.
What are your professional pet peeves?
When I've secured a commission for a trip, to then be told that there's suddenly no flight budget after all, or some other setback, leaving us all hanging.
In your past professional life you were…
I have worked in many newsrooms both as a reporter and sub-editor, and I've also managed editorial projects for content marketing agencies.
Where would you like to return to?
Australia! So far I've only been to Victoria and New South Wales – there's so much more to explore, not least in terms of Indigenous tourism, which I'm passionate about.
What's on your bucket list?
New Zealand, Antarctica and Argentina.
Where do you travel for fun?
To a city that has it all, like Barcelona or LA: culture, great hotels and food scene, a lovely marina and beaches. I also have a soft spot for Scandinavia, having grown up in Sweden.
Your funniest (or most harrowing) travel story is…
Camping on a secluded beach in Oman, I accidentally left my tent open while going for a bucket shower. Wrapped in a towel, I returned to my tent and discovered a huge crab had decided to join me for the night. I had to quickly call for help. Luckily I haven't had any real mishaps on my travels so far. I try to keep my wits about me, especially as a female solo traveller.
What advice would you give your younger professional self?
To pursue my passion and trust my gut.
What nugget would you like to add that we haven't touched on?
It's great to see how the industry is upping its sustainability efforts, with so many tourism businesses now affecting positive change in their local communities. These are the stories I like to tell.
How best should people contact you?
Via email: lisa.kjellsson@gmail.com. Please also feel free to connect with me on Instagram: @thelkedit or visit my website, lisakjellsson.com to take a look at my work.
