#GoingPlaces has never been this refreshing!

The country’s longest running commercially sold monthly travel magazine gets a 2.0

f there is one industry that was drastically affected by the online revolution, it is travel. From the comfort of home, a seat in a coffeeshop, or even a remote island, one can have the “world” at his or her fingertips provided that there is a strong Internet connection.

Planning where to go this long Lenten weekend? Check the online deals of hotels and airlines (the earlier you book, the better!).

Not sure about the hotel recommended to you? Check the online reviews from “authentic” people.

What to bring? What to wear? What to eat? What to do? All your “what, when, where, how” questions can now be answered online. You do not even have to spend hours, all your answers are just a “Google” away.

Now, amidst everything, what role does a travel magazine play?

The prospect seems bleak as travel magazines in the Philippines have closed one after the other. Year 2016 saw at least four titles close and one of them included a magazine supported by a business conglomerate. Reasons have varied… dwindling readership, low advertising revenues, lack of circulation venues, etc. Whatever the reason may be, one similarity among them is the lack of an online platform.

Knowing all these, the Cruising Magazine team felt “turbulence” midair, the one that rattled us off our seats. We were flying – or cruising so to speak – so smoothly for the past 17 years that we felt comfortable if not for the warning: “Captain is Speaking!”

The “Captain” that we are referring to is “you” – our readers. Our publisher Manila Bulletin Publishing Corp. was also alerting us of the bumpy ride ahead. The “turbulence” was real that it made us sit down and assess ourselves amidst the changing habits of travelers – especially the millennials.

Now, how do you “upgrade” a 17year old magazine such as Cruising?

The first order of things was to change the title yet retain the “heritage” of the magazine. Cruising’s slogan which is “Going Places” was thus decided to become the new title and will appear as “#GoingPlaces” to reflect a 2.0. And with a hashtag, it represents its arrival in the digital era.

Second, the “soul” of Cruising was reinvented. If the essence of Cruising involves road travel, “Going Places” would put emphasis in more travel “sideshows” – the restaurants, the cafes, the personalities, the gadgets, the gear, etc. The look is also upgraded to make “#GoingPlaces” magazine