After a year of global lockdowns brought the travel industry to a screeching halt, Nine’s Travel Guides is bringing the world back to Australian lounge rooms.
Mediaweek spoke to Travel Guides executive producer Melissa Maclean about putting together a travel show in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Melissa Maclean at Kings Creek Station on the Rim Walk, NT, during Travel Guides production
Getting Travel Guides off the ground
Maclean says that crossing international borders for this series was no mean feat.
“Travel Guides got off the ground this year because of the extraordinary persistence of the team and the willingness of our travel guides to be flexible, and being able to work really closely with the Government agencies to allow some travel exemptions to happen for us.
“We had plans A, B, C, and D for everything, and there were certainly times when we thought all may be lost. But we were a combination of fortunate and persistent, we managed to get everyone together, all of the guides and all of the crew, and once that happened we were able to form a moving bubble.”
Travel Guides have taken their guides across the globe, but Maclean says that the place that stood out most for her this year was closer to home.
“We’re going to South Australia this series, and it surprised me. Of all the destinations we go to, we kind of go to the more remote places, and it is absolutely fantastic, those more remote areas of South Australia, they’re just stunning. That’s something I really like about the show, it can turn pre-conceptions about what a place might be on its head.”
Finding their guides
Choosing the guides for the show is all about authenticity and reflecting modern Australia, and Maclean says that the guides they work with cover both bases.
“We’re looking for people who are themselves. That’s what we need, it sounds like a cliche, but their absolute authentic selves, wherever that is. Then of course we’re looking for contrast, we don’t want to have the same perspective. We’ve got to have different perspectives and those perspectives represent the vast diversity of the Australian experience.”
Travel Guides in Greece. Credit: Channel 9
Producing Travel Guides
Maclean says that the team behind Travel Guides don’t often get to take a look at a location before letting the guides loose.
“There’s quite a bit of research and pre-preparation done, but then an awful lot is left to chance, so we’re turning up very hopeful with quite a large moving beast. We carry about 1.3 tonne of gear for example.
“We try to shoot the episode in a week, so it is real time. We say we’re going to go on a great week long holiday in a destination, and we always give the destination a theme, we film it in a week, and move on to the next destination.”
Filming for 2021
As Travel Guides took their unique brand of chaos across the world, Maclean says that there were a few standout moments for her while filming.
“Some of the highlights were Greece – going up to the Acropolis and getting the guides take on such a wonder of the ancient world and how there’s a real mixture of reverence and utter flippancy up there, as we would expect from the range of travel guides that we have.
“Mauritius turned out to be an absolute surprise, absolutely beautiful and the paradise that you think only exists on Instagram. Cambodia warmed everybody’s hearts with just how really lovely the people are and how keen they are to show you everything.”
Ultimately, Maclean hopes that the show will give Australians something to look forward to after spending so much time at home.
“The great thing about the internationals that we’re showing, they’ve all had really good Covid responses so people will be able to book those holidays before long. We’re all ready to start dreaming about international travel and our travel guides going for it overseas will inspire people, I think.”
Travel Guides in Greece. Credit: Channel 9
Travel Guides airs Wednesday, April 28 at 7.30pm on Channel 9 and 9Now