Travel Weekly has created new roles within its editorial department that emphasize in-depth reporting and create additional opportunities to deliver travel news and information to our audience.
Emma Weissmann will be joining the team as features editor, overseeing destination feature coverage as well as spearheading Travel Weekly's social media, video and podcast initiatives. In addition, Weissmann will also be contributing coverage of retail travel agencies. She most recently was executive editor of TravelAge West and editor in chief of AgentAtHome, both sister publications to Travel Weekly. Readers may know Weissmann from her co-hosting duties on the Travel Weekly podcast "Trade Secrets."
Jamie Biesiada, Travel Weekly's senior editor, retail, is taking on an expanded role as editor, content innovation and retail. Biesiada will oversee some of Travel Weekly's flagship editorial projects, including the Travel Industry Survey, host and develop new podcast programming and work with Weissmann to head up video, social media and AI initiatives. She will continue as Travel Weekly's retail editor, covering travel advisors and agencies, consortia, host agencies and OTAs.
Robert Silk, Travel Weekly's senior editor, aviation, was promoted to editor-at-large. He will continue his coverage of the airline industry while also doing deep-dive reporting on a variety of travel industry topics.
"These new and expanded roles will give Travel Weekly's audience access to more in-depth reporting and creative storytelling," said Travel Weekly editor in chief Johanna Jainchill. "Emma, Jamie and Robert have all distinguished themselves through a decade of reporting on the travel industry at Northstar. These moves position Travel Weekly for even greater success."
The promotions of Biesiada and Silk are effective immediately; Weissmann's role is effective March 1.
The new positions follow the promotion of Jerry Limone to news editor, announced in January. Limone oversees news story development for both online and print, working with reporters to identify breaking news and develop longer-form coverage with additional context and analysis.