Contribute
At Planeterra we want to hear from you! Here you can submit a blog post you would like us to share on our website and possibly in our newsletter!
We would love to share your experiences at our community partner enterprises, why sustainable tourism is important to you, how you found Planeterra, or just about anything related!
We look forward to reading your stories, thoughts, and ideas through your blog posts.
What We’re Looking For
At Planeterra we want to hear from you! Here you can submit a blog post you would like us to share on our website and possibly in our newsletter!
We would love to share your experiences at our community partner enterprises, why sustainable tourism is important to you, how you found Planeterra, or just about anything related!
We look forward to reading your stories, thoughts, and ideas through your blog posts.
Grounded in Real Experience
We are especially interested in writing rooted in lived experience. This might include first-hand engagement with Planeterra community partners, reflections from time spent with communities in destinations, or personal learning journeys connected to community tourism.
We value stories shaped by observation, participation, and listening rather than second-hand commentary or abstract ideas.
Specific and Reflective
The most compelling pieces focus on particular moments, conversations, challenges, or turning points. Rather than speaking broadly about “responsible travel” or “community tourism,” we encourage contributors to reflect on what they saw, felt, questioned, or learned.
We encourage depth over breadth. A focused reflection on one meaningful experience is often stronger than multiple examples mentioned briefly.
Aligned with Planeterra’s Approach
Submissions should clearly reflect Planeterra’s values and approach to community tourism, including:
- Community leadership and ownership
- Shared decision-making
- Respect for local knowledge and culture
- Long-term social, environmental, and economic impact
We are looking for writing that shows how these principles play out in practice.
Human and Honest
We welcome nuance. Community tourism is not perfect or simple, and we appreciate writing that acknowledges complexity, growth, and learning along the way. Pieces do not need to present everything as positive or resolved. Learning moments, challenges, and reflections are just as valuable as successes.
Story-Driven
Rather than explaining what community tourism is in theory, strong submissions demonstrate what it looks like through real examples, people, and experiences. Stories should invite readers into lived realities, not just concepts.
Strong submissions should feel grounded in real people, interactions, and observations rather than broad theory or generalized commentary.
Originality and Publication
To protect the integrity of our content, all submissions must be:
- Original writing (though pieces may be adapted from unpublished personal writing)
- Not previously published elsewhere, including personal blogs, newsletters, or media platforms
- Not scheduled for future publication on another platform
AI tools may be used for light editing or brainstorming, but submissions should reflect the contributor’s own voice, observations, and experiences. Fully AI-generated pieces will not be accepted.
If your submission is adapted from unpublished personal writing, please flag this clearly when submitting.
Please Avoid
To ensure editorial consistency and relevance, please avoid:
- Generic statements that could apply to any destination or organization
- High-level discussions of responsible or sustainable travel without lived examples
- Advice lists, opinion essays, or “how-to” style articles
- Lists of examples without meaningful depth or storytelling
- Generic content that could apply to almost any responsible travel organization
- Writing designed primarily for search engine optimization (SEO) rather than storytelling
- Articles written primarily to target keywords or search rankings
- Promotional language or link insertions to unrelated external websites
Our goal is to publish content that feels specific, human, and genuinely connected to real community experiences.
Need ideas?
You don’t need to have visited a Planeterra community partner to submit a piece. We welcome thoughtful reflections connected to lived experience on topics such as:
- Community tourism in practice
- Women and girls’ leadership and empowerment
- Youth engagement in tourism or non-profit work
- Protecting culture, heritage, and living traditions
- Environmental protection through community-led tourism
- Myths and realities of sustainable travel
- Why you support Planeterra or how you’ve engaged others
- Fundraising or advocacy efforts in support of Planeterra
Writing Style and Length
Word Count
Ideally 800–1,200 words. Shorter reflective pieces are also welcome if they are focused and thoughtful.
Language
Clear, simple, and accessible. Many of our readers speak English as a second language, so please avoid jargon and overly complex sentence structures.
Tone
Warm, reflective, and human. Submissions should not feel academic, technical, or promotional.
About You
Please include:
- A short bio of 1–5 lines
- A headshot or personal photo
If you prefer not to share a photo, we are happy to use a simple avatar.
Photos and Visuals (Optional)
Images can enhance a story but are not required. If you choose to include photos:
- Only submit images you own or have permission to share
- Please avoid stock or generic image libraries
By submitting photos, you grant Planeterra permission to use them across our website, social media, and related communications.
If no images are provided, we may add visuals from our own library where appropriate.
What Happens after I submit a post?
Firstly, thank you for your submission!
We reserve the right to review and edit posts for grammar, readability and to provide context if needed. We may make small changes such as title changes, minor edits, and other changes to make sure your post is as great as you are.
If a post needs more improvement we may send it back with some suggestions so that it fits with our blogs.
After a post is approved we may post it right away or in a few weeks, but we will let you know when we share it!
Posts that are approved may be shared on Planeterra’s other social channels.
It’s important to note that there is no payment for guest posts and we reserve the right not to post the submission or to remove a post from the website without notice.
*Note: We receive many submissions and, while we read each one carefully, not all pieces will be published. Selection depends on editorial fit, storytelling approach, originality, and alignment with our current content priorities.
