How to Pitch: Condé Nast Traveller
Hoping to land a feature, news story, or destination guide in Condé Nast Traveller? Here’s what you need to know about Condé Nast Traveller and how to pitch the publication the right way.
What Is Condé Nast Traveller?
Condé Nast Traveller is a travel magazine known for its luxury travel content. It caterers to an audience seeking out exclusivity and in-depth exploration of global destinations. Condé Nast Traveller also offers travel advice, news, and listicles meant to inspire your next getaway.
How Often Does Condé Nast Traveller Publish in Print and Online?
Condé Nast Traveller publishes eight print issues annually, featuring a curated selection of articles that explore various aspects of travel, including destination and hotel highlights and stories about food and culture around the globe. It also has a robust online presence via cntraveler.com/ cntraveller.com, which publishes stories every single day, including news, features, listicles, in-depth travel guides, and hotel and restaurant reviews.
What Kinds of Stories Resonate on CNTraveller.com/cntraveller.com?
Condé Nast Traveller is known for polished content that appeals to a luxury-loving audience. The types of stories that tend to perform well on CNTraveler.com include:
Luxury and High-End Travel Guides: Articles that focus on luxury experiences, from five-star hotels and gourmet dining to exclusive travel destinations and bespoke itineraries.
Hotel Reviews: The publication is well-known for its in-depth hotel reviews that share what the accommodation is like, the food, the design, and why you should book right now.
Destination Features: In-depth pieces that explore destinations in a way that uncovers the essence of a place and go beyond the surface, offering readers insider knowledge, unique experiences, and cultural insights.
Cultural Stories: Stories that delve into the cultural aspects of travel, including local traditions, arts, history, and the impact of tourism on communities, are key hallmarks of Condé Nast storytelling.
Travel Trends and News: Timely articles that cover the latest developments in the travel industry, including new hotels, travel regulations, and emerging trends, are always in demand for digital.
Personal Essays and Travel Narratives: Well-crafted personal essays that offer a compelling perspective on travel are also a good fit for the publication. These stories should be reflective, engaging, and evocative, capturing the transformative power of travel and how it can resonate with readers.
How Can I Pitch Condé Nast Traveller?
Pitching to Condé Nast Traveller is like pitching any other publication (if you need help on pitching, including an easy-to-use pitching template), check out our “How to Pitch an Editor” course. Then, follow these tips.
Understand the Magazine’s Voice: Before pitching, make sure to read through Condé Nast Traveller’s content (in fact, make it a habit to read all of the publications you plan to pitch). Read recent issues and browse the website to understand the tone, style, and types of stories they publish so you can align your pitch and expand on its existing coverage.
Develop a Unique Angle: Whenever you craft a pitch for any publication, make sure it’s distinct from what is already published there. Consider how your piece will add to the conversation or delve into an entirely new topic.
Craft a concise pitch: Your pitch should be clear, concise, and to the point — or, as we say in our “How to Pitch an Editor” course, no longer than 350 words MAX. Start with a brief introduction of your idea, followed by a short summary of the story, and include a proposed headline. Include any relevant clips of your previous work.
Follow the Submission Guidelines: Condé Nast Traveller has specific guidelines for pitching different types of content. For example, long-form features may require a more detailed pitch than shorter news stories. Make sure to address your pitch to the correct editor and follow any submission guidelines provided on their website.
Target the Right Editor: In its submission guidelines, the magazine calls out the appropriate editor for each pitch. For example:
Lale Arikoglu: Is the right editor to pitch its Women in Travel series, which are “stories about and by women-identifying travellers that go beyond ‘this is a woman who travels.’ Pitches can range from first-person essays discussing anything from body positivity to this author’s reflection on traveling with her mother.
Shannon McMahon: Is the right editor for City Guides, which are stories about specific destinations. But as the publication notes, “Please do not pitch a destination at large; we're looking for stories—be it news or openings, or a timely development or trend or cultural offering, that impacts how people experience that place.”
Hannah Towey, Erin Florio: Are the right editors to pitch for cruise content. They are looking for trend stories, reported pieces, service-driven articles, and first-person narratives. “We also regularly publish individual reviews of cruise ships and a column called Onboard Obsession, which spotlights a specific amenity, service, excursion on a cruise ship—or an itinerary—that was a highlight of a recent sailing.”Now, be patient: After submitting your pitch, wait at least five working days before following up. Then, send one follow-up, preferably adding to your pitch in some way (new facts, headlines, etc). Then, wait another week. If you don’t hear back, that’s OK. You can try one more time or pitch it to another publication. Then, try pitching Condé Nast Traveller again with a new idea and start the process again.