Spanish Journalists Tour ‘Melville’ Locations in Massachusetts, New York
In tribute to the bicentennial of the birth of American novelist, short-story writer, and poet Herman Melville, Brand USA Spain hosted a “Melville-themed” press trip to Massachusetts and New York in June for five journalists from upper-tier Spanish publications. The trip highlighted regional history, heritage, and gastronomy.
Members of the group visited New Bedford and Nantucket in Massachusetts, and Duchess County and New York City in New York state. Each of the locations has ties to Melville’s life. The author was born Aug. 1, 1819, in New York City, then moved to Massachusetts as a child. Later in life, he returned to New York. He died in 1891, at the age of 72.
Melville is best known for his 1851 book, “Moby-Dick, or the Whale,” often considered one of the “Great American Novels.” He drew on prior experiences, when he had sailed out of New Bedford on a whaling expedition to the Pacific Ocean in 1841. Today, New Bedford is home to a whaling museum.
The journalists on the trip represented: two travel magazines (“Viajar” and “De Viajes”); several lifestyle magazines (“Sobremesa,” “Harper’s Bazaar,” and “InStyle); and a travel supplement (“Destinos), which appears in 11 newspapers owned by Spain’s Grupo Vocento, a multimedia communications group.