Biography
Alan Hoskins
Veteran travel writer offers variety of exciting stories and photographs
More than 40 years in the newspaper and public relations fields, trips to nearly 20 foreign countries over the past five years has enabled Alan Hoskins to assemble an outstanding array of travel stories and photographs for newspapers, magazines and other publications.
Eight trips in all, they've been to such varied spots of the world as the Pyramids and amazing Abu-Simbal in Egypt; the world's most massive waterfall, the magnificent Iguaccu Falls on the border between Brazil and Argentina; a safari to Kenya; the historic castles of Austria's Mad Ludwig; Spain's historic Segovia and Avila; a cruise to the Greek isles; and the beauty of the Scandinavian countries and the isle of Mallorca.
And just ahead is a 13-day venture to Bangkok and the Mai-Ching area of Thailand for which stories can be customized to the needs of a variety of publications.
A native of the small Iowa town of Zearing (population 500), Hoskins is a graduate of the University of Iowa where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism. After two years as a wire editor, reporter and photographer for the Muscatine (Iowa) Journal, Hoskins spent 15 ½ years as reporter, sports editor and finally managing editor of the Ottumwa (Iowa) Courier. While at the Courier, he took three-week trips to Europe and the Orient, authoring an eight-part series on the Orient (Japan, Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore).
In 1976, Hoskins joined the news staff of The Kansas City Kansan newspaper before becoming public information supervisor at Kansas City Kansas Community College in 1983, a position he still holds. In addition to his duties at the College, Hoskins has continued to write sports columns, travel and entertainment stories for The Kansan and is a regular contributor to Kansas City Golf Travel and Tourism; Kansas City Sports and Fitness; and The Greyhound Review, a national publication.
An award-winning photographer, Hoskins' trips have enabled him to compile an exceptional portfolio of photographs to accompany his stories.