Jessica Smith of MTV’s “Laguna Beach” Named Let’s Go Spokesperson*

Travel Blog  •  Michael Yessis  •  12.02.05 | 11:59 AM ET

It’s a sweet imagegig for the reality TV star. Smith will take trips to locales of her choosing, blog about her experiences and make personal appearances for Let’s Go. According to a Brandweek report (scroll to bottom), “Smith was seen as a good fit for the young-skewing budget-travel guides because, unlike some of the party-oriented and privileged Paris Hilton types chronicled on the series, she’s a more down-to-earth student.” 

It’s at least the second time a travel publisher has sought out MTV personalities to promote their guidebooks. A couple years back, the cast of “The Real World: Paris” worked for Frommer’s. I don’t mind the moves. If college students and recent graduates are thinking more about travel than emulating Paris Hilton, that’s not a bad thing. 

* Update August 16, 11:45 ET: Part of the gig apparently includes shooting video during a spring-break trip to Europe, which recently debuted on uthtv.com. In the first episode, the cameras follow Smith through London. Read more…

Related on World Hum:
* MTV’s “Laguna Beach” Spawns Reality Show Tourism