The fifteen most iconic experiences of travel journalists in these 15 years

Over these fifteen years of sustained work, the World Travel Journalism Organization has built a collective memory made of roads, rivers, cities, jungles, rituals, and human encounters. It is not just about the destinations visited, but about experiences lived from a professional, ethical, and sensitive perspective, where travel becomes a tool for cultural understanding. Here are fifteen experiences that have marked travel journalists from different countries and that today form part of WTJO’s symbolic heritage.  

Boating beneath the Iguazú Falls represents one of the most intense and transformative moments for those who experienced it. The roar of the water, the proximity to one of the planet’s most impressive natural systems, and the sense of smallness in the face of nature’s power create an experience that transcends tourism. For journalists, this experience allowed them to narrate the value of natural heritage shared between countries and the importance of its preservation.

The night navigation through the Panama Canal offered a unique perspective on one of the world’s most remarkable engineering feats. Experiencing the transit of large vessels under the canal lights, in silence and from the water, allowed journalists to understand the historical, economic, and symbolic impact of this interoceanic route, as well as its coexistence with the surrounding natural environment.

“Feel to See” in San Luis Capital, Mexico was a deeply transformative experience. This sensory and inclusive tour through the Historic Center allowed participants to explore the city blindfolded, guided by visually impaired individuals. Through touch, sound, and smell, journalists experienced another way of inhabiting urban space, fostering a more empathetic and inclusive vision of tourism.  

The night walk in the Bosque Nocturno (Trilha Noturna) with a Criúva Operadora in Caxias do Sul, Brazil offered a different encounter with nature. Walking at night among trees and unfamiliar sounds activated the senses and created an intimate connection with the environment. This experience encouraged reflection on nature tourism, respect for ecosystems, and the value of silence.

Experiencing Día de Muertos in Ciudad Valles, Mexico was an immersion into one of the deepest traditions of Mexican culture. Altars, rituals, colors, and family stories provided journalists with an authentic understanding of a celebration that honors life through memory. The experience highlighted the importance of communicating traditions with respect and cultural context.  

Outdoor cinema at Mystic Paradise campsite, Colombia combined nature, community, and culture. Under the night sky, the film screening became a space for connection and reflection, showing how tourism can create simple yet profoundly human experiences.  

Outdoor cinema at Mystic Paradise campsite, Colombia combined nature, community, and culture. Under the night sky, the film screening became a space for connection and reflection, showing how tourism can create simple yet profoundly human experiences.

Attractions at Tarundú Park in Campos do Jordão, Brazil brought journalists closer to adventure activities integrated with the mountain landscape. Recreational activities, contact with nature, and responsible design allowed communication of an active tourism model that coexists with its environment.

Parque del Café in Colombia offered an experience that combines productive tradition, cultural identity, and entertainment. Beyond the attractions, journalists were able to understand the social and historical value of coffee in the construction of communities and territories.

The tango show and dinner at Palacio Tango in Buenos Aires, Argentina was an immersion into one of the country’s most representative cultural expressions. Music, dance, gastronomy, and architecture combined to narrate a living story of Porteño identity and intangible heritage.

The Metrocable in Medellín, Colombia provided a new perspective on the city. This transport system, integrated into the urban fabric, demonstrated how mobility innovation can transform social realities, connect neighborhoods, and become a tourism experience with deep social content.

The walk through the Grutas de Cacahuamilpa in Guerrero, Mexico brought journalists close to an imposing underground landscape. The tour allowed them to narrate the geological richness of the site and reflect on the conservation of fragile natural spaces.

Navigating Laguna de La Cocha in Nariño, Colombia offered an experience of calm and spirituality. The Andean landscape, local communities’ relationship with the water, and the territory’s worldview provided a profound insight into community-based and sustainable tourism.

The La Llorona show in Xochimilco, Mexico City combined theater, music, and tradition in a unique natural setting. Experiencing this performance on the trajineras allowed journalists to understand how cultural tourism can revitalize legends and strengthen local identity.

Boating along the Chagres River in Panama connected journalists with the jungle and the country’s history. This river, essential for the Panama Canal, offered a living nature experience that allowed storytelling about the relationship between natural resources, development, and conservation.

Exploring Cauca and Valle del Cauca in a chiva was a celebration of collective travel. Music, landscape, and community came together in a journey that showcased the joy, hospitality, and cultural diversity of the region, reaffirming tourism as a shared experience.

These fifteen experiences not only represent destinations but also ways of seeing, feeling, and telling stories about the world. They are part of a collective history built by travel journalists who understand travel as an act of cultural, social, and human responsibility, and who over these fifteen years have made the World Travel Journalism Organization a space for encounter, learning, and transformation.

List of Experiences:

1. Boating beneath Iguazú Falls

2. Night navigation through the Panama Canal

3. Feel to See in San Luis Capital, Mexico – sensory and inclusive tour of the Historic Center

4. Night walk in the Bosque Nocturno, Caxias do Sul, Brazil

5. Día de Muertos in Ciudad Valles, Mexico

6. Outdoor cinema at Mystic Paradise campsite, Colombia

7. Attractions at Tarundú Park, Campos do Jordão, Brazil

8. Attractions at Parque del Café, Colombia

9. Tango show and dinner at Palacio Tango, Buenos Aires, Argentina

10.   Metrocable in Medellín, Colombia

11. Walk through Grutas de Cacahuamilpa, Guerrero, Mexico 

12. Boating in Laguna de La Cocha, Nariño, Colombia 

13. La Llorona show in Xochimilco, Mexico City 

14.   Boating on Chagres River, Panama  

15. Exploring Cauca and Valle del Cauca in a chiva