SECAUCUS, N.J. -- Arnie Weissmann, founder of Weissmann Travel
Reports, will become editor in chief of Travel Weekly, effective
Oct. 15.
Weissmann created his company in 1986 to provide travel agencies
with comprehensive, unbiased and frequently updated destination
profiles.
The company grew from one print subscription service to a family
of five destination databases, updated destination software
services, a line of geography education products and a licensing
program for cruise lines and tour operators.
In 1993, Weissmann took his company on line, becoming the first
destination content provider for America Online. Weissmann Travel
Reports currently licenses content to CNN, Visa, Marriott
International, AAA and World Travel Partners.
In 1996, Weissmann sold his firm to Reed Elsevier, then the
parent company of Travel Weekly and a number of other leading
travel industry publications. Recently, Reed sold the travel group
to Boston Ventures.
Following the sale of his business, Weissmann remained with
Travel Weekly's parent company as a group publisher and, more
recently, as a member of the company's business development group
and as an editor-at-large.
Weissmann received ASTA's Travel Journalist of the Year Award in
1996 at the World Travel Congress in Thailand.
A widely published author, he co-wrote, with Kevin Gillespie,
Travel Around the World, a popular textbook that is in use in more
than 400 colleges, universities and travel industry training
programs.
In his new position as Travel Weekly's editor in chief,
Weissmann succeeds Alan Fredericks, who has served as acting editor
of the newspaper since August.
Fredericks will remain with Travel Weekly's parent company as
vice president-editorial director.
Nadine Godwin, who served as editor in chief from 1997 until
August of this year, is now an editor-at-large for the
newspaper.