In our series The Art of Bookmaking, Luster gives you a glimpse behind the scenes of the world of publishing. We interview people with whom we work and who work in publishing: Printers and distributors, retailers and designers - some of whom are sometimes indirectly involved, although most of them often work in the very heart of our industry.
A Friday morning, at By Jarmusch, an American diner in the centre of Rotterdam. I am meeting with Pauline Egge, the founder and driving force behind Petite Passport, a curated travel platform featuring some of the most beautiful places in Europe. In a sense, we are competitors. With its Hidden Secrets series, Luster, like Pauline, targets travellers who prefer hidden gems to tourist traps. But this morning, the atmosphere is convivial. We think of each other as colleagues rather than rivals, sharing a passion for nice places and beautiful books. Last year, Luster even published Design Stays, Pauline’s first coffee table book. I got to know Pauline as a hard worker, a real perfectionist who never complains and honours all her commitments. Hers is the no-nonsense, roll up your sleeves attitude, that is so typical of Rotterdam.
You started Petite Passport fifteen years ago. What did you do before this?
I studied journalism and dreamt of becoming the editor-in-chief of Elle. In 2006, I did an internship at Elle, where I was put in charge of Elle’s Little Black Book, a section featuring new bars, restaurants, and shops. I really enjoyed the experience, and that’s how I started working as a freelance journalist for various magazines. Around 2009, I was working for Living, a really nice travel magazine, which was also looking for a sustainable revenue model. At the time, I already suggested that we needed to do something online. But the people in charge worried that if we started publishing everything online, people would stop buying the magazine. After a radical change in the magazine’s editorial direction, many readers stopped buying it and Living folded.
That was the push I needed to start doing something online myself. At the same time, I realised that people were always asking me for tips. ‘I’m off to Paris, Pauline. Where should I go?’ And then I’d write entire emails with tips. In 2010, I created a free WordPress site. My idea was to gather all my research in one place, so that whenever someone asked for tips, I could simply send them a link. What started as a side gig, 15 years later, has turned into Petite Passport. Every month, I add at least 12 new places to the selection, with many more added after a research trip. Until 2015, it was a passion project, but after readers requested it, I began compiling guides. Digital guides, at first. I later invested the money I made from them in paper versions of these guides.
So where did you sell them?
Initially, I received requests through my website only, but after a while, I started getting requests from shops that wanted to sell my guides. From Europe, as well as Australia and America. I ended up having customers from all over the world.
How do you decide which places to include?
The premise was always that Petite Passport is like my personal notebook, my little black book, with places that I love to visit myself. While I find design important, it’s not the only reason for including a place. A place can look great but have no soul. Because the staff are not friendly or the food is not right. That is why I visit all these places myself, from hotels and restaurants to shops. To feel whether the vibe is right. Is there a real story behind it? Is it a corporate concept or, on the contrary, a very personal one? Not all the places I like and recommend have the same style. I like minimalist places, but I don’t mind a British country atmosphere. As long as I know, this is where I want to be, where I want to meet someone, and this is what I want to share with others.
Do you really do everything yourself?
Yes. Travel, visits, selecting the places, taking the photos, and writing them up: I do it all myself. Obviously, this also means there is a limit to my growth, which is why I have considered working with a larger team. But lately, I realised that I really like it when readers tell me how happy they are with my personal selection, and that they trust it. If I were to job out the search for places, it would fundamentally alter the essence of Petite Passport, which is Pauline’s selection. Obviously, I do rely on a network of freelancers who support me with website development, graphic design and commercial proposals that I receive.
You have built a loyal community. How did you do it?
You build trust by delivering on your promises. If I recommend a place, it has to be just right. If you select something that isn’t good, people will stop following you. You gain people’s trust by saying no to sites you don’t endorse, being transparent about paid partnerships, and updating or removing tips if something is no longer good. This is something I’ve done consistently from day one.
Are social media important?
Yes, Instagram, in particular, has been essential to my growth, but its importance to Petite Passport has decreased somewhat since the early years. On Instagram, interest has shifted to content with more humour and emotion. Beautiful places have less reach than before. At the same time, I noticed a return to newsletters: people clicking on interesting things in their mailbox again. Although the community around Petite Passport has shifted, it won’t disappear.
Most of the guides you offer are digital only. You also offer paying digital subscriptions for your website. Do you still see a future for paper?
Online content is quick and easy to find, whereas print offers depth, context and a quiet reading experience. I am a firm believer in the combination of the two: an online platform as a living archive, books for background and stories. A bit like I did with Design Stays. “I don’t think books will disappear altogether. The way inspirational stories can take shape in a book, how beautiful images look even better in a double-page spread: it just doesn’t look the same on a small screen.”
Do you think of AI as a threat?
Not at the moment. When it comes to travel research, AI often still provides outdated and generic suggestions. If you ask AI for cool places to shop in Paris today, it will suggest Merci, a concept store Merci. But it fails to mention Merci 2, the second branch that opened eight months ago. The quality of this kind of information will probably get better over time. AI can be used for support, filtering addresses and destinations with prompts like “Which of the hotels I selected allow dogs?” But my work still revolves around the human touch: tasting, talking, feeling the vibe, taking photos. I think readers continue to seek my personal judgement, recognising and trusting it.
What are you most proud of when you look back over the past 15 years?
The move from a blog to guides was a highlight for me, though, and so was the publication of my magazine and the Design Stays book. But what I am most proud of is the fact that there was nothing when I started out. Today, I have a global readership, with readers who love the addresses that I select and the stories I write.
Have you also lived through some difficult times?
Oh yes, during the pandemic! Guide sales ground to a halt during the pandemic. But I kept going; in fact, it was a very busy time. I expanded the platform, set up a membership system and released The Netherlands Guide, because people tended to stay close to home.
How do you see Petite Passport evolving in the coming years?
I’m thinking more depth in what I publish, both in terms of content and visually. And I would also like to facilitate more live contact. Occasions where makers, such as hoteliers, chefs, and designers, as well as readers, can meet and share insights. Like the event we organised to mark the launch of Design Stays. Several hoteliers attended, and I noticed that they genuinely enjoyed the opportunity to exchange views with one another. In an increasingly digital world, face-to-face communication is very valuable. But above all, I want to keep sharing beautiful places. Small, independent places by people who have put their heart and soul into them.
Finally, what is your ultimate Rotterdam tip?
Restaurant Rotonde. They make some delicious vegetarian dishes; it’s a fantastic place. The guys who run it are very nice too.
Thanks!
(MV)