The rise of iPad travel magazines - a growing opportunity for customer publishing agencies
Last week Story Worldwide unveiled Endless Vacation an iPad magazine app for RCI, the timeshare vacation exchange network. Covering destinations around the world, the app offers "alluring photographs and intriguing content" to inspire readers to travel, as well as information about what RCI affiliated resorts and their benefits.
Endless Vacation might be among the first travel iPad magazine apps from a customer publishing agency, but it certainly won't be the last.
The iPad enables publishers to provide inspirational, informative and interactive content to travellers in such a way that connects with their desire to explore, discover and remember. The way in which the iPad itself acts as a kind of light box also makes it an ideal way for people to look at images - a key element of travel magazines.
There are already several other branded iPad travel magazines. American Express Publishing digital take on its US Travel + Leisure magazine features the all of the content and formatting as the print versions with a couple of additional benefits such as video guides by travel experts, photo galleries and slideshows, in addition to travel advice, booking and buying links and audio reviews.
Dutch airline Lufthansa's in-flight magazine has also made its way to the iPad. The free app, Lufthansa Magazin, gives readers access to the magazine regardless of whether they are flying or not. Following the current "template" of many iPad magazines it takes advantage of multimedia technology and offers videos, photo galleries and animations. Its December issue featured a film on the airline's A380 with a 360-degree interactive cockpit tour - certain to attract the airplane aficionados around.
There is also a growing number of travel magazines from mainstream publishers. One of the best iPad magazines so far is Trvl magazine: a free magazine from an independent Dutch publisher that delivers compelling content and striking images. Each issue or ‘article' concentrates on one destination, combining a couple of articles with gorgeous photography. And since readers can choose which ‘articles' to download, instead of getting one vast monthly issue of which only parts is of interest, the user experience is exemplary with great shareability on social network, making it is a joy to flick through.
Although not strictly a travel app The Guardian's Eyewitness app; the digitalisation of a very popular Guardian feature; features many travel-style images. The app was intended to "deliver a photographic fest, featuring the world's most distinctive visual content, as curated by [their] award-winning photographic team."
Another very popular travel app National Geographic Traveler aims to "bring readers to destinations without leaving their living rooms" and without the limitations of print taking the coverage of travel to a new level. Each issue, which users have to pay for, features exclusive photography that is not included in the print edition, as well as video and audio of the journeys and animated maps and information graphic.
It'll be interesting to see which travel brands will be next to harness the iPad's unique features.
