Starting in January, Advance Publications, the company that owns Condé Nast, will combine the US and UK editions of Condé Nast Traveller into a single publication. The new, integrated editorial team will be led by Melinda Stevens — the current editor-in-chief of the British imprint — with Pilar Guzmán — the current editor-in-chief of the US edition — either transitioning to a different role within Condé Nast or moving on entirely once the transition is complete, according to Business of Fashion.
“This announcement is the first title collaboration between the two divisions of the company and kicks off several new initiatives set to launch between Condé Nast and Condé Nast International, leveraging our global footprint,” said a statement issued by Condé Nast Britain, a division of Condé Nast International. “This strategic move complements the existing stability and strength of the Traveller UK brand while leveraging the CNTraveller.com network to deliver long-term sustainable growth.”
Condé Nast has struggled in recent years as media consumption has shifted from print to digital. According to The New York Times, the company lost more than $120 million last year and, by their own admission, they do not expect to be profitable again until 2020.
The company hopes to keep layoffs to a minimum as they begin integrating the two Traveller teams, although if all goes well, further title consolidations (and the restructuring and layoffs that come with them) seem inevitable. As Business of Fashion points out, Condé Nast has been slow to share resources across its various imprints, especially in comparison to rival Hearst, which began sharing and integrating digital content across all their publications, both foreign and domestic, more than four years ago.
For now, the other international editions of Conde Nast Traveller — Middle East, China, India, Italy, and Spain — will remain independent.
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