Challenging Trends

     Within my own magazine, there is no specific group I want to represent other than adventurous travelers. I intend to focus on affordable traveling, including budgeting, saving, and spending tips when vacationing, however, that is not targeted towards a certain group. My focused audience will be audacious people who are not limited to common tourist schedules and are willing to get out of their comfort zones to explore. 

In the magazine, “Travel + Leisure”, there are sections of outdoor life, backpacking, flying, ships, etc. Some magazines have specific sections targeted towards trendy places, but to compensate, there are also sections included that gather information about exploring places rather than touring, and about getting personal with nature. Besides sections in different travel magazines, there are worldwide magazines that base their travel options and recommendations based on the bold traveling choices. Magazines like “Canoe and Kayak”, “National Geographic Travel”, and “Outside” Magazine, focus on interacting with nature the right way, not just through zoos and swimming with dolphins. “National Geographic Travel” includes the ability to plan group “expeditions”, not tours, but rather be able to actually experience the place you are visiting.

    I do think the collection and selections of these magazines represent adventurous travelers well. However, I feel like the unfair part of it is that it can be assumed that adventurous or nature seeking means risky and dauntless. Some of these magazines focus on skydiving, snorkeling, etc. “National Geographic Travel” represents the group the best because they include sections that show appreciation of the location, not just trendy areas and “instagram worthy” spots. Sections like “See the Arctic’s striking landscapes from above”, “Discover the art behind Nashville’s signature sound”, and “Lake Toba’s striking beauty” appeal and attract those travelers who are looking to explore and get to know a place, rather than just tour it. I think the representation is pretty accurate, however I do believe more general travel magazines should include more sections like the ones from “National Geographic Travel”.

    I would retain the element of a compelling and eye-catching title for the section to draw the attention along with striking visuals to create the imagery. I would challenge the assumption. The assumption of only being open to “all nature” and “no city” thought that people have when travelers say they want to explore. I would also want to compare both types of travelers. For each location, I would like to put an option for those who prefer a luxurious touristic experience, and one for those travelers who are looking for an adventure and to leave the place feeling like they know it, not just visited it.

Picking up on the Travel Genre

I am not extremely familiar with the travel genre for a magazine, however, I adore traveling, especially to places that are not entirely popular, at least when I first begin to like them. When it comes to their content, many any travel magazines are paired with their website where readers can get access to the vacations they read about on the print. Usually stories or articles written in the magazines come from personal experiences from the writers, since they offer advice on the best places to stay, eat and explore. However, when that is not the case, the writers always give credit to the person whose experience that was, not only obtaining popularity for the person, but especially it sells the place. The color palette varies with the place that is showcased, but brightness is always a feature of a travel magazine, being that it draws attention. More obvious, pictures and facts about the places are included to persuade readers to visit said location.

A travel magazine is set up similarly to its website, which is complex. It includes articles, linked travel tools, images, and personal narratives of travelers. The magazines and their assigned websites include a portion for destinations, budgeting, weather, hotels, etc. The organization of the magazines includes a logic structure that follows a pattern. That pattern is the one people follow when booking-budget, destination, hotel, restaurants, tours, etc. The pages of the magazine usually include 4-5 column layouts. Those columns are then broken into smaller boxes that separate the data and information, to make it accessible and easy to comprehend. Each page, or even section, has links or mentions of the website and where the information can be found. Some companies even include videos on their website, to add a more realistic and vivid imagery. Certain websites also include a lack of white space, which is acceptable since most users are there for the appealing visuals. Travel magazines, along with their websites, keep a “business casual” look. After all, they are trying to sell an experience. Travel companies look to boost their ethos appeal, because that way, their information is credible to the audience. The fonts utilized are usually simple, since the attention should be based on the aesthetics of the visuals, not so much the text.  Just like the majority of magazines, the travel genre also includes seasonal subscriptions.

A popular travel magazine is “Travel + Leisure”, based in New York City. Their website and magazine is separated by “trip ideas”,”holiday travel”, “destinations”, etc. “Travel + Leisure” focuses on visuals and pictures, as they also allow travelers to send in their pictures or videos to include on print and online. This magazine, in their online version, includes a news section which puts out information about new hotels, or secret tips for traveling to popular destinations, such as Disney. Their site is filled with bright colors that embody the light-heartedness of the topic.

 

Another well-known travel magazine is “Condé Nast Traveler” magazine. This magazine is identified as “luxury”, but the visuals are never limited to class. The main focus of this magazine is aesthetic. It uses a neutral color palette which allows the vibrancy of the pictures to be the focus. Their online magazine is structured as a path, which allows users to have a pattern to look for when searching. This magazine includes a “trending places” section, which targets those who follow current lifestyle travel trends. With its many tips and tricks included, Condé Nast Traveler even includes a section of health, some hazards for certain conditions and how they can be avoided for a safe and fun travel.









National Geographic Traveler




Afar




Outpost



Escapism Travel 
        



Blue