I’ve been editor of Getaway since our relaunch 12 months ago; editor of a travel magazine in the worst year of travel since World War II. It’s not my fault.
A gig like this is a lifetime goal. You can imagine scores of exotic destinations; helicopter shuttles between assignments; the front seat of the safari vehicle; the edge of the infinity pool. But the reality is far from that, and it’s far further since the pandemic took hold. Pick n Pay is an exotic destination for me. My cat is the most remarkable creature I’ve seen in months. Our staff and contributors are predominantly at home on screens – we communicate in memes. But every now and then, someone escapes.
And that’s when I get my thrills. Their stories flood my inbox. A sentence captures the scent of the sea crashing into a Greek isle; a paragraph transports me to the misty Midlands; an aerial photograph lifts me up until I’m floating above an emerald pool (pick up our September issue to experience this and much more).
I’ve been living vicariously through our journalists and contributors, filling my bucket list and using the time under lockdown to focus on crafting the magazine with our design team – the aim being to transport readers beyond the page and screen.
Our website is an exciting part of Getaway. We embrace the medium for its immediacy and practicality. Since our relaunch last year, we have increasingly brought the expertise of our journalists to the screen and we’re refining the website to become more practical, so readers can use it as a tool to plan journeys and stay on top of the latest news, events and travel inspiration.
The web does have limitations. Articles on a phone (which the vast majority of our audiences use) are not as engaging as a large, glossy magazine page; the distractions of the internet often lead one down convoluted rabbit holes. Print remains the best medium to engage with a story and experience a destination through the mind of a seasoned journalist.
The rolling series of lockdowns may have prevented us from travelling so much but we’ve used that time to look at Getaway from the most discerning viewpoint – that of a reader. It may have been the worst year of travel in decades, but it’s given us the perspective to refine the journey both in print and online. We hope you’ll continue travelling with us, whether you’re at home or away.
