Editor interview: Olivia Squire, CN Traveller
We get the lowdown on what Olivia's commissioning right now
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This month, we’re getting to know a handful of lovely editors who have answered all our burning questions on what they are commissioning, what they’re paying and how they feel about press trips. We're starting strong with one of the latest editors to join CN Traveller, Olivia Squire, but we’ve got a roster of big-name editors contributing to this series this month, with a new editor interview every week in September for paid subscribers. Don’t miss out and become a paid subscriber now.
Here’s what you need to know about pitching and working with Olivia.
What's your background in the travel media?
I got my start in travel working on the creative team for This is Beyond back in 2012, a company that creates immersive B2B conferences for the luxury travel market in Marrakech, Miami, Cape Town, etc. My role was to oversee our print magazines, online content and copy/creative ideas for each event. I then hopped over to SUITCASE Magazine as Print Editor-in-Chief, shepherding the magazine from concept to completion (with lots of wonderful writing trips along the way), before 2020 brought a pandemic pivot into freelancing.
What's your role now?
I’ve been Features Editor at Condé Nast Traveller UK since April 2025, working primarily on commissioning and editing the print magazine alongside the rest of our features team, as well as collaborating with our digital and global colleagues on wider projects.
What do you commission?
I mainly commission print features, although I’ll sometimes commission stories that have a digital and/or social element, or send pitches that I think would work best for digital their way. Within the magazine, I look after our Word of Mouth section (the latest travel news and trends); Perspectives (first-person essays rooted in a destination); House Call (a focus on a private house that is now available to rent for stays); and View from Here (our image-driven back page). Our Senior Features Editor, Lydia Bell, looks after our hotel, wellness and family content, as well as overseeing global well features and the overall mix. Our rates vary according to project, but I’m very happy to discuss up front when people pitch.
Do you accept pitches off the back of press trips? If so, is it best to pitch before or after the trip?
For individual press trips, yes we do. For group press trips, we likely wouldn’t for a longer feature, but could consider it for a shorter review, Word of Mouth snippet or similar. As with any pitch, I’d like to know the specific angle you’re taking; whether you’re writing for any other publications off the back of the trip; and how soon you can file/if you have the exclusive.
Do you ever pay expenses?
This should be discussed in advance when pitching.
Do you pay for photography, too?
Yes, but we have a brilliant art department who generally commission or source all our photography and have very specific criteria for what’s right for the brand. However, if you shoot photography as well as write, feel your work would be a good fit and have a portfolio to share, it’s worth including it in your pitch.
What makes a great pitch for your section?
Specificity, a clear explanation of why it’s right for our readers and the section, and a timely hook (especially important for Word of Mouth, but in general, we have a big focus on what’s new and undiscovered at CNT). I remember hearing someone talk on a podcast about the three questions to ask yourself when you’re annoyed at someone when deciding whether to act on it, but I’ve nicked it for the purposes of pitching guidelines:
Why does this need to be said? (What’s the specific angle? How is it different from what's gone before? Why does the world need to know about it?)
Why does this need to be said now? (What’s the timely hook? Is there a time limit on how long it will be relevant, e.g. a one-off event? Does it line up with our print timelines, which are generally commissioned at least three months in advance?)
Why does this need to be said now by me? (Are you an expert in the destination or topic? Do you have some special access or an exclusive? Have you already been?)
What do you wish freelancers would pitch more?
I’d love to hear more trend content, especially if it spans several destinations — for example, an interior design style that’s on the rise globally, an experiential offering we’re seeing more of from hotels — as well as emerging scenes or communities in destinations around the world. I’m also interested in more first-person, speculative stories for our Perspectives section, especially from diverse voices and those who don’t have a traditional travel writing background. It’s extremely helpful when someone pitches for a specific section with an explanation of why they think it would fit — even if I don’t look after that section, it makes it much easier for me to point you in the right direction.
What do you wish freelancers would pitch less?
It’s not very useful when freelancers ask me if there are any destinations or stories I’m looking to commission, or send me a general introduction, CV or portfolio link without a specific pitch attached, especially if we’ve never worked together before. The exception might be if you have some extraordinary access or are based somewhere obscure, but otherwise, I’d always wait until you have a story you think would be a great fit to get in touch. Also generic pitches (“are you interested in any stories in Spain / Reykjavik?”), hotel reviews (unless you have an exclusive, are already going, or see it as part of a wider feature) and round-ups/listicles (which we rarely publish in print).
Do you have pitching guidelines online?
Not currently, but it’s in the works!
What sort of stories are you looking for in the next 12 months?
I’m beginning to commission for our Jan/Feb 2026 issue onwards. I’m always looking out for emerging trends, destinations and cultural news for Word of Mouth, and I’m focusing on finding new, diverse voices for our Perspectives section, whether that’s a literary writer or someone who’s undertaken an amazing travel project our readers would love to hear about. When it comes to longer form features, right now I’m especially interested in hearing pitches on urban Europe and both urban and rural Asia.
How can freelancers best pitch you?
They can email me at olivia.squire@condenast.co.uk, with a specific, attention-grabbing subject line explaining the pitch, and a paragraph or so following the structure I outlined above.
Post of the week
Several travel writers have been approached by colleagues to join this company as ‘travel agents’, but the ‘easy income’ they promise might not be all it seems. Helen Wright’s investigations for The Sun are fascinating and damning.
Who to follow
Olivia, of course.
Industry must-reads
If you watched the reel we’ve shared above from Helen Wright, you’ll want to read this investigation as well as this industry reaction from travel agents.
We also enjoyed this interesting dive into the world of guidebooks about China.
And don’t miss picking up a copy of Moonlight Express, the new travelogue by Monisha Rajesh, which came out at the end of August.
Want more travel writing tips to get your teeth into? Check out Meera Dattani’s webinar series on travel writing here — new webinars are coming in June, too, so keep an eye out here for announcements. Our online course has tonnes of tips on this topic; head to our shop here.
Thank you so much, I have absolutely loved starting my day with this post. I’m working on some pitches today and I truly feel I’ve been given both a comforting cuddle and a great dose of motivation for reading this!
Great interview! I'm in the thick of pitching for some upcoming trips, and these tips are exactly what I needed. Thank you, Olivia! (And Lottie & Steph too. :))