When Will Travel Publishers Learn What Customers Really Want?

May 10, 2010 - PRLog -- When will travel publishers learn what customers really want?


‘Who needs a travel guide when you can download what you want?’ ‘Travel guides are often out of date by the time you buy them’ ‘ They all seem to be much of a muchness’ ‘Sometimes I want to know more than just what time a bar opens’

There’s no question that a mixture of recession, digital alternatives and more demanding travellers and readers have had travel publishers quaking in their designer flip flops.

2009 saw sales for publishers down by more than 8% in the U.K for the second successive year.

For a number of years map sales have fallen, but now these have been joined by guides and, to a lesser extent, travel writing books.

Travel publishers have responded in a number of ways. One definite trend has been new UK titles – following in the footsteps of Punk Publishing’s innovative Cool Camping series – as the domestic market continues to grow.

Mid-haul destinations like Turkey, Egypt and Croatia have also seen an increase in the number of titles.

But equally if not more importantly digital technology has began to revolutionise the industry. Most publishers have revamped their websites to become more attractive and interactive. They have also begun to consider the publishing million dollar question: should content be free or paid for.

Some publishers like Lonely Planet now let customers creative personalised PDF guides made up of individually purchased chapters, as well as developing their own smartphone products such as apps.

The message from the consumer is that what they want is innovation – fresh and original ways of approaching the travel experience which reflect the high expectations and individuality of the 21st century traveller and reader.

Publishers that simply offer ‘more of the same’ are destined to become as dead as the poor old proverbial parrot.

city-pick Amsterdam, published on 27 May 2010,  is the latest in the city-pick series, featuring some of the best ever writing on favourite World Cities.

Oxygen Books is a new entrant to travel publishing and its city-pick series has already been called ‘a new kind of book’ (Travelbite), ‘a re-invention of the travel guide’ (The Good Web Guide) and ‘a stimulating intellectual tour-de-force’ (Financial Times)

Malcolm Burgess, its publisher, is very happy to talk about travel publishing in general and recent more innovative approaches.

For more information please ring 01277 263770 malcolm.burgess3@btopenworld.com; www.oxygenbooks.co.uk

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Oxygen Books city-pick series offers some of the best-ever writing on favourite World cities. www.oxygenbooks.co.uk