Media Spotlight: National Geographic Traveller

National Geographic Traveller launched its 15^th international edition of the brand in the UK in December 2010. Nearly a year on from the launch, Editorial Director Maria Pieri says the magazine remains “passionate about discovering the world, its endless cultures and fascinating people while championing sustainable travel”. Pieri believes that living up to the National Geographic brand expectations of “providing breathtaking, you-are-there photography and insightful storytelling from the best travel writers” differentiates them from the competition.

Since the launch, Editor Pat Riddell says the magazine continues to evolve and progress as it becomes more established. The website has been relaunched to feature historical and original content, with future plans to develop their blog as they expand their online presence. The team are enthusiastic users of social media, embracing Facebook, Twitter and Flickr early on.

“It’s absolutely essential to use social media,” Riddell adds. “Many people expect you to have a presence and it’s a great way of extending the reach of the brand. Facebook and Twitter are important to us in terms of communicating with readers about the issues, competitions, offers, news and what the team is up to. We run our In Pictures competition through Flickr and also have a growing community of photographers submitting their images to our Group Pool.” Events and shows are also essential to the magazine, particularly for meeting their readers and industry people as well as promoting the brand and its ethos.

 “Our readers are typically aged between 35 and 50, who can afford to travel up to three times a year on short breaks and to once-in-a-lifetime destinations on a regular basis” explains Pieri, who plans to continue growing their readership through increased distribution, subscription offers and brand awareness. The forthcoming National Geographic Traveller – Family will encompass a wider variety of trips and adventures, catering for travellers who want their children to share their travel experiences.

Making the Pitch: Tips and Advice for Pitching to National Geographic Traveller:

“We prefer emails as it’s easier to share and file digital information — anything sent in the post has the potential to be lost in a pile. Generally if PRs have some understanding of the magazine and our readers, and how we might use pitches, it makes a huge difference. Anything relevant and tailored to the magazine will favourably received.”

Editorial information on National Geographic Traveller, along with thousands of other magazines, can be found in our CisionPoint media database.

See Cision’s Travel and Tourism Module for social media rankings covering topics such as luxury travel & budget travel as well as a downloadable sample of Cision’s Travel and Tourism Premium Media Profiles.