I got Conde Nast Traveler as a free subscription. So far, I have received 4 issues and I am still waiting for a travel article, or even perhaps just a teeny tidbit of information, that I could find useful. Most of the articles that actually talk about destinations focus on luxury travel and are more inspirational than practical. The rest of the content is filler and self-serving to the travel industry.

Conde Nast doesn't promote deals or ways to get more for your money. Its niche is that it tries to make you an educated traveler, but only by talking about exotic locations and expensive things to do when you get there.

WHAT YOU GET IN A TYPICAL ISSUE

The "Features" section is the heart of the magazine and includes several articles. These articles are usually highlighted on the cover of the magazine. If you are not interested in places mentioned on the cover, don't buy this magazine off the news stand because there won't be much else inside.

In the July 2003 issue, the feature articles are (1) an article about Capri, (2) an article about Iceland, (3) an article about secluded unaffordable beaches in the Caribbean, (4) an article about Penang and (5) how to choose a good cabin on a cruise.

There is also lots of filler typically found in magazines. This filler includes a letter from the editor, brief biographies of the authors of the articles, mail from readers, a few pages with useless facts (unless you care what the temperature in Tokyo is in July), a few one page articles and sections recommending items to buy.

THE GOOD VS. THE BAD

Here is the good and the bad of the July issue:

The Good

(1) An article that spans several pages on Ecotourism. This is how you, the wealthy western traveler, can use your tourism dollars to help local economies. It sounds like a good thing, and it is. This is the only article in the magazine that gives helpful information on finding travel agencies that arrange ecotourism tours.

(2) A feature article on Capri that had no practical information but there were some lovely photographs.

(3) Ditto on an article about Iceland.

(4) Cabin cruising: practical considerations when choosing a cabin on a cruise.

The Bad

(1) A one page article on travel to Iran. Is it really helpful to have an article on a place the State Department warns Americans not to travel to?

(2) Gratuitous Advice: An advice column for idiots and the ill-informed. The obviously fake questions are self-serving to the travel industry. For example, one "reader" asks how much to tip housekeeping. Are we really supposed to believe that someone was so worried about this that they had to write to Conde Nast Traveler?

(3) Word of Mouth: These are little tidbits of information from the travel industry. Again, most of it is self-serving. The magazine recommends a few very high-priced resorts, some overpriced items to buy and certain stores in far-flung places such as Sweden and Trinidad. Is anyone going to organize a trip to Trinidad to go to a recommended pottery store? For pete's sake, log on to www.eziba.com. One blurb about South Beach looked interesting, but the blurb was so short and contained so little information, it was pointless to take it out and save it.

(4) Beauty on Board: Expensive skin care for woman (the lowest potion is $50). I thought this magazine was supposed to be about TRAVEL.

(5) Behind the Scenes: This is a promotion of the movie, Pirates of the Caribbean. Again, no TRAVEL.

(6) Deal of the Month: Travel deals for July - in July. Some of us can last-minute travel, but this is about as last minute as it gets. The annoying thing is that there are three "deals" where one hotel and one restaurant is mentioned. What is the circulation of this magazine? If .0001% of the people who read this magazine visit the three restaurants highlighted, you won't get a seat. So, don't bother.

(6) An article that spans several pages to, essentially, give you a run-down on the airline industry. That's right, how the airlines are doing financially. When I buy a travel magazine, I want pictures of barren beaches. If I want financial reports, I buy the Wall Street Journal.

(7) Next up is an article on ecology called "Coral Comeback." Of course, ecology is important but I wanted to read about TRAVEL.

(8) Ombudsman is a one page column that provides a travel horror story sent in by a reader that the magazine tries to resolve. Frankly, I know travel horror stories happen, because I lived one (see http://www.epinions.com/content_89585323652). But I don't want to be scared away from my next vacation either.

(9) An article on what Honolulu was like in 1952. Unless this magazine provides time travel, this article is also useless.

(10) Article on secluded Caribbean beaches. The inns and hotels features are way out of my price range.

(11) The article on Penang that was highlighted on the cover of the magazine is only two pages long.

ADVERTISEMENTS

As with any commercial magazine, there are tons of advertisements for fashion and items related to travel. Apparently, the readers of Conde Nast are an upscale crowd as the ads cater primarily to expensive goods. I would say there are more ads in this magazine than in other, similar magazines.

PRICE

The cover price is $4.50 U.S. and foreign/Canadian $5.50. A subscription is 12 issues per year for around $5.

OTHER INFORMATION

The paper is rather glossy. The magazine is typical size and usually just over 150 pages per issue.

The web site is www.cntraveler.com.

FINAL RECOMMENDATION

Even though I got this magazine for free, I am very disappointed. Occasionally, an article shows great promise, then I read it and end up sad and disappointed. I can't recommend this one.



A MAGAZINE I LIKE BETTER IS: Islands.


Recommended: No