DAN LAKE, THE NEWLY MINTED EDITOR FOR TRAVEL WEEKLY AUSTRALIA, HAS CROSSED THE TASMAN AND IS SETTLING INTO A NEW LIFE IN SYDNEY TO SPEARHEAD THE BRAND INTO AN EXCITING PERIOD OF GROWTH AND EXPANSION.
After 16 years of news journalism at Newshub, including a role as Travel editor at Warner Brothers Discovery, The Misfits Media company tapped the Kiwi on the shoulder, and he said yes! Nancy Hromin speaks to him about his hopes and aspirations for Travel Weekly.
Nancy Hromin, Dan Lake & Smoko the sausage dog
What makes you passionate about the travel industry?
“When I was a kid, we would go to Napier airport in Hawke’s Bay, a very small airport. And I would watch the regional flights leaving. I used to think it was just magical that these people were going on planes and wondering where they were they going, who they were, what was their story? Who were they going to visit? And even though it was just a flight from Napier, to Auckland, to me, it was just magical.”
What are you most looking forward to introducing into Travel Weekly as part of our offering?
“I’m really keen to hear from the readers and our audience what they are interested in hearing about as well as their thoughts on the industry.
“They are at the forefront of the market. They will have ideas of their own and I’m keen to really get engaged with them. The travel industry is this pool of very passionate people. And we can be a platform for their voice. I would like to branch out to things like podcasts, a Travel weekly TV show. Get key people in the industry on camera, have a chat with them. And really find out what makes them tick, and what makes them so passionate about travel. And of course, Women in Travel awards will be back….or did I just break an embargo?
“I was really excited to hear that Travel Weekly is so invested and making it happen. These events are so important.
As a New Zealander, I’m also looking forward to learning more about the industry, not only here in Australia, but globally. Being a trade publication, it means that I get to go a bit more in depth in the industry and meet the people behind the decisions. So that’s really super exciting”.
When you’re not working at Travel Weekly, what do you like doing?
“Funnily enough, watching aeroplanes from my balcony is one thing I love doing. I’m a total plane geek. I have the air traffic control on and everything! I do love going to the beach, I find that just being in the ocean water is the perfect “control, alt delete” at the end of the week, its so good for mental health. That’s something that I learned during lockdown, just get to the beach, and you can feel a lot better about things. As Tim Winton did say, you never regretted swim. Right?”
