Fifty years ago this week, Tourism Update’s sister publication, Travel News Weekly, was born in Loveday Street, Johannesburg, on April 11, 1970. Its founders were the late John and Leona Marsh.
Since then, over 2 500 issues have kept TNW readers up to date on what is happening in the travel trade. As a focused business-to-business newspaper with original content, TNW has defied the trend affecting most print media and the last three years have been its most profitable.
But COVID-19 has made it clear that the time to change is now, says Anton Marsh, md and grandson of the founders.
This will be last issue of the newspaper in print. A new format – a daily online news site, Travel News – will launch on May 1, bringing readers rich multi-media content and current news. The new daily site will replace eTNW.co.za.
“The changing situation, with hourly updates and constant breaking news, has made it clear that travel agents need information more often. The lockdown makes it opportune to change now so that agents can continue to be informed when at home,” says Anton.
Less time-sensitive features will be produced in a separate PDF format, distributed in a special mailer each week. Each month, these features, which agents can reference, will be printed and bound into special editions, distributed to readers.
If you are already registered as a reader of eTNW.co.za or get the digital edition of TNW, the change will be seamless. If not, register now on www.etnw.co.za. It is free.
5 reasons to greet NEW Travel News
There are important implications for readers and advertisers when we go fully online and merge eTNW.co.za with TNW to form TravelNews.co.za:
- In the past, 25% of our journalists’ efforts went into eTNW and 75% into the print edition. Now all our journalists will focus on Travel News. You can expect a big lift in the online content.
- First with the news! That is our goal. Daily distribution will make content more relevant to readers and impactful for advertisers.
- There will be deeper, wider penetration within companies associated with retail travel. Anyone in a company can register. It is free.
- Even smaller travel suppliers can make a big impact. Costs are based on advert impressions served to readers, which can be capped according to budget.
- There will be more opportunities to participate in multi-media content such as video, surveys, white paper reports, webinars and more!
Click here to read the last print edition of TNW.
