Gulliver (The Economist) stands at the forefront of travel journalism, blending rigorous economic analysis with on-the-ground reporting across 60+ countries. Their work consistently drives policy changes and consumer behavior shifts in these key areas:
Recent recognition includes the 2024 Lorenzo Natali Prize for environmental reporting and a featured role in the World Tourism Organization’s Crisis Response Task Force.
Over the past decade, Gulliver has established themselves as The Economist’s foremost authority on the intersection of travel, technology, and global economics. Their career began with ground-level reporting on Southeast Asia’s backpacking circuits before evolving into a sophisticated analysis of macroeconomic forces shaping 21st-century tourism.
This 2024 investigation revealed how Ghana and Rwanda generated 17% GDP growth through eco-certification programs, while exposing “greenwashing” tactics by multinational hotel chains. Gulliver embedded with local guides for six weeks, combining ethnographic observation with leaked corporate memos to create a groundbreaking accountability framework now used by the UN World Tourism Organization.
“The $147/night ‘carbon neutral’ safari package often offsets less emissions than a London commuter’s weekly Tube pass – we’re not saving the planet, we’re salving Western guilt.”
Analyzing 2.3 million booking records from AmEx Travel, Gulliver identified the rise of “algorithmic wanderlust” – the phenomenon where AI recommendations now influence 68% of luxury bookings over $20k. The piece predicted 2025’s blockchain-based concierge services six months before their market debut.
This cross-publication collaboration with CorpWatch exposed systematic labor violations at 12 all-inclusive resorts across the Caribbean. Gulliver’s forensic accounting techniques traced profit-shifting schemes that diverted $230 million from local economies annually.
Gulliver prioritizes stories that allow innovative data presentation, such as their interactive map tracking overtourism metrics across 40 cities. Successful pitches should include:
With 73% of their 2024 pieces focusing on destinations beyond traditional hubs, Gulliver seeks stories from regions like West Africa’s emerging safari circuits or Kazakhstan’s new Silk Road initiatives. Provide local contacts who can offer authentic perspectives rather than government spokespeople.
Their award-winning series on VR-assisted heritage conservation demonstrates interest in solutions that balance progress and tradition. Pitches should specify:
