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Travel + Leisure Celebrates 50 Years

Travel + Leisure celebrates 50 years of chronicling the evolution of travel with a special anniversary issue and exclusive digital content that spotlights the pivotal stories, people, and moments that have shaped the way we travel today, offering perspective, ideas, and inspiration for what's next.

The August issue, on newsstands July 23, features 50 trips that have never gone out of style, 50 of the most notable Travel + Leisure covers spanning five decades, a collection of essays from some of T+L's favorite writers on their most beloved journeys, and more. Travel + Leisure reveals its list of the 50 Most Notable People in Travel on travelandleisure.com today and will share more digital features to mark this milestone in the weeks ahead. 

Travel + Leisure Editor in Chief Jacqui Gifford said, "For half a century, Travel + Leisure has been sending award-winning journalists around the world—writers, photographers, and illustrators who in turn inspire our dedicated readers to get out there and explore with eyes wide open. This iconic brand and its various editorial teams have lived through many big moments—the era of the Concorde, the fall of the Berlin Wall, 9/11, and the Covid-19 pandemic, to name but a few. Through it all, we've always been there to educate our audience on what truly matters, and believe that the future of our industry will always remain bright. Our history is closely bound to globalization, and to the idea that travel, at its core, brings people together and is a force for good. This issue is a firm reminder of that sentiment."

Selected by T+L editors, the honorees named to Travel + Leisure's first-ever list of the 50 Most Notable People in Travel include travelers who have changed our world for the better. According to the editors, "Some people on this list are industry veterans and famous firsts; others are adventurers and athletes, writers and photographers, chefs and conservationists, filmmakers and designers, historical icons and modern heroes. Some are no longer with us; others are beloved fictional characters who encouraged us to dream. All of them have done their part to elevate the travel experience, simplify it, make it more inclusive, or just inspire us to continue exploring." 

To see the full list, visit https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/notable-people-in-travel-2021.

This special golden anniversary issue features four distinct covers that appear consecutively in each edition. To create these covers, Travel + Leisure asked photographers to explore the ideas of motion, progress and the evolution of travel. Céline Clanet chose a scene from Bonifacio, in Corsica; Naoki Ishikawa captured Lukla Airport, in Nepal; David Benjamin Sherry shot Bears Ears National Monument, in Utah; and Nick Ballón photographed a sailing with Coastal Exploration Co. off the coast of Norfolk, England. Within the issue, Travel + Leisure looks both back and looks ahead with a range of stories including:

50 Trips That Stood the Test of Time: T+L editors pick the journeys—from far-flung adventures to transcendent hotels to cultural escapes—that have proved timeless.

The Places That Changed Us: a collection of seven pieces by Rumaan Alam, Ingrid Rojas Contreras, Lily King, Nadia Owusu, Ann Patchett, Paul Theroux, and Bryan Washington about their most transformative journeys.

The Work of Slim Aarons: reflecting on the life and career of legendary photographer Slim Aarons, who shot some of his best-known images for Travel + Leisure.

+ Editors-in-Chief Roundtable: past Travel + Leisure Editors in Chief Pamela Fiori, Isla Stanger, Nancy Novogrod and Nathan Lump, in conversation with Jacqui Gifford, share their insights on creating T+L over the years in an ever-changing world and media landscape.

+ A Look Back: the editors uncover the best moments of the past five decades revealing how travel has changed in a way that underscores the magazine's success capturing the themes of the times and serving as a valuable resource for those seeking the world's most fascinating experiences.

+ From the Archives: quotes from luminaries who have been highlighted in T+L over the years, such as Toni Morrison, Joan Didion, M.F.K. Fisher, Isaac Asimov, Julia Child, and Erica Jong, among others.

Launched in 1971, Travel + Leisure has continued to capture the travel zeitgeist of the times and remained an indispensable resource for travelers seeking the most compelling experiences. Today, Travel + Leisure is the most influential travel media brand in the U.S., with a circulation of nearly 1 million* and an expanding digital footprint, reaching 12 million visitors monthly on its website, up 45% year over year,** and more than 12.5 million followers across its social platforms, up 7% year over year. 

 

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