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9 Travel Writing Markets Outside the US

Travel
by Anne-Sophie Redisch Feb 9, 2010
MatadorU will teach you the skills you need to become a travel journalist.

EVER THOUGHT ABOUT publishing your travel writing outside the USA? The UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand all have travel writing audiences who might consider your home town a travel destination.

OVERVIEW: Most of the following publications accept electronic submissions, so it’s really no different than submitting your work in North America. Additionally, when you sell an article, the publication buys the right to publish it.

Most publications only ask for first rights. In the USA, many publications only want First North American Rights, leaving you free to sell e.g. First British Rights, First European Rights or First Australian Rights.

Most pay for contributions, some even pay well. There are plenty of other publications. However, these nine stand out because they provide a wealth of information for writers on their websites and/or their editors are friendly and reply quickly to e-mails.

1. Wanderlust

*Site: Wanderlust

* Editor-in-chief: Lyn Hughes; Editor: Dan Linstead

* High-profile, glossy Wanderlust concentrates on free-spirited travel. Main focus: Africa, Asia and South America. Regular features include Destinations, Dispatches, You did what? (really crazy travel stories), Wanderlust Weekends, Travel Blueprints, Special-interest and Consumer articles.

* Opportunities for getting published are limited, but the editor will consider even first-time writers. It’s a good idea to start with one of the shorter slots.

* Check out the contributors’ guidelines

* Contact info: submissions@wanderlust.co.uk

* Twitter: Wanderlustmag

2. Traveller

Site: Traveller

* Editor: Amy Sohanpaul

* Another very distinguished UK magazine and member magazine for WEXAS, The Travellers’ Club. Focus is on the real experience of travel. Some of the world’s most famous travellers and travel writers are on Traveller’s honorary editorial board, including Michael Palin, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, William Dalrymple and Colin Thubron.

* Traveller will consider unsolicited material for the following slots: Eyewitness/Visions, Changing World, Readers’ Letters, Portrait of a City (photo story), Picture This and Day in the Life (most of these slots are 800 words or less)

* Organises regular writing competitions

* See their contributors’ guidelines

* Contact info: traveller@wexas.com

3. Hidden Europe

*Site: Hidden Europe

* Editors: Nicky Gardner and Susanne Kries

* Hidden Europe is another highly-regarded publication and practically ad-free! The editors seek to cover Europe’s unsung spots – or unusual perspectives on better-known destinations.

* Opportunities are limited and competition is fierce, but it’s worth a try. hidden europe asks that the material is previously unpublished.

* Here are the submission guidelines

* Contact info: editors@hiddeneurope.co.uk

* Twitter: hidden europe

4. The Guardian

Site: The Guardian

* Travel Editor for The Guardian: Joanne O’Connor, for Guardian Unlimited (web): Andy Pietrasik

* The Guardian is one of Britain’s leading newspapers and publishes a Saturday travel supplement.

* See the See the contributor’s guide and freelance charter.

* Contact info for the The Guardian: travel@guardian.co.uk , for Guardian Unlimited: travel.editor@guardianunlimited.co.uk

* Twitter: Guardian Travel

5. Adventure Travel

*Site: Adventure Travel

* Editor: Alun Davies

* Adventure Travel features stories on active outdoor travel, especially trekking and mountaineering. A feature should consist of a travelogue, an information fact file, images and, if possible, maps.

* See contributor’s guidelines for the magazine and for the website

* Contact info for the magazine: lara@atmagazine.co.uk , for the website: alun@atmagazine.co.uk

6. Trail and Country Walking magazines

*Site: Trail and Country Walking magazines

* Editors: for Country Walking: Jonathan Manning, for Trail: Matt Swaine

* Country Walking is Britain’s best-selling outdoor magazine and Trail is the foremost mountain mag.

* Country Walking accepts freelance material, Trail to a lesser degree, but is open to really good ideas, focusing on providing benefits to the reader. Think about writing, images and boxouts as a package.

* Contact info for Trail: matt.swaine@lfto.com, for Country Walking: jonathan.manning@lfto.com

* Twitter: Trail and Country Walking

7. Europe a la Carte

*Site: Europe a la Carte

* Editor: Karen Bryan

* Europe a la Carte is an independent and popular niche travel blog based in the UK, focussing on travels in less well-known European destinations.

* See Write for us for guidelines.

* Contact info: use contact form

* Twitter: Europe a La Carte

8. Travelmag

*Site: Travelmag

* Editor: Jack Barker

* Travelmag is a web-only publication and has been around since 1994.

* Does not pay, but is a popular web magazine. Experienced journalists sometimes use Travelmag as an outlet for their riskier features. The editor will take your story down from the site if you sell it elsewhere and the buyer asks for first publications’ rights.

* See the contributors’ guidelines

* Contact info:ed@travelmag.co.uk

9. Australian Traveller

*Site: Australian Traveller

* Editor: Greg Barton

* Are you familiar with Australia? Perhaps you’re in Australia now? If so, Australia’s premier travel magazine, Australian Traveller, may be for you. Australian Traveller is all about travelling in Australia. Focus is on truth in travel rather than “degrees of wonderfulness”. Writers are urged to regard themselves as writers rather than journalists. Australian Traveller aims to provide the reader with a
visual and literary feast.

* Editorial guidelines consist of informal writers’ briefing notes, a killer feature filter (to assist with better pitching) and the current future features list. More information is available from the editor.

* Contact info: editor@australiantraveller.com


Final Note:

Before pitching, familiarise yourself with the magazines and websites. Read the guidelines carefully. Have fun with it and get published outside the USA. *MatadorU’s curriculum goes beyond the typical travel writing class to help you progress in every aspect of your career as a travel journalist.

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