"King of the Bucket List"

Travel+Leisure

"He's done everything, he's been everywhere."

60 Minutes Sports (CBS/Showtime)

"One of Canada's top travel writers, and definitely one of our biggest personalities."

The Globe and Mail

"One of the world's best-known travel writers."

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

​It Starts With an Accident...

​Robin Esrock’s success as a global adventurer, award-winning travel writer, bestselling author and international TV personality is no accident, although it did start with one. Struck down on his bike at an intersection, Robin hobbled away with a broken kneecap, and one year later, a modest $20,000 insurance settlement. It was just enough for him pack up his things, quit his job, and set off on a one-year solo round-the-world backpacking adventure to 24 countries.  Committed to record his year of living dangerously, he uploaded weekly reports, photography, videos, reviews, and interviews with every person he met. In doing so, he pioneered a new era of multi-platform, switched-on and wired-in travel journalism, leading to adventures beyond his wildest dreams.

Robin could look back on several careers before stumbling upon this exciting new one. He rode the new media boom in the late 1990′s, working in London for the Sunday Times, BBC, Reuters and FilmFour. Immigrating to Canada, he founded a Vancouver record label before working for a music agency with clients including Coldplay, Norah Jones and Bryan Adams. Once he discovered travel writing, his own star took the spotlight.

Robin’s stories have now been published in over a dozen major publications worldwide, including National Geographic Traveler, The Guardian, Chicago Tribune, Sydney Morning Herald, Toronto Star, Readers Digest, Associated Press, and the South China Morning Post.  He has been featured on 60 Minutes, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes Travel, MSNBC, Travel+Leisure, Huffington Post, ABC, the CBC, CTV, Global, Breakfast Television, Channel Nine and many others, consulting regularly as a travel expert. Robin has also written regular columns for The Globe and Mail, Vancouver Sun, MSN, Outpost, Matador, and Pakistani fashion magazine She (because, why not?)  He currently writes a column for Canadian Geographic, freelances for various publications, and edits various blogs. 

Noticing the fascination and misconceptions surrounding the profession of travel writing, Robin conceived what became the first TV series to show the truth behind the byline.  Word Travels  took Robin and co-host Julia Dimon to 36 countries on 6 continents, filming 40 action-packed half hour episodes. In addition to hosting, Robin developed, wrote, and co-produced the show. Nominated for a Best Documentary Series Leo Award, the show aired on National Geographic and Travel Channel International in over 100 countries and 21 languages. In Canada, it was a popular fixture on OLN, FX, and CityTV, also airing on TVB in China, PBS, Outside TV, Hulu, Tubi, and Amazon Prime Video in the USA.  Robin also created an award-winning culinary TV series called Get Stuffed, seen on National Geographic and OLN. 

Robin has produced numerous award-winning multimedia projects, and worked with brands including Ford Motors, Intercontinental Holiday Inn, Keen Footwear, Bell, Sony and many others.  He was honoured as Master of Ceremonies at the prestigious Explorer’s Club Annual Dinner at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City, sharing the stage with the likes of Buzz Aldrin and Ken Burns. Robin also spoke about the lessons of travel in his TEDx talk which has over one million views.  He has delivered inspiring keynotes around the world for dozens of companies and organizations, including Scotiabank, EA Sports, Royal Bank of Canada, Tourism New Zealand, VRBO, Bank of Montreal, IBM, CIBC, Toronto Dominion, REMAX, National Bank, Destination Canada, Fidelity Investments, The Caravan Association of Australia, CWT and Deloitte. 

Robin's first book - The Great Canadian Bucket List: One-of-a-Kind Travel Experiences - garnered critical acclaim and extensive media coverage. It fast became a smash 20x national bestseller, topping Amazon's Travel, History, and Guidebook categories for years.  He is also the bestselling author of The Great Global Bucket List (HarperCollins), The Great Australian Bucket List (Affirm Press) and 75 Must See Places to Take the Kids (before they don't want to go).   Robin has has served as the Executive Director of the Greater Vancouver Media Association  and he is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and Travel Media Association of Canada (TMAC).  Robin is also a Fellow of The Royal Canadian Geographic Society, a First Place SATW and TMAC award-winner, a member of the Adventure Travel Trade Association, and a Media Herald for the Transformative Travel Council. He was nominated as the 2023 Travel Media Professional of the Year by the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC), and is a member of the Travel Media Association of Canada. 

Scuba diving in Papua New Guinea, racing Lamborghinis in Italy, volcano boarding in Nicaragua, chasing polar bears in the Arctic – it’s all in a day’s work. Now having reported from over 120 countries on 7 continents, Robin continues to write, blog, share, talk about and film his ongoing adventures. He lives in Vancouver with his wife and two children.  

Links

The Great Australian
​ Bucket List

Companion site for Robin's best-selling book the best experiences Down Under

The Great Canadian
​Bucket List

Companion site for Robin's best-selling book about Canada's most unique experiences

The Great Global
​Bucket List

Companion site for Robin's best-selling book about the world's best experiences

Wikipedia ​

Robin's entry in the ultimate encyclopedia

Word Travels

Website for Robin's 40-part syndicated TV show

Esrock World Media

A boutique agency specializing in compelling content.

Twitter

Follow Robin on his Twitter feed

Facebook

Become a Canadian Bucket List fan

Youtube

Watch videos, go places

Robin's articles and photos


​have appeared in: 

The Globe and Mail
National Geographic
The Guardian
The Chicago Tribune
Melbourne Herald Sun
New Zealand Herald
Sydney Morning Herald
​Dubai Gulf News
British Columbia Magazine

Canadian Geographic 
Readers Digest
Red Bulletin Magazine
The Toronto Star
Hobart Mercury
Explore Magazine 
Dallas Morning News
The Vancouver Sun
​Boulevard Magazine
​

Associated Press
South China Morning Post
Cape Town Argus
Mental Floss
Matador Network
MSN
Ottawa Citizen
The Adelaide Advertiser
Montecristo Magazine
​Yahoo News

Escape Magazine
West Jet Magazine
Get Lost Magazine
Canadian Traveller
She Magazine 
Pique Magazine
The National Post
Outpost Magazine
Reisen Exclusiv