The Sunday Times Travel Magazine has appointed The Observer’s freelance travel writer Jan Knight as its new editor.
Knight will take over from Brian Schofield, who is leaving to pursue a freelance career.
Knight said there would not be any drastic changes to the magazine’s content, but she is hoping to introduce some more affordable and luxury travel ideas to the title when she joins in April.
“It’s a lovely product, it is a fresh challenge for me and I hope that with my experience and contacts in travel, we can improve it further,” she added.
Having begun her journalism career as a reporter on Travel Trade Gazette, Knight branched out into general news reporting. She lived in Venezuela for six years, freelancing for the BBC World Service, Time and Business Week, before moving to the south of France and writing features for the Miami Herald. After moving back to the UK, Knight stood in as acting deputy travel editor on The Observer last year, where she said she got the “taste” for a full-time post. She has also contributed travel features to The Observer, The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph and Living France magazine.
The Sunday Times Travel Magazine is produced by contract magazine specialist River Publishing on behalf of News International. Aimed at mid- to upmarket holidaymakers, it published its first ABC earlier this month of 61,129 – just below Condé Nast Traveller, which reported a figure of 82,811. Despite the overall ABC, The Sunday Times Travel Magazine has actually overtaken Condé Nast Traveller on the UK news-stands, selling 46,573 to Condé Nast Traveller’s 17,084.
Schofield, who oversaw its successful launch in January 2003, will remain a regular contributor in an “editor-at-large” role. He said: “I am just ready for a new challenge and a bit more of a break. It’s a case of: ‘Mission accomplished – now where’s the beach?’.”
By Ruth Addicott
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