Hot, Hot, Hot: Tourism publications

Over the past month or so on the blog, I have made reference to a newspaper-style tourism publication that I am due to be bringing out. It is close to seeing the light of day. The volcano and weather have conspired to slow things down a bit. Things are never easy, and I tend not to make things easy for myself. And not making things easy is probably apposite. I like making things difficult, creating a challenge.

Why do a newspaper format? Several reasons. Commercially, the most important is that far more copies can be printed for the same sort of money you have to hand over for something printed on art paper. Do a free publication and you stand or fall by advertising, and for advertisers as wide a distribution as possible is vital, unless you are dealing with a defined and small niche, which the tourism market is not.

But as important as this is the impact that can be created, one that also has benefits for the advertiser. And in the current climate, it seemed to me that something quite different was required. There are businesses locally which are really trying to be different. It has been salutary to speak to some of them and to get their support for attempting to be different, and these include those who are not advertisers. It matters not a jot to me so long as I get positive and constructive opinions rather than the negativity of which there is an abundance at present.

Tourism publications tend to be of a type. They tend to a conformism of certain information and style. It was this that I wanted to break away from. And moving away from the small format of guide that I have done till now gives far greater scope in terms of content. This is where it has not been easy. The creative side. It is hugely demanding of time and mental energy. Stick a map on a piece of paper and arrange some adverts around it? Where's the fun in that?

The new publication is to be called HOT. There have been seemingly innumerable other title possibilities. It was a chat with Nobby from Linekers which finally steered me in this direction. Not that Nobby came up with it. But it was his thought process that led me to do a personal brainstorm and come up with some ideas that I ran past Graeme at "Talk Of The North", with whom this is all a collaboration. One other title I liked was "Splash". It seemed appropriate in different ways, for example the notion of making a splash. But HOT it was - is. Only afterwards, as I looked at a blank page of Quark Express to consider the masthead, did it occur to me that HOT could be Holiday Times.

The format means that there is scope for all manner of articles that could never have been contemplated before. It is why, in addition to some of the more traditional information, there will be stuff on music, entertainment, history, oddities, fitness, kids' activities and more. What there will not be will be the sort of brochure talk that I have railed against here in the past. I detest it. It is too easy, and I cannot believe that anyone much is interested.

In the process of putting this altogether, there are a number of people who have given willingly of time and help and others who have made small observations and suggestions. They will all get name-checked when it appears, but to pick out a few - Jan at the Jolly Roger, Graham Philips, Glen and family, Jose and Julie at Nova Marina. They'll do for starters. Now all that remains is to finish it off and get the job to the printers over the next few days. Then I might get some sleep.


QUIZ (sort of) -
Yesterday I asked who Albert Pierrepoint was. The usual answer is the last hangman in Britain, but he wasn't. Albert, not necessarily a liberal in these matters, reckoned that Ruth Ellis got all that was coming to her. And Albert gave it to her - so to speak.


Any comments to andrew@thealcudiaguide.com please.