"Maximum travel thrills for every mile, minute and dollar" is the motto of television travel pioneer Rick Steves. It also sums up the potential of many television travel shows.
Whether they're looking for some hot tips on travel destinations or for 30 minutes of entertainment, more and more viewers are turning to travel shows. Dozens of travel shows and even a network devoted to travel shows are available to some cable subscribers. For other viewers, PBS and some independent stations offer travel programs.
"Many of Maryland Public Television's travel programs are often among the top 10 programs viewed in any given time frame," says MPT spokeswoman Donna Farrell. And in 1994 alone, the Travel Channel on cable TV added 1.2 million household subscribers nationwide. It expects up to 5 million more in 1995.
Where else can one take a tour of Bavaria or Chile without spending a small fortune? Since the majority of programs are on cable television, the cost may be merely a portion of the monthly cable bill.
"The number of travel-related programs is skyrocketing [primarily because] travel is America's largest growth industry," says Steve Loucks, director of public relations for the American Society of Travel Agents.
Today's consumer "wants to be better informed about the travel they are prospectively buying," Mr. Loucks says.
One of the more popular travel shows is "Travels in Europe with Rick Steves," now in its third season on public television. (Shows from past seasons run year-round on the Travel Channel, available to cable subscribers in Baltimore City, Harford (Comcast), Lanham, Prince Georges County (Newhouse) and Ocean City.)
Rick Steves is a former piano teacher turned travel writer, whose "Europe Through the Back Door" guidebook is on Publishers Weekly's list of international best sellers.
Mr. Steves' philosophy of "back door travel" means exploring Europe's lesser-known towns and villages. He advocates independent travel, packing light and trying to become temporary Europeans rather than tourists.
The "back door" approach has been altered in his television show to appeal to a larger audience. Each show normally contains one "front door" location, like Milan, Italy, and one back door location, like a small village on Lake Como.
Mr. Steves takes the greatest pleasure from targeting his show to those who are "sitting there with a pad taking notes and plane ticket in hand," because he views himself as a teacher, not a celebrity.
The reality, however, is that "The great majority of people who watch these shows are never going to go to Europe," says John Givens, executive producer and editor of "Travels in Europe."
"What we end up with is a show that has a real definite vicarious value. Because of the two different agendas, it lets people have some of the value of travel without jet lag or diarrhea."
Aside from avoiding the fatigue and expense of travel, television travel shows offer a look at the museums, history and art that travelers would find at the featured destinations. Mr. Steves says that the most important reason to travel or even to watch travel programs is to make one "a global person rather than provincial person."
In a future show about Turkey, viewers will see a side of Islam usually not seen in the United States, that of "a normal small-town pastor living a normal life," rather than the threatening, political image of Islam often portrayed in news reports, he says.
Mr. Steves isn't the only guidebook authority on television. A series sponsored by the people behind the Lonely Planet guidebooks also is airing on the Travel Channel. "The Lonely Planet" is not a "how to" series; rather, "It provides inspiration more than anything else," says Eric Kettunen, U.S. manager of Lonely Planet Publications. "It shows you what to expect when you go to some of the world's most interesting, off-the-beaten-track destinations," he says. ("The Lonely Planet" is not available in Baltimore City, because United Artists takes the Travel Channel off at 8 p.m., in order to air pay movies.)
One show that provides destinations more accessible to viewers is "Great Country Inns" on the Learning Channel. Donna Hamilton, a former local TV personality who still lives in the area, takes viewers on tours of intimate hideaways in small towns and villages across the United States. "You can certainly get a feel for what the place is like, what to do in the area, what the amenities are, and whether or not it is the kind of place that you would want to visit," Ms. Hamilton says.
Many shows revolve around activities like dining or sports. The TV Food Network offers a program called "TV Diners," which presents three different restaurants each show. Three other food-related travel shows include "A Taste for Travel With Burt Wolf," "Flavors of Italy" and "Flavors of France" on the Travel Channel.
Some shows focus on train trips or castles in Europe, seasonal events like Chinese New Year or Mardi Gras, or on sports like golf, skiing, tennis and sailing.
A growing number of shows focus on eco-travel, including "Earth Journeys with Christopher Reeves" on the Travel Channel. Because of the general boon in eco-travel, viewers can expect to see even more shows with an environmental theme.
To get the most out of travel shows, viewers should "translate what you like to do at home and try to equate with where you are going," says Judy Colbert, a travel writer. Ms. Colbert, who has written five travel books and publishes Crofton-based QuickTrips Travel Letter, advises viewers to beware if shows have a particular bias because of financial sponsorship.
The Travel Channel does not air infomercials and tries to avoid "shows that effusively advocate specific hotels, airlines or destinations," says Dalton Delan, senior vice president for programming. If an airline or hotel provides free services for production companies, it will be clearly stated, and even then, the shows must avoid any flagrant shots of airline logos or other advertisements, he says.
Some travel shows are almost purely entertainment for all but the truly adventurous. "Treasure Islands," another Learning Channel show, surveys exotic islands once inhabited by pirates and covers the history and folklore of these locales.
At the opposite extreme are shows designed to give viewers practical information about airlines, weather and money-saving tips. The Travel Channel's "Travel News Now" is newsy and factual. And CNN's "Travel Guide" is packed with information about destinations and activities.
Even industry professionals are discovering the value of TV travel shows.
Tracy Martin, a travel agent with Roeder Travel in Cockeysville watches "Travels in Europe" and "Travel Guide," and she advises her clients to do the same to pick destinations or prepare for trips.
TRAVEL ON THE TUBE
Here's a list of just some television travel shows. Check your local listings for others that are not mentioned below.
"Travels in Europe": 2:30 p.m. daily except Tuesdays and Thursdays, Travel Channel; 2:30 p.m. Sundays, WETA, 26; 3 p.m. Sundays, WMPT, 22/67; 4 p.m. Sundays WHMM, 32
"Great Country Inns": 3 p.m. weekdays, 7 p.m. Saturdays, Learning Channel
) "Travel News Now": 6 p.m.
weekdays, Travel Channel
"TV Diners": 9 p.m. weekdays, TV Food Network
"The Lonely Planet": 8 p.m. Tuesdays, Travel Channel
"Treasure Islands": 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Learning Channel
"Earth Journeys with Christopher Reeve": 8 a.m. Sundays, Travel Channel
"Travel Guide": 8:30 a.m. Sundays, CNN
"Great Castles of Europe": 8 p.m. Sundays, Learning Channel