Condé Nast Traveler to launch in India

Posted by Savita Sauvin on January 21, 2010 at 3:40 PM

Following the launch in India of fashion magazines like Vogue and GQ, publisher Condé Nast is set to begin pushing one of its travel offerings in the country with the launch its Condé Nast Traveler magazine in October, Media Newsline reported Tuesday. A bi-monthly issue will be priced at Rs.100 (€1.53).

Now that both Vogue and GQ are established in India, by adding the travel magazine, "Condé Nast India now provides advertisers the perfect platform to reach the elusive affluent Indian audience," said Alex Kuruvilla, managing director of Condé Nast India, according to Asia Media Journal.

The Indian version of the Condé Nast Traveler will be the sixth edition since its launch in the United States in 1987, followed by Britain 10 years later. The publishing house is "putting its U.S. troubles behind it and continuing its global expansion," also evidenced by launching Tatler in Russia and a planned expansion of Vogue into Turkey in February, MediaGuardian reported. However, the publisher can learn from its parent company's U.S. woes, evidenced by the closure of Porfolio magazine over a year ago, after a US$100 million launch, as well as the closures of Gourmet, Modern Bride, Elegant Bride and Cookie.

Lonely Planet, which sells 6.5 million guidebooks annually and one of the world's most popular travel brands, is also scheduled to launch its travel magazine in India soon, Wall Street Journal Web site Live Mint reported. The Lonely Planet magazine will be published by Worldwide Media, a joint venture between BBC Worldwide and Times Group.

Both new magazines will compete with Outlook Traveller and Travel Plus, published by the India Today Group, according to Live Mint.