Travel writers explore Detroit's stories
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Hundreds of travel writers from around the world will be in Detroit this week, checking out local attractions and historical landmarks.
Why it matters: Detroit's rich history and recent resurgence make it an ideal hub for this year's event, the Society of American Travel Writers' president tells Axios.
The big picture: The organization's annual conference is held in different cities each year, where members can explore and gather information for future articles.
- This convention runs Wednesday through Sunday throughout the city and beyond.
- Writers can choose from extensive day tours with different themes, such as "From Motown to Modern Vinyl: The Music of Detroit" and "The Path to Freedom: Explore Windsor, Detroit's International Neighbor."
What they're saying: "In the end, it's about stories, and Detroit has such an amazing breadth of stories," Chez Chesak, SATW president and freelance travel writer, tells Axios.
State of play: The organization is in its 70th year and has about 800 members in the United States, Canada and elsewhere.
- The last two conferences were held in Istanbul, Turkey, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Zoom out: The outside world has long maintained a fascination with Detroit, particularly when it comes to music, art, history and sports.
- Professional organizations have recently taken an interest.
- The International Economic Development Council's annual conference is also here this month.
- An exclusive network of entrepreneurs, artists and executives came here in May.
💠Joe's thought bubble: Reading SATW's detailed tour itineraries is giving me lots of ideas for learning more about Detroit myself.
Between the lines: Travel writers have broad interests and their guidance to readers is often centered around a particular theme — food, golf, the outdoors, culture or family fun.
What we're watching: The publication of future Detroit travel stories inspired by this conference.
Go deeper: "Explaining Detroit: The city's troubled past is prologue to a brighter future," written by Chesak, the SATW president, for Postindustrial.