Codes and Conventions of Travel Magazines

 1. Covers. Magazines that are made to show and encourage domestic traveling, the colors of the country are usually shown to create a sense of patriotism. A popular theme that is usually used is the colors of the flag of the country. An example of a travel magazine encouraging travel to the United States with a color scheme of red, blue, and white is shown below.

Travel magazines also have areas where no text is added. This is used to present the main image on the cover.

On the cover page, the masthead (title of magazine) must be bold, so that you can attract the audience's attention. The text and the main image is usually not centered, and there is minimal text and more of the image on the cover. The main cover line should also connect to the image that is advertised.

2. Table of Contents. The table of contents is usually kept simple, and contain a main image. The text is left-aligned, kept minimal, and everything on the page is kept to one side. There should be some consistency, the fonts and colors from the cover should carry on. The summaries should provide an insight on what will be talked about in the article, and the main images used should relate to the topic of your magazine.

When looking at the two magazine table of contents above, it can easily be seen that the text is on the left side. There is also a main image on both magazines, on the right side. When looking at the left image, we can see that there is a pink building. The same theme carries on, and the text is pink. On the right image, there is a lot of greenery. The text on the left is also written in green.

3. Magazine Spread. The images you choose for the magazine spread (a set of two facing pages in a magazine issue) should show an aspect of the location that you want to highlight. There should be a variety of images throughout the pages. When taking photos, be aware of what is in the shot, for example, you will want to take into account of people, architecture, and more. The color scheme established by the cover should continue throughout, but you should not re-use images.

All three of the spreads above follow the same type of pattern. They all have a variety of images showing specific location. All three spreads are also aware of what is in the shot. The first spread includes same types of images, of places that could be cool to explore. The second spread is showing off location and architecture, which creates a connection with the audience and makes them want to go there. The third spread includes images of beaches and outdoors, which lets the audience know that it is a good place to travel to for the summer.

4. Presentation. Presentation is also important in a magazine. This allows for readers to easily identify certain types of magazines and the publishers of a magazine which creates a sense of familiarity.   

            

These magazines are similar since they both have yellow borders around them. They also both have "National Geographic" on the top left corner, and text on the sides. This allows for readers to easily identify these magazines as a National Geographic magazine.

Both of the magazines on top have Travel + Leisure written on top in yellow. They both also have text on the left, and a barcode at the bottom right. This allows for readers to easily identify Travel + Leisure magazines and adds a sense of trust in the company.

5. Writing Techniques and Tips. You need to have a clear storyline in mind, and not just a series of events. You also want a goal in mind, for example crossing Costa Rica. You will want to start off your writing very strong, so that you can grab the attention of your readers. You will also want to use vivid language to describe your surrounding, but at the same, you want to entertain your reader, not impress them with complicated phrases or words. For example, you do not want to say phrases such as recherché nomenclature (unusual names for location), but instead want to explain why the audience should travel to a certain area, and engage them in your writing.                

6. Conclusion. There are many factors to include when writing a travel magazine. You will want to consider colors as they make a connection between the magazine and the reader. The placement of text is also important, as it can not only show off travel locations, but also create a sense of familiarity for the reader. The table of contents should also be kept to the left side, and follow the same colors and fonts. The magazine spread should also follow a similar color scheme, and you will want a variety of images, and you will want to consider what is in your image.

Works Cited:

Dan Linstead | 28 December 2021. “10 Expert Tips for Writing Travel Articles.” Wanderlust, https://www.wanderlust.co.uk/content/10-tips-for-writing-travel-articles/.

“Types of Travel Articles.” Launch Your Travel Writing Career, https://www.travelwritingcareer.com/types-travel-articles/.