We asked Victoria Heinz to write about how COVID-19 and the ensuing lockdowns and travel restrictions so far in 2020 have affected her as a content creator. Victoria talks openly and honestly about her experiences and hardships. She sometimes struggles to stay motivated and focused and provide travel content to a world which is almost void of travel. In the end, her optimism and passion prove to be the greater force within her as she refuses to give up her dreams and keeps pursuing her passions. We love her drive and her optimistic attitude which is refreshingly being channelled into making the best of a bad situation.

We will now let Victoria introduce herself and talk about travel blogging in 2020.

My name is Victoria and I’m a travel blogger and content creator from Germany. I run www.guideyourtravel.com which is a blog all about realistic travel and advice on how to become a blogger. We like to give in-depth travel advice for destinations and have plenty of tools for learning how to get into blogging and develop your skills as a photographer.

The pandemic has hit everyone hard. With travel restrictions for almost every country in the world and even closed borders, the travel industry has taken a huge hit. As billion-dollar airlines are going out of business overnight and large hotel chains are on the verge of shutting their doors it comes as no surprise that life as a small travel blogger has become increasingly difficult.

A travel blog only works if it has an audience. If no one is researching their next trip to or comparing hotel prices bloggers are left with a fraction of their traffic and, in most cases, income. Like many other bloggers, I experienced a dramatic drop in both in April of 2020 with little hope for a full recovery any time soon.

“Why would you invest so much time into an online travel business in 2020?” is a question I was frequently asked this year. “Is this not the worst time you could possibly choose to be a travel blogger?” In a way, it is, of course. The travel industry is essentially dead at the moment. There was a short burst of hope over the summer as some forms of travel became possible again and you could see a slow but noticeable increase in numbers. However, this success was delicate and short-lived as the second wave hit us all like a brick and we went right back to the beginning of COVID, if not worse this time.

Because in April we were all under the impression that this would be a short-term thing. I was stuck in Australia during the time and only intended to go home for a few weeks, maybe a month as things calmed down. My plan was to return to Indonesia in late June and still be able to spend the summer in Bali. Like many others I was still planning trips for the rest of the year, never considering that travel might not be possible for the foreseeable future.

Now in the second wave, people are noticing that it’s just not possible to plan at the moment. Not one person in the entire world can tell you right now when you’ll be able to travel again which makes it extra hard for those making a living off this industry.

So why am I even still doing this? Honestly, I’m not sure either. I just know that right now at this point in my life being a blogger is what I’m supposed to do. I can’t say if that will always be the case but at the moment it is. I’m not letting something I can’t control like the pandemic stop me from doing what I want. Or at least making the best out of an unfortunate situation.

Bukit Rhema, Central Java, Indonesia - Victoria Heinz

It’s all a trial and error process. Although I had to throw all plans I had out the window because of COVID I like to at least attempt to see the good in it too. I would never be where I am today if it wasn’t for that first lockdown. Suddenly I had so much time on my hands and so much unresolved anger at the world that I just had to sit down and write. Through writing, I was able to vent my emotions and along the way, I discovered new possibilities and opportunities for my business.

While guide-style travel blogs were tanking and getting incredibly low traffic, I discovered that others performed much better. People might not be researching destinations anymore but travel content was not completely dead. By addressing the nostalgia that most former travellers now felt I was able to at least keep my blog afloat while I developed other ideas at the same time.

I thought back to my early days as a blogger and why I decided to take this route. I’ve been writing off and on for other blogs for a long time but never considered having my own blog until around 2 years ago. My love for writing made coming up with content easy although I struggled to find time to commit to this project fully.

I was and still am studying at university to complete my degree in International Relations and Business Management. At the time I found it hard to balance my new blog and my courses while still having to do research constantly on how to run a blog. Two years later I only have one semester left before I graduate which is a daunting but exciting idea. I’ve gotten much better at setting priorities and connecting things I am learning from my degree to my business.

I’m in the process of writing my thesis which will in part be based on my experience as a travel blogger and my introduction to this incredible world. During COVID I discovered my love for not only writing travel content but also teaching others how to start their own blog. I somehow managed to stumble across blogging myself with no outside guidance. Today my only regret about blogging is that someone didn’t come up to me 5 years ago and tell me to start my blog then.

Rottnest Island, Western Australia - Victoria Heinz

In the end, everyone who’s income and career is connected to tourism is sitting at home counting down the days until international borders fully open again. I am lucky enough to be based in Europe so I was able to do some travelling over the summer. This year did not go as planned but at least I am lucky enough to be able to find some positives in the situation. Many others are not as fortunate which is something we can never let ourselves forget. Once we acknowledge our privilege it’s a lot easier to accept 2020 for what it is and stay hopeful that we will get our old world back soon.

For anyone considering working in the travel industry or more specifically as a blogger, I can only say: do it. It has been an incredibly rewarding experience and changed my life in more ways than one. A life of travel is a lot more attainable than you think. So use this time of hibernation to prepare yourself for a new chapter.