Keith Bellows

KeithBellows

Keith Bellows (1951-2015) was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and grew up in Montreal. For 17 years he served as editor-in-chief of NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELER and he because a vice president of the National Geographic Society in March 2000. Under his stewardship, the magazine has been nominated for two National Magazine Awards, won more than 60 Lowell Thomas Awards for best travel writing (it has been named best magazine eight of his 11 years), and seven Folio Awards for Best Travel Magazine. As a tip of the hat to new media, TRAVELER won an iTunes People’s Choice Award for Best Podcast of 2006, for which Bellows wrote two scripts. Its “Intelligent Travel” won a 2007 Travvie and a 2009 Lonely Planet Award as best travel blog.

In addition to editing TRAVELER, Bellows developed a major spinoff of the magazine’s website built around the award-winning special issue 50 Places of a Lifetime. He also writes “One on One,” a regular interview column with compelling figures: Al Gore, hotelier Ian Schrager, Steve Case, Dolly Parton, futurist Andrew Zolli, Island Records founder Chris Blackwell, who have something important to say about how we travel and where we go. He helped position TRAVELER as a leader in sustainable travel and has made it the travel photography magazine (it runs the world’s biggest travel-photo contest, the only travel cell-phone contest, and a series of city-based photo seminars regarded as the best in the business). Keith also helped create journeystreams, an innovative open-source web program to help students tell stories.

Prior to joining National Geographic, Mr. Bellows was developing internet content as early as 1994. He worked for Rupert Murdoch’s Delphi web service; as creative director launched BabyCenter.com (now owned by Johnson & Johnson); was the executive producer of Excite.com; and was founding partner of WestWorld Media, which developed Metallica’s first website and created the college-based Campus Voice.com. He wrote 100 Places That Will Change Your Child’s Life, part of a program he developed to encourage parents, corporations, and schools to view travel as a critical learning tool. It will be published in October 2011. Mr. Bellows is a graduate of Gordonstoun School (Scotland) and Dartmouth College. He lectures extensively around the world (and is part of the National Geographic Speakers Bureau) and his more than 200 television appearances include the TODAY Show, Good Morning America, and a regular segment on National Geographic Today.

Radio Shows featuring Keith Bellows

buddha

Inside National Geographic Traveler, Buddha Bar DC and eco-friendly jewelry

The Editor-and-chief of National Geographic Traveler, Keith Bellows, joins World Footprints Radio to talk about the magazine, travel storytelling, his upcoming travel book for children, and his never ending quest for discovering different cultures. Then, because culinary treasures are a manifestation of culture, Shelley Galloway from the newly opened Buddha … Read more  

United States Fashion & Style Food & Drink