National Geographic Adventure magazine folds

Both adventurous travelers and armchair adventurers have reason to be sad today as National Geographic Adventure magazine became the latest major consumer lifestyle magazine to succumb to financial difficulties. The National Geographic Magazine Group announced today that it will cease publication of the print edition of Adventure, effective immediately. The December-January issue currently on newsstands will be the magazine's last.

Launched in March 1999, Adventure was published eight times a year and featured stories designed to appeal to outdoor enthusiasts and adventure travelers. Articles included a mix of travel destination features, profiles, product reviews, and trend pieces.

The magazine's folding came as a result of severe losses in advertising revenue, which was 44 percent lower for the first nine months of 2009 than for the corresponding period last year. In the third quarter of this year alone, the number of advertising pages was down 59.1 percent compared to 2008, according to industry data.

According to FOLIO Magazine, John Griffin, president of the National Geographic Magazine Group, issued a statement saying, “We’re tremendously proud of what [editor-in-chief] John Rasmus and his team have accomplished over the last 10 years. They have consistently delivered award winning editorial to an enthusiastic audience of readers and advertisers. But given the current advertising environment and the opportunities we see in emerging digital platforms, we think the time is right to transition the Adventure brand.”

The Adventure brand will continue through its website, as well as books, mobile applications, e-magazines, and the occasional newsstand edition.