Beautiful Destinations, he explains, started “as an
Instagram account focused on sharing inspiring travel
content from around the world and connecting with
talented creators with stories to tell.”
He adds, “I believe so passionately that travel is a force
for good in the world—a universal language that connects
people regardless of age, income, or background. Now,
more than ever, we need things in life that can bring us
together and in celebration of different cultures.”
Jauncey is a frequent traveller to the Philippines and,
like many before him, has fallen captive to the charms of
the country. His enthusiasm is evident and encompasses
more than just the beautiful scenery for which the
Philippines is famous.
“It’s no secret how much I love the place and its
people; they are the reason I keep coming back,” he
says, “to show the world how much is happening in the
country is very important to me. The tourism offering
is so broad, but so much of it is still unknown to many
people. If I can play any role in encouraging more people
to come and visit, I’d be very proud. [Department of
Tourism] Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat is also
an inspiring leader and I know, under her guidance, the
industry will grow stronger.”
With all the extensive travelling he’s done, it comes
as a surprise that there are still corners of the world
he has yet to discover, such as Antarctica. “It’s the one
continent I’ve never been to but at the fast rate our
climate is changing, it’s a region I should visit sooner
rather than later. I’m a Global Ambassador for the World
Wildlife Fund and a passionate supporter of sustainable
tourism and the environment in general, so anywhere I
can go to help raise awareness of climate-related issues
is a place worth visiting.”
While discovering new destinations, as well as
revisiting favourite countries, Jauncey has also picked up
a few useful travel tips along the way. There are the usual
challenges in new places, such as the language barrier,
for instance. Apart from English, he admits to speaking
“okay” Spanish, but says that “all over the world, a smile
and positive outlook is all I’ve needed to get by. If you are
respectful and kind to people when you travel, you’ll get
the same back and the language barrier doesn’t matter.”
As for preparing for trips, one could say he practises
what he preaches. In the same way that social media is the
way he communicates with his followers, so, too, does
he utilise it for his own travels. “I actually plan a lot of
my trips through Instagram: using my favourite accounts
to get inspiration, but also searching the hashtags and
geotags to find the best spots. I also reach out to people
through social media to ask advice from locals and ensure
I know as much as I can before I arrive.”
And the best way to feel at ease in a new destination?
“Planning ahead and having a connection with locals is
a good start. The great part about breaking the language
barrier [if applicable] with a smile and a positive outlook is
that neither of those things cost any money, so you’re able to
spend more when you get to your destination. This helps the
local economy and is something I’m very passionate about.”
As for the future? Jauncey is still discovering new worlds.
Beautiful Destinations has evolved from an Instagram account
into a unique content-driven and social media-powered
platform that encompasses nation branding.
“Our nation branding business continues to grow
quickly as we work with more countries and cities
around the world, helping them with strategy and
creative content. At the start of the year we launched
our entertainment push, creating Beautiful Destinations
Original productions telling our own stories of the world
for the larger streaming platforms. Lots more exciting
things are in the pipeline and I am hoping for more
partnerships in the Philippines!”As for the future? Jauncey is still
discovering new worlds. Beautiful
Destinations has evolved from
an Instagram account into a
unique content-driven and social
media-powered platform that
encompasses nation branding