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I’m James Bainbridge, a travel and culture content specialist with 25+ years’ experience across editing, commissioning, copywriting, subediting, and journalism. I’ve worked with major publishers and brands including Lonely Planet, BBC Travel, The Guardian, and Condé Nast Traveller, as well as consumer, B2B and branded magazines—covering everything from destination storytelling to cuisine, wine, property and the advertising industry. Most recently, I’ve led special features production and campaign content for Wanderlust, working closely with destination marketers, tourism boards, tour operators, airlines and hotel groups across print, digital, video and podcasts. Previously at Ten Lifestyle Group, I managed high-impact travel and lifestyle content projects aimed at high-net-worth audiences—building revenue through magazines, member guides, CRM copy and SEO-led publishing, while mentoring teams and aligning editorial output with commercial goals.…I’m James Bainbridge, a travel and culture content specialist with 25+ years’ experience across editing, commissioning, copywriting, subediting, and journalism. I’ve worked with major publishers and brands including Lonely Planet, BBC Travel, The Guardian, and Condé Nast Traveller, as well as consumer, B2B and branded magazines—covering everything from destination storytelling to cuisine, wine, property and the advertising industry. Most recently, I’ve led special features production and campaign content for Wanderlust, working closely with destination marketers, tourism boards, tour operators, airlines and hotel groups across print, digital, video and podcasts. Previously at Ten Lifestyle Group, I managed high-impact travel and lifestyle content projects aimed at high-net-worth audiences—building revenue through magazines, member guides, CRM copy and SEO-led publishing, while mentoring teams and aligning editorial output with commercial goals.

James Bainbridge

Copywriter, Writer, Content Producer, +2

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I’m James Bainbridge, a travel and culture content specialist with 25+ years’ experience across editing, commissioning, copywriting, subediting, and journalism. I’ve worked with major publishers and brands including Lonely Planet, BBC Travel, The Guardian, and Condé Nast Traveller, as well as consumer, B2B and branded magazines—covering everything from destination storytelling to cuisine, wine, property and the advertising industry. Most recently, I’ve led special features production and campaign content for Wanderlust, working closely with destination marketers, tourism boards, tour operators, airlines and hotel groups across print, digital, video and podcasts. Previously at Ten Lifestyle Group, I managed high-impact travel and lifestyle content projects aimed at high-net-worth audiences—building revenue through magazines, member guides, CRM copy and SEO-led publishing, while mentoring teams and aligning editorial output with commercial goals.…I’m James Bainbridge, a travel and culture content specialist with 25+ years’ experience across editing, commissioning, copywriting, subediting, and journalism. I’ve worked with major publishers and brands including Lonely Planet, BBC Travel, The Guardian, and Condé Nast Traveller, as well as consumer, B2B and branded magazines—covering everything from destination storytelling to cuisine, wine, property and the advertising industry. Most recently, I’ve led special features production and campaign content for Wanderlust, working closely with destination marketers, tourism boards, tour operators, airlines and hotel groups across print, digital, video and podcasts. Previously at Ten Lifestyle Group, I managed high-impact travel and lifestyle content projects aimed at high-net-worth audiences—building revenue through magazines, member guides, CRM copy and SEO-led publishing, while mentoring teams and aligning editorial output with commercial goals.

Available to hire

I’m James Bainbridge, a travel and culture content specialist with 25+ years’ experience across editing, commissioning, copywriting, subediting, and journalism. I’ve worked with major publishers and brands including Lonely Planet, BBC Travel, The Guardian, and Condé Nast Traveller, as well as consumer, B2B and branded magazines—covering everything from destination storytelling to cuisine, wine, property and the advertising industry.

Most recently, I’ve led special features production and campaign content for Wanderlust, working closely with destination marketers, tourism boards, tour operators, airlines and hotel groups across print, digital, video and podcasts. Previously at Ten Lifestyle Group, I managed high-impact travel and lifestyle content projects aimed at high-net-worth audiences—building revenue through magazines, member guides, CRM copy and SEO-led publishing, while mentoring teams and aligning editorial output with commercial goals.

Skills

Experience Level

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Intermediate

Intermediate

Intermediate

Intermediate

Work Experience

Special Features Managing Editor (maternity cover) at Wanderlust Travel Media

January 1, 2026 - August 31, 2026

Provided maternity leave cover at the UK’s top travel magazine. Worked with destination marketers, tourist boards, tour operators, airlines and hotel groups to deliver branded content campaigns across digital, print, video and social media. Interpreted marketing briefs and commissioned and edited written content, video scripts and podcasts; coordinated supplements, digital features and competition launches and managed winners’ trips. Produced and managed content in WordPress and Elementor, edited layouts in InDesign, resized images in Photoshop, and worked closely with designers, the subeditor and the Special Features Editor. Managed schedules, campaign tracking and budgets, approving invoices and supporting sales team production planning. Also arranged freelance creator trips to client destinations and created newsletter and social media activity plans.

Deputy Head of Content at Ten Lifestyle Group

September 1, 2020 - October 31, 2025

Managed a portfolio of travel and lifestyle concierge content projects focused on converting high-net-worth individuals. Achievements included creating a print and digital travel magazine that doubled quarterly revenue year-on-year to £500,000; launching a quarterly magazine, EXPLORE, that features in newsletters to 100,000+ recipients; and playing a senior role in launching and growing the Ten agency (up to ~£1m annually). Led editorial work for private bank clients (including Arbuthnot Latham), planned global SEO-optimised schedules for partners such as Mastercard and Barclays, and relaunched Ten travel guides, producing standardised destination guides to drive revenue. Managed updates to eight UK staycation guides and rollouts into newsletters, and directed video production featuring internal travel specialists. Coordinated editorial training and quality reviews, ran proposition-focused sessions to connect editorial and commercial objectives, and partnered across teams on pitches,

Writing tutor at Various (workshops and university partnerships)

January 1, 2017 - December 31, 2020

Marketed and ran workshops on travel writing, feature writing and story selling, delivered online and in venues including the University of Cape Town and South Africa’s National Arts Festival.

Freelance writer at Freelance

January 1, 2005 - December 31, 2020

Progressed from travel and feature writing into copywriting and content development. Supplied brochure and web copy for property developments and produced editorial content for clients including Visa, KLM, MSN and Travelstart.co.za. Delivered content analyses and updates for website relaunches using WordPress, working with digital designers. Published travel, culture and art articles and blogs in outlets including The Guardian, Times, The Independent, Condé Nast Traveller, Lonely Planet Traveller, BBC Travel, MSN and SafariBookings.

Editor and writer at Lonely Planet

January 1, 2005 - December 31, 2020

Wrote, project managed and subedited guidebooks and coffee table books across multiple relaunches and the move to a digital-first CMS model. Researched and updated chapters for 30+ guides (including Lonely Planet, Rough Guides and others) across destinations worldwide. Coordinated multiple country editions (including South Africa, Lesotho & Swaziland; Turkey; Morocco) with team leadership, editorial and style/content decisions, and writer management. Delivered solo book projects such as Discover Turkey and updates to Time Out and Berlitz guides for Cape Town. Pitched and wrote features for inspiration-led Lonely Planet titles and Best in Travel editions. Also represented the brand in international media and hosted Lonely Planet programming. Later shifted towards copyediting, proofreading and ebook production.

Magazine journalist / Features editor (career progression) at Media Week and other magazine clients

January 1, 2000 - December 31, 2005

Built a career from trade journalism covering the UK advertising industry (rising from Staff Writer to Features Writer and Deputy Features Editor) to consumer feature writing. Freelanced from 2002 for business and consumer magazines, including Australian titles during a Sydney stint. Worked part-time as Features Editor for Reed Business Information magazines covering media and marketing (B&T, Professional Marketing). Edited the alternative women’s magazine Yen on a short-term basis, and contributed features, reviews and celebrity interviews to music titles including MTV and Ministry of Sound magazines.