Editor's letter / Global
Escape Clause
When the time comes for Monocle’s writers and editors to take a well-earned week away from their desks and keyboards, expectations are high and relaxation is often difficult. For editor in chief Andrew Tuck, it can be tough to surrender to the rhythms of a city without having called ahead to the mayor’s office to set up a sit-down. If that sounds familiar, fret not. The all-new ‘Escapist’, reimagined with additional investigative rigour, has you covered. The Monocle team has worked hard to unearth the hospitality happenings that should inform your 2024, from new routes to fresh hotels. Now, what was that about a holiday?
Journalists at monocle are fortunate to be given the opportunity to explore new horizons, to meet amazing people and hear their stories, to have their world views tested and, occasionally, to even bring home a retail gem (or two) for their own shelves. Over the years, monocle has taken me everywhere from ancient Baalbek and the craggy, Atlantic-battered Azores to thrumming Riyadh and the heart of modernist Brasilía. All of which can make it tricky to enjoy a simple holiday. When your day job involves dropping in on the mayor, gaining access to lesser-known architectural sites via your contacts and meeting the innovative entrepreneurs who make a city tick, you might be less keen to hit the tourist spots and thumb through badly written guidebooks whenever a real vacation opportunity arrives.
monocle readers are some of the most well-travelled people in the world, whether that’s for work, for family reunions or for unbridled fun. And when I meet them – you – I get the sense that they too operate a little like itinerant journalists. They research their missions with care and due diligence, ensuring that they know the people who are able to open doors to reveal the deeper workings of a city or nation. They want to stay in hotels that offer a sense of place and eat in the same restaurants as the locals. They want to feel like more than a visitor.
When it came to bringing back The Escapist to newsstands, we knew that it needed to offer more than just a parade of tropical islands and high-luxury outposts. It needed to have some of the enquiring rigour that goes into all of our reportage. And it needed to go behind the scenes to meet the players reshaping the travel industry.
Over the coming pages, we’ll whisk you away to Nagasaki (in the trusty hands of our Tokyo-based senior Asia editor, Fiona Wilson), as well as to the Mediterranean playground of Marbella. You’ll see a wishlist of places we would happily see on our own itinerary and get the skinny on what’s making headlines in the world of hospitality. You’ll also sit down with us as we chat to an ambitious airline chief, a hotel designer who understands nuanced luxury and an Italian brand that does peerless hosting. The Monocle Concierge – our in-house confidant who dispenses advice on Monocle Radio, at conferences and in our Monocle Weekend Edition email newsletter – also makes an appearance. Then there are our guides. We sent monocle writers and editors to crisscross Scotland to meet the creatives, hotel owners, food pioneers and more who are ensuring the upkeep of the nation’s craft, heritage and glorious landscapes. We also look to Hong Kong with a rundown of 50 reasons why you should visit and enjoy.
In short, we have you covered for 2024 and beyond. But we are always keen to hear from you, so let us know about the establishments and destinations that you think should be on our travel schedule. Wishing you safe travels and satiating adventures from all at monocle.
