18 Years of Traveling the World with No Luggage
It has been 18 years since the travel show No Luggage was first aired on Bulgarian TV which makes it Europe’s longest-running travel docu series. Created and produced by Art Winner’s Billyana Trayanova, the show has also turned into an international hit airing on big broadcasters and platforms across the globe.
In this interview with TVBIZZ Magazine, Billyana talks about the success and longevity of the format and what makes it attractive to buyers targeting various types of audiences around the world.
In this interview with TVBIZZ Magazine, Billyana talks about the success and longevity of the format and what makes it attractive to buyers targeting various types of audiences around the world.
Billyana Trayanova
Billyana, No Luggage is Bulgaria’s most popular travel show and Europe’s longest running travel docu-series, with a 18-year old history and more than 800 episodes available. How did you come up with the idea and how do you keep the show relevant?
During my successful acting career, I unexpectedly discovered a passion for documentaries due to life events that deeply affected me. My first creative documentary, Addictions, was selected for the New York Film Festival and aired nationally in Bulgaria. This experience made me realize that through powerful documentary storytelling, I could influence society in ways I couldn’t as an actor. The film sparked a societal wave by breaking the stigma surrounding drug addiction.
Following Addictions, I produced a series of documentaries focusing on alcohol addiction, mental illness, and other challenging topics. However, working on these subjects was emotionally draining. My team and I decided to shift our focus to more uplifting content. This led to the spontaneous creation of the travel documentary series No Luggage. For 18 years, No Luggage has resonated with viewers, speaking a universal language of tolerance, acceptance, respect, and healthy curiosity that transcends borders and advances civilization.
What is the show’s format and what makes it attractive to international broadcasters and streamers?
No Luggage is a half-hour documentary series that fits perfectly into weekend timeslots, though it attracts large audiences on both linear and digital platforms at any time. Its global appeal and ability to adapt to local preferences through curated episode selections make it suitable for various markets. Whether you refer to it as a reality documentary, cultural content, or docu-travel, No Luggage encompasses all these genres.
No Luggage is internationally distributed by TVF International. Tell us more about this partnership and what have been the latest deals for the travel show?
Our partnership with TVF International has been instrumental in distributing our series. Their expertise in localizing content and understanding the unique needs of a small independent production company has enabled No Luggage to reach audiences on five continents. Recently, we’ve secured deals with major networks and platforms such as RTVE, Globo, RTVS, MBC, BBC, Virgin Atlantic, and more.
Viewers’ habits are constantly changing with FAST channels and streamers gaining lots of fans in the past few years. What makes No Luggage suitable for such platforms?
No Luggage appeals to a wide range of viewers, from families to fans of culture, nature, adventure, and travel. Its accessible and engaging format makes it enjoyable for all ages. Viewers can explore the world and venture into unknown territories from the comfort of their couch.
Feedback from our audience indicates a strong desire for more episodes, watched one after another. No Luggage leaves viewers with a sense of harmony, tolerance, positivity, and a desire to learn more about our vast world. Many viewers watch the series repeatedly, with some even planning their annual trips based on our routes, including the wildest destinations.
Whether aired on public TV channels, FAST, or VOD platforms, No Luggage is highly sought after because it inspires dreams and the belief that one can fully embrace adventure. The series is timeless; the jungles and gorillas, the savannah and its tribes, remain fascinating not only as travel destinations but also as topics of conversation and knowledge about our world.
How many countries have you visited and are there places on your list that you still haven’t filmed in?
Over the past 18 years, we’ve produced 800 episodes and traveled extensively across 70 countries. We often revisit these places because capturing everything in just one trip is impossible. For instance, Kenya alone has over 80 ethnic groups, which could translate to at least 80 episodes. Across Africa, there are potentially hundreds, if not thousands, more stories to tell. In Sri Lanka, we’ve returned to film eight times, each visit uncovering new stories we feel compelled to share.
What have been the most challenging countries you have shot No Luggage in?
Finding a good guide who speaks the local language is crucial to truly immersing ourselves in different cultures and the wild. Challenges are ever-present. For instance, in Morocco, locals threw stones at us whenever we took out our cameras, repeatedly telling us, “You are not allowed to take pictures here.” In Uganda’s jungle, we moved with rangers to protect us from wild elephants and trackers to locate mountain gorillas. We faced dangerous insects, poisonous plants, landslides, and apocalyptic downpours, often fearing we were lost in the rainforest as darkness approached. Comfort is a luxury we rarely have while shooting.
Global warming adds to our challenges. Weather forecasts are no longer reliable, and the dry and rainy seasons in places like Seychelles, Fiji, or Madagascar have become unpredictable. This unpredictability poses significant risks for a small independent production like ours. We need vaccines for yellow fever, typhoid, and anti-malaria medication to access many fascinating African locations.
In Ethiopia, we once reached a remote tribe, the Mursi, only to find everyone drunk on homemade alcohol, walking around naked but armed with assault rifles. In such situations, you don’t know whether to film or flee, unsure of their reactions. Each location presents unique challenges, but our extensive experience allows us to adapt and extract compelling stories even in unexpected circumstances.
During my successful acting career, I unexpectedly discovered a passion for documentaries due to life events that deeply affected me. My first creative documentary, Addictions, was selected for the New York Film Festival and aired nationally in Bulgaria. This experience made me realize that through powerful documentary storytelling, I could influence society in ways I couldn’t as an actor. The film sparked a societal wave by breaking the stigma surrounding drug addiction.
Following Addictions, I produced a series of documentaries focusing on alcohol addiction, mental illness, and other challenging topics. However, working on these subjects was emotionally draining. My team and I decided to shift our focus to more uplifting content. This led to the spontaneous creation of the travel documentary series No Luggage. For 18 years, No Luggage has resonated with viewers, speaking a universal language of tolerance, acceptance, respect, and healthy curiosity that transcends borders and advances civilization.
What is the show’s format and what makes it attractive to international broadcasters and streamers?
No Luggage is a half-hour documentary series that fits perfectly into weekend timeslots, though it attracts large audiences on both linear and digital platforms at any time. Its global appeal and ability to adapt to local preferences through curated episode selections make it suitable for various markets. Whether you refer to it as a reality documentary, cultural content, or docu-travel, No Luggage encompasses all these genres.
No Luggage is internationally distributed by TVF International. Tell us more about this partnership and what have been the latest deals for the travel show?
Our partnership with TVF International has been instrumental in distributing our series. Their expertise in localizing content and understanding the unique needs of a small independent production company has enabled No Luggage to reach audiences on five continents. Recently, we’ve secured deals with major networks and platforms such as RTVE, Globo, RTVS, MBC, BBC, Virgin Atlantic, and more.
Viewers’ habits are constantly changing with FAST channels and streamers gaining lots of fans in the past few years. What makes No Luggage suitable for such platforms?
No Luggage appeals to a wide range of viewers, from families to fans of culture, nature, adventure, and travel. Its accessible and engaging format makes it enjoyable for all ages. Viewers can explore the world and venture into unknown territories from the comfort of their couch.
Feedback from our audience indicates a strong desire for more episodes, watched one after another. No Luggage leaves viewers with a sense of harmony, tolerance, positivity, and a desire to learn more about our vast world. Many viewers watch the series repeatedly, with some even planning their annual trips based on our routes, including the wildest destinations.
Whether aired on public TV channels, FAST, or VOD platforms, No Luggage is highly sought after because it inspires dreams and the belief that one can fully embrace adventure. The series is timeless; the jungles and gorillas, the savannah and its tribes, remain fascinating not only as travel destinations but also as topics of conversation and knowledge about our world.
How many countries have you visited and are there places on your list that you still haven’t filmed in?
Over the past 18 years, we’ve produced 800 episodes and traveled extensively across 70 countries. We often revisit these places because capturing everything in just one trip is impossible. For instance, Kenya alone has over 80 ethnic groups, which could translate to at least 80 episodes. Across Africa, there are potentially hundreds, if not thousands, more stories to tell. In Sri Lanka, we’ve returned to film eight times, each visit uncovering new stories we feel compelled to share.
What have been the most challenging countries you have shot No Luggage in?
Finding a good guide who speaks the local language is crucial to truly immersing ourselves in different cultures and the wild. Challenges are ever-present. For instance, in Morocco, locals threw stones at us whenever we took out our cameras, repeatedly telling us, “You are not allowed to take pictures here.” In Uganda’s jungle, we moved with rangers to protect us from wild elephants and trackers to locate mountain gorillas. We faced dangerous insects, poisonous plants, landslides, and apocalyptic downpours, often fearing we were lost in the rainforest as darkness approached. Comfort is a luxury we rarely have while shooting.
Global warming adds to our challenges. Weather forecasts are no longer reliable, and the dry and rainy seasons in places like Seychelles, Fiji, or Madagascar have become unpredictable. This unpredictability poses significant risks for a small independent production like ours. We need vaccines for yellow fever, typhoid, and anti-malaria medication to access many fascinating African locations.
In Ethiopia, we once reached a remote tribe, the Mursi, only to find everyone drunk on homemade alcohol, walking around naked but armed with assault rifles. In such situations, you don’t know whether to film or flee, unsure of their reactions. Each location presents unique challenges, but our extensive experience allows us to adapt and extract compelling stories even in unexpected circumstances.
