Vacation mood despite advertising slump
Trade journals Despite a double crisis in the industry, Xtra-Travel dares to launch - and poaches in foreign territory.
Trade journals Despite a double crisis in the industry, Xtra-Travel dares to launch - and is poaching in foreign territory.Swiss trade journals lost 12 million francs in advertising revenue last year. That is 5.5 percent. The same trend is continuing in the services sector in 2004: minus 8.5 percent advertising pages by April. A bad time to launch a trade magazine, one might think. Nevertheless, TVG Touristik Verlagsgesellschaft launches the industry magazine Xtra-Travel. In the travel sector, of all places, which according to the World Tourism Organization has just experienced the sharpest global decline in its history.
Publishing director Guido Käppeli believes in success despite the difficult environment. A market survey before the launch identified a clear need, he says. The industry that Xtra-Travel is aimed at is called "MICE": Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, Exhibitions. According to Käppeli, there are magazines everywhere abroad that deal with business trips, convention venues and employee motivation in tourism. In Switzerland, Xtra-Travel fills a gap.
A narrow gap, however. To give Xtra-Travel more scope, TVG is transforming the trade magazine into a lifestyle magazine. "Because the Swiss market is small, we have expanded the range of topics to include luxury travel and events," explains Käppeli. Xtra-Travel should not only be read by managing directors, but also by their wives. In addition to the tour operators, the travelers themselves become the target group.
With this positioning, the magazine also offers itself to advertisers from outside the industry. TVG has its eye on the more crisis-resistant luxury goods sector. The first issue already covers perfumes, cars and sunglasses. Käppeli wants to tackle the clothing sector next.
Stefano Monachesi
Publishing director Guido Käppeli believes in success despite the difficult environment. A market survey before the launch identified a clear need, he says. The industry that Xtra-Travel is aimed at is called "MICE": Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, Exhibitions. According to Käppeli, there are magazines everywhere abroad that deal with business trips, convention venues and employee motivation in tourism. In Switzerland, Xtra-Travel fills a gap.
A narrow gap, however. To give Xtra-Travel more scope, TVG is transforming the trade magazine into a lifestyle magazine. "Because the Swiss market is small, we have expanded the range of topics to include luxury travel and events," explains Käppeli. Xtra-Travel should not only be read by managing directors, but also by their wives. In addition to the tour operators, the travelers themselves become the target group.
With this positioning, the magazine also offers itself to advertisers from outside the industry. TVG has its eye on the more crisis-resistant luxury goods sector. The first issue already covers perfumes, cars and sunglasses. Käppeli wants to tackle the clothing sector next.
Stefano Monachesi
