Outdoors, Adventure & Nature are the focus of Travel South Naturally
In the fall of 2022, UK influencers Amelia LeBrun, Amy Shore, James Norbury, Federico Penta and Guy Davis journeyed throughout Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana on an outdoor adventure. They traversed the southern landscape by boat, bike and on foot to capture footage for the campaign entitled, “Travel South Naturally.”
By late February, the film footage and photos helped launch a digital and print campaign as well as a campaign website offering a free trip to one of the six featured Travel South states of their choice to experience a world-famous outdoor experience. The video housed on the microsite takes the viewer on the journey of outdoor experiences. It begins in Kentucky where the influencers visited Mammoth Caves, Red River Gorge and Cumberland Falls State Park where the fire tower view proved quite impressive. They were then on to North Carolina, where the wild life, such as elk and black bear, showed off in Gorges State Park and in the Cataloochee Valley. A private guided boat tour of Lake Toxaway elevated the influencers’ experience by showing them just how passionate the people in the South are about our home. In Alabama, a sunrise trip to Bon Secour Animal Refuge was a favorite as well as seeing an alligator for the very first time at Gulf State Park. The white sandy beaches of Dauphin Island were a hit as well. The scenery of Pinnacle State Park and Petit Jean State Park in Arkansas proved sensational to the group as the sunrise raked across the valley of autumn colors. Gravel biking was the transportation of choice in South Carolina. Caesar’s Head State Park showed the more rugged side of South Carolina whereas Swamp Rabbit Trail in Falls Park showed a more urban side of life including cascading waterfalls in the middle of the city. Canoeing through the swamp in the Atchafalaya Basin filled with cypress trees and unique wildlife captivated the influencers in Louisiana. Sunset fishing on Lake Pontchartrain with a great guide was a real treat, too. Culminating sentiments from the influencers reveal the indelible impact the trip to the South made on them: “It’s so much more than the landscape, it’s the people. They make me want to stay here and experience every single aspect of life. It’s definitely somewhere everybody needs to go at least once in their life.” Click here to get to know the influencers and see the full video of their adventures.
In addition to the video assets, articles highlighting the campaign appeared in two prestigious travel publications. In Wanderlust, a magazine geared to adventurous and authentic travelers, each partner
received their own detailed section with highlights from the influencer trip. This was an immersive feature and was written by Jacqui Agate who specializes in US travel. Click here to read the article.
Also, The Independent publication, whose largest lifestyle category is travel, featured the campaign in an article entitled, “Caverns, canyons, waterfalls and woodland: exploring the natural wonders of the Southern US.”
On March 22, 2023, it was time to celebrate and share the Travel South Naturally campaign at an activation at Lafayette in King’s Crossing, London, with over 150 operators, agents, journalists and consumers. The night began with two separate receptions: one for consumers to mingle via a cocktail hour with acoustical music and the other for trade networking with Travel South partners at dedicated tables. The two came together for a Travel South welcome and enjoyed the entertainment of Sunship Orchestra, a crowd favorite playing 90s classics and beyond. Next, the crowd viewed the video from the campaign and listened in on a panel discussion led by esteemed guest speakers Simon Calder, Travel Correspondent for The Independent, and Lyn Hughes, award-winning writer and owner of Wanderlust magazine. The panel shared their list of must dos from the trip, a “peak behind the curtain” view of the trips as well as tips on being a professional content creator. Afterwards, the crowd was treated to more great music to complete the amazing event and guests left toting a Travel South bag filled with goodies from all 6 states.