✨ Welcome back to our series, TravMedia's Travel Writer of the Week! ✨

Each week, we'll be shining a spotlight on one of the incredibly talented, passionate, and inspiring Journalists or Editors from our amazing community.

This week, we'd like to shine the spotlight on freelance travel writer - Matthew Dennis !

We hope you enjoy - happy reading !!

Where are you based?

I'm based in beautiful North Devon

What outlets do you write for? Who is your audience? What are your travel specialities?

At the moment I'm doing quite a bit of work with Lonely Planet, but I also write for The iPaper, The Independent and have written for some great magazines including Discover Britain, Adventure.com, Mountains Magazine, and Low Season Traveller.

My audience is most likely 30+. People with a sense of adventure and wonder.

I have a disability and walk with crutches, so I like to weave in accessibility topics and information where I can. The world is slowly becoming more accessible (there's still plenty to do), and travelling is a liberating experience. I'm keen to encourage everyone to get out there and explore.

Are you in-house or freelance (or both)?

Freelance

What are your professional pet peeves?

It's not really a peeve, but I'd love to be given the option of regional airports for press trips. Obviously, this can't happen for longer haul trips, but living in Devon can mean high costs in getting to London airports.

In your past professional life you were …

I've worked in hospitality for most of my career, front of house, then onto training and finally partnership management at a training provider. I'm also still a practising hypnotherapist.

Where would you like to return to?

I would love to return to India. It is a country of such diversity, colour and life. The people are wonderful, and there is such a range of vistas, hotels, and experiences to be had. I'd love for it to become a more visited country. I feel there are still some reservations in the UK about travelling to India.

What's on your bucket list?

There are just so many! High on the list would be Cambodia, as it has such a fascinating culture and deep history. Japan is rapidly creeping up the list as well. I'd love to delve further into the African continent as well. Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Malawi are all places I'd love to explore. This question feels like asking a kid in a toy shop to decide on which toy they want!

Iran is right up there as well. It's the cradle of civilisation, and I would love the opportunity to visit. Sadly, I think this may be a way off at the moment, but hopefully it will be a possibility one day.

Where do you travel for fun?

Thankfully, I have fun everywhere. The place I travel to the most for a holiday is Italy. I adore the history, the culture and, of course, the food and wine. There always seem to be little towns and villages that hold surprises. I never get bored with discovering these.

Your funniest (or most harrowing) travel story is …

Meeting a hotel's chained-up Rottweiler in Costa Rica with the host. I then told my partner that she should go meet him with the owner, as he was lovely… she got bitten and had to have a series of rabies jabs! I'm still in the doghouse for that one!

What advice would you give your younger professional self?

Trust your passion. Anything that you do with passion will shine and affect others and yourself more. Grab the opportunities that feel right for you with both hands.

How best should people contact you?

Feel free to reach out by email mrmrdennis@yahoo.co.uk. I'm also on both Insta (@mattheempoweredtraveller) and Facebook (The Empowered Traveller)