Conde Nast Traveler Magazine Review

Travel magazines are among my favorite publications. I presently subscribe to about 5 different magazines relating to domestic and world travel, with a few that focus on specific areas of the world and a few that are more global in scope, with informational stories relating to travel all over the globe. One magazine in my list of subscriptions that fits into this latter category is Conde Nast Traveler, a magazine for those who like to read about different countries and different people on a worldwide scale.

Magazine Commentary:
 
Conde Nast Traveler is a decent travel publication to keep readers abreast on the latest news, bargain travel deals, and interesting tourist destinations. This magazine is printed on slick paper with good photography and quality binding that's free from any staples. It has a very professional look to it, and it is designed to appeal to the more upscale traveler.

Conde Nast has some helpful monthly advice and presents some good reading about tourist spots. One thing I like about this magazine is that it often points out places that are lesser- known to most of the world's population but still have something unique to offer. Some places, like Australia, Europe, the Caribbean, and others are known to people all over the world and are commonplace in many different travel magazines. Conde Nast Traveler talks about these places, but it also covers destinations that most people are unaware, like Cyprus, Chile, the Canary Islands, Madagascar, and others. Besides talking about travel, Conde Nast Traveler also talks about local culture and events on a personal level.

Some other aspects of Conde Nast Traveler are not quite up to par with other world travel magazines. The photography, while good, isn't quite as eye- catching as that of other magazines. That isn't to say that it's not any good- I still enjoy looking at the pictures and reading about different people of the world. But the pictures are not as colorful and eye- popping as some of its competitors. If anything, the advertisements often include some of the most colorful pictures in the each issue.

One other thing that about Conde Nast Traveler that will not appeal to all readers is the fact that the magazine centers on places that are a little more expensive and upscale. Like Travel & Leisure magazine, many of the places to visit and items for sale are out of the price range of the average tourist. These destinations are interesting to read about and discover, but most of them qualify more as objects of fantasy than practical places to consider visiting. How many travelers can afford to spend two weeks at a luxury resort in Thailand or a ten- day excursion to the Maldives Islands? I think it's safe to say that most of the public could not even afford the airfare to some of these places.

Bottom Line:

Overall, Conde Nast Traveler is a fairly good magazine. Personally, I prefer Travel & Leisure for my snobbish, upscale magazine reading needs, but Conde Nast does have some good things to offer in each issue. This magazine is definitely not the most practical travel publication on the market and there are inconsistencies with the length (some issues are twice as long as others). But the subscription price is low and the magazine does contain some good reading about virtually unknown places around the world. It's easily worth the standard subscription cost, even if it is targeted toward a more affluent audience.