Driving destination discovery through podcast storytelling

Great Western Railway (GWR) wanted to inspire more people to explore destinations across its network while building a stronger emotional connection with travellers through entertaining, high-quality content that felt genuinely entertaining and useful, rather than overtly promotional.

Think developed a content programme that puts storytelling at its heart. Rather than simply promoting destinations, each episode combines humour, culture, history and local insight to create compelling travel content that audiences actively choose to engage with.

By combining entertaining storytelling with authentic destination content, Think launched Great Escapes, a travel-comedy podcast hosted by comedians and broadcasters Isy Suttie and Dan Skinner. The series takes listeners on journeys across the South West and Wales, encouraging curiosity through memorable experiences and engaging conversations with locals.

The format enables GWR to:

• Showcase destinations across its network

• Strengthen brand affinity through long-form content

• Reach audiences through podcast listening habits

• Highlight local businesses, attractions and communities

• Position rail travel as part of the adventure rather than simply the journey

To date, two series have been launched, with episodes available across all major podcast platforms. The format has continued to evolve, with Series 2 introducing video episodes alongside the existing audio content. This shift enhanced the audience experience by bringing conversations to life visually, while also creating new opportunities to promote content across social media and digital channels. As a result, the podcast has been able to expand its reach and engage audiences through both audio and video formats.