RAW TRAVEL DEBUTS YOUTUBE ORIGINAL ON EL SALVADOR ON APRIL 22
Raw Travel's "El Salvador: Paradise or Prison" Unpacks Security in the Bukele Era
NEW YORK, April 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- AIM Tell-A-Vision® Group (AIM TV), producers of the nation's most watched travel show, Raw Travel, announced that their first made-for-YouTube Original will begin streaming on April 22, 2025, at 8 PM EST on their YouTube channel @Rawtraveltv. Rose will also host a live question-and-answer session on Raw Travel's YouTube page just before the premiere at 7 PM EST.
The 16-minute episode, "El Salvador: Paradise or Prison," was filmed in June 2024, when Raw Travel's producer and host, Robert G. Rose, visited El Salvador for the first time.
Rose traveled solo to El Salvador for five days last June, visiting the capital city of San Salvador, the surfing hotspot of El Tunco, the small towns along the Ruta de los Flores (Route of Flowers), and the renowned scenic coffee region.
Though it is his first time in El Salvador, Rose is no stranger to Central America. He filmed much of Season One of Raw Travel in 2013, visiting every country in the region except El Salvador, which was considered one of the most dangerous places in the world at that time.
Rose wanted to contrast his return to Central America by comparing El Salvador to some of the more dangerous places he and his crew visited in 2013, such as Belize City, Belize, Guatemala City, Guatemala, and Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
"I wished to get a sense of the safety and security of El Salvador and see if the hype aligned with the reality," Rose explains. "Even as a travel journalist on an informal visit, I wanted to see how locals felt about the contentious mass incarcerations stemming from President Nayib Bukele's 'Iron Fist' initiative. I found that many were hesitant to discuss politics due to fears of eavesdropping or possible mistrust. Those who agreed to share their thoughts off the record expressed gratitude for the country's newfound safety and exhibited a somewhat indifferent attitude towards fellow citizens who might have been imprisoned without due process, the expectation of a fair trial, or even the likelihood of a timely release," Rose added.
Rose added, "Given what is now occurring in the United States with mass deportations to El Salvadorian prisons, including individuals who were here legally, and even some disturbing talk of deporting U.S. citizens there, the trip has taken on a new meaning for me."
Although it resembles a travel vlog more than an exposé or investigative journalism, Rose hopes the video may spur conversations about addressing safety and security concerns while balancing democracy and freedoms. A trailer can be viewed at RawTravelTrailer.com, and the entire episode will remain streaming at RawTravelChannel.com after April 22nd, 2025, at 8 PM EST.
ABOUT RAW TRAVEL TV
Raw Travel is an adventure and lifestyle series showcasing socially and environmentally conscious, independent travel. The series uniquely weaves together eco-tourism and voluntourism (giving back) themes with underground music and authentic culture. Since 2013, the show has raised funds and highlighted dozens of non-profit organizations that assist the unhoused, orphaned children, people with disabilities, displaced refugees, and more, while also encouraging earth stewardship, sustainable living, and purposeful travel.
The show is broadcast each weekend in 186 U.S. cities on major broadcast affiliates and in various international territories (Asia, Africa, Europe, etc.). It can also be found on several major airlines and streaming platforms such as Travel Escapes and Raw Travel's YouTube Channel. AIM Tell-A-Vision Group produces the show and oversees its domestic and international distribution. Visit RawTravel.tv for more information.
ABOUT THE AIM TELL-A-VISION GROUP
AIM Tell-A-Vision (AIM TV) Group is an independent production, content, and distribution company founded by media veteran and entrepreneur Robert G. Rose. Since 2000, AIM TV has produced and distributed positive, compelling content that reflects its mission of presenting "Media That Matters." Visit AIMTVGroup.com for more information.
ABOUT ROBERT G. ROSE
Robert G. Rose is an independent media entrepreneur and travel journalist. Throughout his travel journalism career, Rose has visited numerous challenging and politically charged destinations for filming, including Haiti, Cuba, China, and Vietnam (all while undercover), Colombia, Georgia (including Russian-occupied territories), as well as Russia (2010) and Ukraine before and during Russia's full invasion. In the summer of 2023, Rose spent a month filming in Ukraine, where he documented his experiences traveling with volunteers and interviewing soldiers and civilians, some of whom were under the threat of Russian bombs and munitions. He has returned to Ukraine every summer since Russia's full invasion in February 2022 and has raised over $50,000 for various grassroots organizations there.
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SOURCE AIM Tell-A-Vision Group