Travel, tourism and holiday magazines

In 1841, Thomas Cook ran his first temperance train journey from Leicester to Loughborough, often regarded as the advent of modern mass market tourism. Alongside these excursions, Cook ran a bookselling and printing business, and founded a magazine, The Excursionist to promote his tours. Ever since, the tourism and magazine industries have been intertwined, and ever-more-niche magazines have developed. This page shows examples of these titles, listed by launch date.
Excursionist magazine 1862 Thomas Cook
Thomas Cook's Excursionist magazine in 1862
  

The Excursionist (1851)

Thomas Cook customer magazine. Tabloid format. Title changed to Traveller’s Gazette in 1903

The Wide World magazine in September 1898
The Wide World magazine in September 1898 (issue 6)
  

The Wide World (1898)

George Newnes. Monthly. 1898-1965. When it closed, Wide World was incorporated into Geographical magazine. The title described itself as 'The true adventure magazine for men'

Tourist magazine jan 1899 launch issue
The Tourist launch issue in January 1899
  

The Tourist (1899)

Companion magazine to the Weekly Telegraph

Traveller magazine in 1902
The Traveller (1900 launch)
  

The Traveller (1900)

George Newnes. Weekly. Tabloid format. Catchline: 'For whom the world is a playground'

Railway and Travel Monthly from April 1916
Railway and Travel Monthly from April 1916
  

Railway and Travel Monthly (1899)

Companion magazine to the Weekly Telegraph

Holiday Resorts magazine May 1919
Holiday Resorts magazine launch issue in May 1919
  

Holiday Resorts (1919)

‘For tourists, nature lovers, health seekers and pleasant reading.’ Monthly

Go magazine April 1951
Go magazine in April 1951
  

Go (1951)

The travel and leisure magazine. Published in association with The Sunday Times. Quarterly

Travel Trade Gazette
Travel Trade Gazette magazine, October 1991
  

Travel Trade Gazette (1953)

Tabloid newspaper format. 'The world's first weekly travel trade newspaper'

Take Note magazine March 1953
Take Note magazine March 1953
  

Take Note

Scottish Tourist Board

Holidaymaking Thomas Cook 1956
Holidaymaking magazine 1956
  

Holidaymaking

Thomas Cook and Dean & Dawson

Know Britain magazine 1965
Know Britain magazine 1956
  

Know Britain


British Airways High Life magazine
British Airways High Life magazine from June 1991
  

High Life

British Airways customer magazine

British Rail Intercity magazine
Intercity magazine, July/August 1990 issue
  

Intercity (1985)

Contract magazine by Redwood Publishing for British Rail. 10 issues a year

BBC Holiday '89
Holiday '89 magazine
  

BBC Holiday '89

Redwood Publishing and BBC Magazines. Content based on TV and radio programmes

BBC Holidays 1992
BBC Holidays magazine first issue
  

BBC Holidays (1992)

Redwood Publishing and BBC Magazines. Content based on TV and radio programmes


Wanderlust magazine, January 2021
Wanderlust magazine, January 2021
  

Wanderlust (1993-)

Wanderlust Publications. 10 issues a year. 'Taking the road less travelled'

Conde Nast Traveller 1997 October
Condé Nast's Traveller was launched in 1997 in the UK
  

Traveller (1997-)

A consumer magazine that set out to shrug off the poor reputation of much travel journalism. Condé Nast Traveler was founded in 1986 at US publisher Condé Nast by former Sunday Times and Times editor Harry Evans. He set Traveler out to be dedicated to ‘truth in travel’. Traveller was launched in the UK in 1997 by editor Sarah Miller. The strategy was a success with the title establishing travel as a sector in newsagents (BBC Worldwide had failed with BBC Holidays). Traveller pays for all its own flights and accommodation and has never 'knowingly' published something that is the result of a group press trip. Miller told a Guardian interviewer: '[A press trip] is uniform and controlled by the PR company,' she says. 'Travel isn't a controlled experience. It is what happens to you.’

Thomas Cook's Excursionist magazine 2018
Thomas Cook's Excursionist magazine in 2018
  

The Excursionist (2000s)

Thomas Cook customer magazine

Lonely Planet Traveller December 2015 cover
Lonely Planet Traveller magazine cover in December 2015

Lonely Planet Traveller (2008-19)

BBC Worldwide/Immediate Media Company. Launched by the BBC after it had taken over the Lonely Planet travel book publisher, initially as Lonely Planet Magazine and then Lonely Planet Traveller.

Lakes: Cumbria Today magazine
2019 Lakes & Cumbria Today magazine
  

Lakes & Cumbria Today


Cruising magazine
2019 World of Cruising magazine
  

World of Cruising


2019 Silver Traveller magazine
2019 Silver Traveller magazine
  

Silver Traveller


National Geographic Traveller in July 2020
National Geographic Traveller, July/August 2020
  

National Geographic Traveller

National Geographic. six times a year

National Geographic Traveller Food magazine
National Geographic Traveller Food in 2021
  

National Geographic Traveller Food

National Geographic.