TRAILFINDER MAGAZINE
travel inspiration from the travel experts

Guidelines for Contributors

Guidelines for Contributors Thank you for expressing an interest in contributing to the Trailfinder magazine. Unfortunately we do not commission articles, however the following guidelines may help you with any pieces you choose to write on your travels.

Publication

The Trailfinder is published 3 times a year (usually Jan and July and ) with an average print run of 1 million copies per issue. The magazine is owned and produced by Trailfinders, the UK's largest independent travel company. All Trailfinders clients receive a copy of the magazine on booking and it is also distributed through a large mailout, through our travel centres and at various distribution points around London.

There are approximately 4 short travel articles in each edition?, supplied by freelance journalists or travellers, and occasionally by members of our own staff. The focus is predominantly on Europe, North America, Asia, East and Southern Africa and Central/South America.

We also publish a Trailfinder magazine three times a year in the UK, where we operate 23 travel centres. In this magazine we often include a couple of travel articles, one of which usually features a popular Australian city or destination.

Objectives

The Trailfinder aims to reflect the wide-ranging interests of Trailfinders clients by featuring destinations, hotels, tours and itineraries that can be arranged through Trailfinders. The travel articles are an important part of this aim and are evidently much enjoyed by our readers. If you have not already seen an example of the Trailfinder, please click here to request a copy.

The articles generally favoured for the magazine are those which recall the author's own experience of a destination and offer a snapshot of its people, culture, cuisine, sights and activities. Whilst the more remote parts of the world can often be the most fascinating, the destinations featured in the Trailfinder must be easily accessible to ensure their appeal to a wider readership. You will find that our brochures, Trailfinders Tailormade Asia, Trailfinders Tailormade Europe and Trailfinders Tailormade North America, offer a good indication of our preferred destinations.

Whilst Trailfinders was a pioneer of adventure travel over 30 years ago, it is no longer the case that the majority of our clients are backpackers, in fact far from it. We cater for travellers of all ages, budgets and interests, from family beach holidays, Round the World and adventure trips to luxury city breaks, intricate itineraries and ski holidays. In order to appeal to a wide spectrum of readers, travel articles should avoid focusing on the accommodation and class of travel used, concentrating instead on the destination itself. Trailfinders will provide accompanying practical information and prices if the article is published.

Words and Images

Articles should be approximately 800 words and type-written (please ensure you do not send us your only copy!). Articles prepared in Word may be emailed. Otherwise, please send to:

Nik Young
Trailfinder Magazine
8 Spring Street
Sydney 2000
Email: trailfinder-mag-aus@trailfinders.com

Please include your mailing address, phone number and email address if you have one. If you can provide colour transparencies to accompany your article, details of these should be provided, but do not send them to us unless we request them. Unfortunately we are unable to accept prints or negatives.

Please do not send in summaries, extracts or proposals for articles. We must have the entire article to enable us to decide whether the content and style are suitable for the Trailfinder magazine.

Style

Writing style will naturally be individual, however we recommend that you avoid what we term 'guide book style' - our readers can pick up guidebooks later to research the finer details of their trip, or indeed be guided by recommendations from their Trailfinders travel consultant. A personal account is preferred and a touch of humour is always welcome.

Conditions of Acceptance

We fully appreciate contributors' need for feedback regarding their work. However, due to the large number of articles received, we are unable to acknowledge receipt or reply to queries directly relating to submissions. We will only contact you if publication is confirmed, or to return articles which are unsuitable or out of date.

In submitting an article, it is understood that:

1. The article must not have been published previously. Of course, it may also be submitted elsewhere, however we would ask that you advise us if it is published in the meantime so that it can be removed from our files.
2. Trailfinders may retain the article on file to await an appropriate edition of the Trailfinder (we usually keep articles for up to 3 years) but no guarantee of publication can be offered.
3. Trailfinders will contact the contributor if and when we are able to place the article. Please ensure that you advise us of any change of contact details whilst an article is being held on file.
4. A passport-size colour photograph and a short (approximately 30 words) biography of the contributor is required once publication of the article is confirmed.
5. Trailfinders has editorial control over any article selected for publication. Whilst we make every effort to retain the original wording, occasionally we will make amendments to avoid causing offence, confusion, or repetition and articles may be cut to fit the space available.
6. We offer $150 in Trailfinders travel vouchers, which can be redeemed against flights, hotels, tours etc booked through Trailfinders, or $100 by cheque (whichever the contributor prefers) per article published. Payments for transparencies vary (around $40-60 each) according to the size and quality of image. Payment is usually made during the month following the magazine's release.

Thank you again for your interest. We look forward to receiving any articles you would like to submit.