U.S. travel magazine ad revenues hold steady during first quarter 2013
Skift Take
Since these ad sales reports don't take into account the magazines' growing revenues from their digital editions or websites, they're a strong reminder -- especially among the top three -- of the power of print.
The drop in guidebook sales and collapse of magazines such as Budget Travel may paint a picture of doom and gloom in print travel media, but the first quarter this year was good for the top three travel magazines in the U.S. Revenue at Conde Nast Traveler and American Express’ Travel + Leisure and Departures was up, even though the magazine industry average was down 4.9% overall during this period. One notable exception was National Geographic Traveler, which posted poor year-over-year numbers despite having a solid subscriber base.
Note: The numbers below are from members reporting to the Publishers Information Bureau, which not all magazines are members of (like United’s Hemispheres or AirTran’s Go).
| Publication | Q1 2013 Dollars | Q1 2012 Dollars | %CHG | Q1 2013 Pages | Q1 2012 Pages | %CHG | Circulation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conde Nast Traveler | 28,249,551 | 27,402,244 | 3.1 | 207.42 | 213.03 | -2.6 | 809,604 |
| Travel + Leisure | 25,647,598 | 23,397,570 | 9.6 | 191.92 | 188.2 | 2 | 988,648 |
| Departures | 20,346,302 | 17,885,026 | 13.8 | 203.45 | 190.95 | 6.5 | 1,156,394* |
| Southwest Airlines Spirit | 10,825,231 | 11,506,157 | -5.9 | 246.76 | 263.21 | -6.2 | 3,013,000* |
| Cruising World | 5,663,624 | 6,231,017 | -9.1 | 162.32 | 184.66 | -12.1 | 121,160 |
| US Airways Magazine | 3,549,974 | 3,241,232 | 9.5 | 157.59 | 141.4 | 11.4 | 3,202,111 |
| National Geographic Traveler | 2,774,213 | 6,620,618 | -58.1 | 32.99 | 76.6 | -56.9 | 727,523 |
| Islands | 2,597,924 | 2,336,105 | 11.2 | 65.31 | 63.83 | 2.3 | 200,276 |
| AFAR | 1,900,875 | 1,354,245 | 40.4 | 70 | 71 | -1.4 | 180,797 |
| Destination Weddings & Honeymoons | 1,593,629 | 1,711,325 | -6.9 | 85.16 | 93.98 | -9.4 | 100,000 |
| Executive Travel Magazine* | 772,725 | 0 | n/a | 30.33 | 0 | n/a | 135,000 |
| Caribbean Travel & Life | 472,265 | 1,028,313 | -54.1 | 19.16 | 40.82 | -53.1 | 152,031 |
| Budget Travel | 0 | 2,156,178 | n/a | 0 | 33.55 | n/a | n/a |
| Endless Vacation | 0 | 2,518,400 | n/a | 0 | 29 | n/a | n/a |
| Executive Travel Skyguide | 0 | 1,394,800 | n/a | 0 | 47.92 | n/a | n/a |
Sources: Ad pages detail from Association of Magazine Media; Circulation from Alliance for Audited Media Snapshot Report, 12/31/2012
Note: Departures has a controlled circulation based on membership status at American Express; in-flight magazine numbers are based on estimates by airlines.
Up Next
Hotels
India’s Homegrown Hotels Brands Vs. Global Players
Indian mid-market hotel brands are dominating the smaller cities due to their flexibility. However, they still have a long way to go in Tier-1 regions.
Hotels
An FTC Rule on Junk Fees Seemed Like a Sure Thing. There Still Hasn’t Been a Vote
There has been a push toward more disclosure of fees and that's likely to continue. But a rule from the new FTC is unlikely.
Online Travel
Booking Holdings Layoffs Would Be Less Severe Than in 2020
Booking Holdings resumed hiring fairly aggressively after the pandemic, but is now trimming its workforce as part of a plan to get a handle on costs. A major part of the reorganization is to figure out the best areas for investment.
Airlines
Heathrow Airport Braces for its Busiest-Ever Christmas
From ordinary passengers to airline CEOs, Heathrow has no shortage of detractors – however these latest numbers suggest the London airport still boasts serious pulling power.
Tourism
Saudi Arabia Will Host FIFA World Cup 2034. What it Means for Tourism
Saudi Arabia's 2034 FIFA World Cup promises to be a big moment for the kingdom, but it's already getting scrutiny.