“We love making magazines that challenge perceptions”

Gecko Publishing is a small, versatile publishing company with a passion for creating publications that inspire, inform and surprise our readers.

Gecko’s first steps were taken in 1997 when we launched Travel Africa magazine in the UK to challenge the narrow view of our beloved Africa that we experienced on our travels. This philosophy sits at the root of every project we have worked on, helping us to develop and grow a portfolio of successful customer magazines for airline and corporate partners around the world.

We passionately believe that magazines are a powerful tool for fostering change, building pride and stimulating growth, especially in the developing world.

We care about our subject matter and the destinations we cover. We care about our readers. We care about our business partners. We’re passionate about creating great content, wrapping it in world-class design and underpinning it with a sustainable business model.

People love reading magazines. And we love making them.

Making magazines


Cornerstones of the creative process

At Gecko Publishing, we pride ourselves on producing creative magazines to meet demand in carefully identified niche areas.
We build great teams to compile inspiring and practical content that is delivered in print and through supporting digital platforms. We make those magazines as accessible as possible to a broad audience through a combination of retail and free distribution.
So, what are the things that make us tick?


A natural instinct

A gecko is agile, moves quickly, seeks out opportunity and keeps focused on its target. It works comfortably in small spaces and enjoys freedom to roam in big spaces. Geckos are found all over the world. At Gecko Publishing we know our strengths and how to use them to big advantage. Small and versatile makes us very responsive and creative. For us, every project counts. Every customer matters. It's about doing what we love. The money will follow.

Passion

We only get involved in a project if we love the destination and its people, and believe we can do something special with it. This passion gets us excited about trying new ideas, and keeps us working long hours to produce the very best possible magazines we can. Everyone in the team has travelled extensively, has connections with our destinations (especially Africa), and wants to share their enthusiasm with our readers. We care about our magazines.

Creating content

We invest heavily in content. We have built up a wide network of writers and photographers around the world. This ensures a rich supply of high quality content that will inspire and inform readers. We use many locally-based contributors and seek out new and exciting talent. But all of this starts with creative, experienced editors who have a vision for each magazine that is rooted in a deep knowledge and commitment to the subject. This allows us to challenge ourselves, and therefore challenge our readers.

Advertising

Gecko Publishing was founded with an equal understanding of and passion for editorial and advertising. We know that advertising allows us to buy content, print and distribute the magazines. Each of our magazines has a niche audience, which means our advertising content is important to our readers. We work closely with our readers and advertisers to ensure the advertising is relevant and effective. Advertising is linked across all print and digital platforms.

The accessibility of digital

Technology offers excellent opportunity to distribute information to people across the globe, quickly and cheaply. It is no surprise that our magazines are published as print, e-mag, online and app versions to make them as easy as possible to access. Given the different ways people use these resources, we also produce unique content for some of our magazine websites.

The value of print

Despite the convenience of digital distribution, we are fully committed to print. A beautiful, printed magazine provides a tactile experience that is deeply personal, and allows us to create elaborate and enduring content that has a strong integrity and authenticity. Our magazines all have a printed version at their heart.

Custom Publishing

Profitable magazines that build loyalty and brand awareness

We provide a comprehensive publishing service to companies who wish to communicate with their customers or staff.
Gecko has earned a reputation for creating vibrant, engaging customer magazines that connect with the aspirations of their readers and, importantly for our clients, dramatically improve loyalty, brand awareness and revenue.
We have successfully relaunched struggling magazines, quickly making them a recognised and important part of their company’s marketing and sales activities. To achieve this, we work hard to understand our clients' businesses and then to create content that exceeds their customers’ expectations.
Our current clients include Kenya Airways, LIAT the Caribbean Airline, Precision Air and Safaricom.
If you're looking for a publishing partner for your business, here's a look at how we work...


Partnership

Quite simply, we become part of your company. We view ourselves as an extension of your marketing and communication team. Our role is to use our skills to add value to your effort, and to help you to grow your business. So we work hard to get to know your operations, how you work, what you're trying to achieve. We look at how we can help, and then we take as much work off you as possible.

Content creation

Once we understand your company philosophy and your objectives, we build the right team for your project. We'll find the right editor, with the right knowledge, regardless of whether they are already part of our team. We'll draw on a wide network of skilled editors, writers and photographers from around the world. This unique combination of international perspective and local knowledge will drive the success of your magazine.

Customer first

The point of having a customer magazine is to provide your customers with something they will enjoy reading. So they come first. Of course, you want them to engage more with you and to buy more of your product, but that starts with making them feel good. We work hard to understand them, and to find the right editorial balance, but we find that by putting your customer first, everything else follows.

Revenue generation

We also understand that every partner wants their magazine to generate revenue. We use that as a strong motivator: if we get the product right, your customers will read it, and the advertisers will follow. We only use teams that are highly knowledgeable and locally-based to look after our advertisers. This approach has made some of our customer magazines very profitable for their owners.

Our titles

Magazines that make a difference

Travel Africa magazine

Travel Africa

Frustrated by the often very narrow view of Africa by people around the world, we launched Travel Africa in September 1997 to help inspire and inform African travellers. It is aimed as much at those people who have never visited as it is at regular safari-goers: the aim is to encourage more exploration of the world's most exciting continent. We strive to provide a wide and balanced context on the African continent, to showcase its diverse beauty and character, it's extraordinary wildlife and rich culture – and to help readers to make qualified decisions on where to travel.
Travel Africa is the world's only magazine dedicated to travel to Africa.

Fill in your email address to the right, and we'll send you updates on Travel Africa.


Msafiri Magazine  - Kenya airways inflight magazine

msafiri
Kenya Airways inflight magazine

msafiri ("The Traveller") is read by Kenya Airways' nearly four million passengers on its network across Africa and into Europe, the Middle East and the Far East. Gecko published msafiri from 2005 until 2017, taking it from a quarterly publication to a highly successful monthly, also available on all digital platforms. We now publish msafiri on a bi-monthly digital basis, until the pandemic is over. Gecko has very deep roots in Kenya and we are particularly proud of our relationship with Kenya Airways, with whom we cherish the opportunity to showcase a progressive, exciting Africa.

Fill in your email address to the right, and we'll send you updates on msafiri.



msafiri media pack
msafiri website
msafiri archive



InterCaribbean Inflight magazine

Cacique
InterCaribbean Airways inflight magazine

Cacique aims to highlight and inspire leadership, community, entrepreneurship and endeavour across the Caribbean, reflecting the spirit of the region. InterCaribbean Airways takes pride in connecting people across the Caribbean, and we hope Cacique will showcase the creativity, energy, ambition and zest for life we see across this beautiful region.

Fill in your email address to the right, and we'll send you updates on Cacique magazine.



Cacique media pack
Cacique website



ZiNG Caribbean Inflight magazine

ZiNG Caribbean
LIAT, the Caribbean Airline, inflight magazine

In 2008 when LIAT, the Caribbean Airline, asked us to produce a magazine for their customers, it was clear that we needed to create a publication that celebrated all that makes the Caribbean and its people so special. LIAT has the biggest network of flights throughout the region, bringing together the residents of 23 countries and providing access to international tourists.
We relaunched the magazine, giving it a new title, format and editorial direction. ZiNG Caribbean magazine reflects the vibrancy, energy and colour of this exciting region.



PAA Tanzania
Precision Air inflight magazine

When we took over the Precision Air inflight magazine in 2013, we relaunched it as Paa Tanzania, to showcase all that is great about Tanzania and its people. With content exclusively about Tanzania and produced primarily by Tanzanian writers and photographers, Paa Tanzania is an exciting project to be involved in.



The Option
Safaricom customer magazine

Safaricom is Kenya's largest telecomms company, providing technology services that drive this burgeoning economy. The company wanted a magazine that could help their customers to get the most out of these resources. The Option looks beyond that, putting Safaricom at the heart of everyday life as well as business, and the magazine is the biggest circulation magazine in the country.



Previous magazines

Over the last 18 years we've published a few titles that are no longer in production... from our rather special Kenya Yetu to our country magazines and the inflight magazine for Air Zimbabwe. We're very proud of them, as each one had a strong mission to change perceptions of the destination covered. They mean a lot to us, because they meant a lot to the people in each country... and we think they reflect the range and quality of content we love to produce.

The Team

Management

 

CRAIG RIX
MD, Publisher, Editor

craig@geckomags.com editor@travelafricamag.com

GAVIN THOMAS
Financial Manager

gavin@geckomags.com

 

Editor & Production

 

WILLIAM GRAY
Editor, Cacique and msafiri

editor@geckomags.com

PHIL CLISBY
Production Manager

phil@geckomags.com

 

Support & Design

 

SHERRY RIX
Customer Services

service@geckomags.com

LISA DUKE
Art & Design

lisa@geckomags.com

 

Contact us


Please contact us if you have any questions or requests regarding our services.
email: service@geckomags.com

Gecko Publishing Ltd
Maplewood Lodge, College Farm
Southend, Garsington
Oxford
OX44 9EE
Tel: +44 (0)1844 278883