Washington — George W. Stone has been appointed editor-in-chief of National Geographic Travel, where he will lead all of the travel content, including serving as editor of National Geographic Traveler magazine and spearheading National Geographic’s digital and social media travel strategy. Stone has worked as a writer and editor for Traveler for 18 years, most recently as an editor at large based in Singapore. He will report to Susan Goldberg, editorial director of National Geographic Partners and editor-in-chief of National Geographic magazine.
“George’s passion about the power of travel to transform lives and connect cultures is evident in his work as a writer and editor for Traveler for nearly two decades,” Goldberg said. “George has a knack for creating print and digital features that resonate with new audiences — and reflect his spirit of adventure and fun. I’m delighted that George will be working with our cross-platform team to help our readers and viewers explore the world with insight and energy.”
In addition to the print magazine, Stone will oversee National Geographic Travel’s digital offerings, including its annual photo contest and blogging network as well as its social media presence. National Geographic is a leader in the social media travel category, with nearly 14 million followers across all platforms.
At National Geographic, Stone has led several editorial initiatives including Traveler magazine’s “Travelers of the Year” list, which celebrates everyday people who travel with passion and purpose, and the annual “Traveler 50” project, which tackles the future of travel and intelligent urban design. Stone’s work has focused on travel and tourism issues ranging from conservation and sustainability to destination stewardship, cultural tourism, storytelling, photography, travel trends and emerging destinations.
“Travel is about discovery. It’s a social exchange on a global scale, an exchange that we can all access,” Stone said. “My goal is to empower our audiences to embrace travel as a tool for exploration, cultural engagement, creative expression and personal growth. I’m proud to build on National Geographic’s 128-year legacy of exploration to encourage our readers to wander near and far, to see the world for themselves and to make discoveries that enrich our lives.”
Stone has spent the last three years in Singapore creating editorial content and covering global travel trends and emerging markets. He’s worked to strengthen National Geographic Travel’s global brand by building new strategic relations with travel and tourism industry stakeholders and by fostering ongoing relationships with partners.
Stone is the author of two books published by National Geographic, “From Mist and Stone: The Folklore of the Celts and Vikings” and “Raging Forces: Life on a Violent Planet,” and one from HarperCollins, “Extreme Earth: A Journey Through the World’s Most Dangerously Beautiful Places.” He has written and edited articles that have received awards from the North American Travel Journalists Association and the Society of American Travel Writers (Lowell Thomas Award). Stone has appeared on NBC and CNN International, written television scripts for Investigation Discovery and created heritage travel initiatives for the United Nations Foundation. He is also a judge for the National Geographic World Legacy Awards and a frequent speaker at travel and tourism conferences.