Written by Ashley Burnett
When people hope to break into travel writing, they usually focus on the big publications: Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler and AFAR. But a lot of money can be made off of travel trade publications catering to travel agents and other industry professionals. Here are seven travel trade magazines that are always seeking out freelance writers.
- Recommend is one of the most well-known travel trade publications. Its main demographic is travel agents, so stories should focus on hotels and tour operators that work with travel advisers. Popular destinations include the Caribbean and Mexico, so if you have experience traveling in those areas, try contacting one of the relevant editors.
- Travel Weekly is another well-known travel trade publication. They have a circulation of 37,000 and have both a print edition, as well as digital edition. In addition to topics like cruises and hotels, they also cover corporate travel and breaking news. Submit an application to be a freelance writer here, or visit their website.
- TravelAge West targets travel agents who work on the west coast. They also have two spin-off publications, Explorer and Family Getaways, which are about adventure travel and family travel, respectively. The publication has several newsletters about Mexico, the Caribbean and Europe that also need content. Rates are around $100 for web content. TravelAge West is owned by the same company as Travel Weekly, so you can also submit an application through the Northstar Travel Group career portal. Their website: www.travelagewest.com
- Travelweek is Canadian publication that also has a French edition. For forty years, Travelweek has been covering everything from familiarization trips to airlines. They’re always looking for articles relevant to Canadian travel professionals. Website: www.travelweek.ca. Contact their editors here.
- Canadian Travel Press is another popular Canadian travel trade publication. Canadian Travel Press is owned by Baxter Media, whose other publication is Travel Courier. In addition to a print edition, they also have a digital version of the magazine. Website: www.travelpress.com Submissions: Send a pitch to ctp@baxter.net, or visit their contact page.
- Traveltalk is an Australian travel trade publication that also has consumer readership. It’s the country’s highest circulated travel industry magazine. For those familiar with the Australian travel industry, Traveltalk is the perfect magazine to pitch. Website: www.traveltalkmag.com.au Editors: http://www.traveltalkmag.com.au/contact
- TravelPulse. While some articles on TravelPulse.com are consumer-oriented, they also publish content relevant to travel agents and other industry professionals. They pay $50 an article and you can find their submission guidelines here: http://www.travelpulse.com/more/contact_us.html#write_for_us.
