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National Geographic Adventure Circ Surpasses 500,000, Continues to
Pile Up Literary Awards

By Chris Doyle

Anecdotal evidence and data derived from outdoor and adventure travel studies shows rising numbers of Americans participating in outdoor sports and adventure travel. Since a lull following 9/11 operators worldwide report rises in adventure travel. Another promising barometer of consumer activity can be seen in the rising circulation numbers among adventure-oriented magazines. A growing body of evidence reflects what our industry senses – growth.

One publication’s growth in recent years stands out – National Geographic Adventure reports that 2004 and 2005 was a “breakthrough period.” It has posted 31 percent circulation growth since 2004 and more than 160 percent circulation growth since its launch. Adventure’s guaranteed circulation for 2006 is 525,000 copies. Adventure has been posting circulation increases every year since 1999.

“Consumer response to the magazine has been spectacular,” says National Geographic Adventure’s publisher Francis X. Farrell. Certainly, rising consumer interest in multi-sport itineraries and adventure travel is contributing to its growth. But, Adventure isn’t simply taking this in stride.

“Our success only matters to the industry if it illustrates trends that can lift the adventure- travel community and give more people at home and abroad a vested interest in protecting the places that we love,” said Farrell.

National Geographic Adventure remains quite serious about importance of adventure and the quality and authenticity of its coverage. In 2005, The Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) awarded Adventure five Lowell Thomas awards for excellence in travel journalism. Notably, Adventure beat out 29 other travel magazines to win the “Best Magazine” designation.

Adventure has a widely respected reputation for literary excellence. Under the leadership of National Geographic Adventure Editor In Chief John Rasmus, it has been awarded twelve National Magazine Award (ASME) nominations, winning four Calder Elephant trophies. In fact, the magazine has received nominations every year since its launch. A veteran of both Outside (Under his editorship it became the leading magazine in the contemporary outdoor category for a time and was a finalist for more than a dozen National Magazine Awards, winning twice in Rasmus’ tenure.) and Men's Journal (an ASME finalist for three awards in its first year of eligibility and winner for General Excellence in 1995 and Personal Service in 1998).

Rasmus is a longtime champion of fine writing – and writers. Adventure's masthead is a virtual “who's who” of magazine standard-bearers: Tim Cahill, Philip Caputo, Laurence Gonzales, Robert Young Pelton, Sebastian Junger, David Quammen. Rasmus has published the first national magazine articles of such award-winners as Jon Krakauer, Quammen, and Junger, and he's continuing that tradition, with fresh talents like Tom Clynes, Matthew Power, and Kira Salak. It’s their contributions, along with, in the words of ASME, "a strong blend of service pieces . . . and ravishing photography," that allow National Geographic Adventure to continue" to blaze the trails of adventure travel."

“Of course profitable circulation growth and the respect of magazine editors or travel writers are important to us, but it’s also a harbinger of success for the adventure community at large,” said Farrell. “People have never been more interested in collecting thrilling and authentic experiences and the media are responding. This trend is feeding on itself and the world will be a better place for it.”

The ATTA also recognizes this trend. Take note of its re-calibration of the inaugural Pioneers of Adventure Travel Awards: The program expanded to recognize the rising and significant influence of media and travel journalists in the growth of adventure travel.  See our news release about the awards program. 

Adventure, along with other adventure-related magazine titles and the ATTA, share interest in how mainstream advertisers and major consumer brands are jumping on the “adventure” bandwagon. Advertisers across virtually every category want to be associated with the excitement of adventure sports and adventure travel. According to Publishers Information Bureau (PIB), National Geographic Adventure’s advertising revenue in 2005 ran ahead of 2004’s pace by 49.9% and advertising revenue from adventure travel advertisers posted a 107.1% increase (2005 versus 2004).

“Our growth in 2005 is a vindication of sorts for authentic adventure,” said Farrell. “You don’t have to do issues on sex or celebrity jocks in order to succeed.”

Adventure’s readership has a male/female ratio of 64 percent/36 percent, a median age of 40.4 years, median HHI (household income) of $72,729, 47.9 percent who are college graduates, and 40.5 percent who are in professional/managerial careers. Its 2006 four-color ad page rate, based on a paid circulation of 525,000, is $57,130. (Access to the 2006 Adventure media kit is available in PDF form at http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/about_advertise.html).

Adventure’s media kit describes its editorial profile as follows: “The only magazine fully committed to covering the adventure lifestyle, largely characterized by outdoor sports and adventure travel.”

Needless to say, the likes of other compelling outdoor and adventure travel magazines such as Outside, Explore, Outpost, and the brand new Adventure Journey (launched Jan. 17, 2006), plus the growing number of other lifestyle and specific-sport titles that flirt with “adventure” tag lines and editorial coverage (e.g., Men’s Journal, Dandelion, Men’s Health, Backpacker, Shape, Esquire, GQ, Cargo, Maxim, etc.), would surely challenge Adventure to a live debate on such a claim, and could, perhaps boast similar readership profiles.

(Editor’s note: future issues of AdventureTravelNews™ will include features on other adventure/outdoor oriented magazine titles – stay tuned).

Want more....
Read our Q & A interview with National Geographic Adventure publisher Francis X. Farrell.