Another Journey

Another Journey (Hebrew: מסע אחר, Masa Acher) is an Israeli magazine and digital travel brand focused on tourism, travel, culture, geography and history. Founded in 1987 by Tal Kelm and Gil El-Ami, it began as a bi-monthly publication marketed as a "backpacker's journal" covering exotic destinations, and over time broadened its scope under the slogan "a world-embracing magazine." For many years it was the most widely circulated monthly magazine in Israel, reaching a peak of around 85,000 copies per month in the early 2000s, second only to the women's magazine La'Isha. The brand expanded beyond print into a content portal, an online travel guide, a photography school (the School for Geographic Photography), and a children's monthly, Masa Tza'ir, launched in 1998. The magazine changed ownership several times. In February 2008 the print magazine was sold to publisher SBC, which produced the competing magazine Masa Olami; the two were merged into Masa Acher. SBC was acquired by Motto Communications Group in May 2009, and in November 2013 the monthly was bought by Time Out Tel Aviv, under which it published until the print edition was suspended in May 2016. In July 2017 Masa Acher returned to print as a bi-monthly under the Tzivlin Tzeirim Communications Group, with each issue built around a unifying theme such as the world's most beautiful islands or the journey to the best coffee. The website, operated by Masa Acher Online Ltd., continues to publish travel, tourism and geography content and hosts a guide with geographic details, tourist information and maps for most destinations worldwide. The brand's editorial history includes several notable editors: Moshe Gilad, Zohara Ron, Yair Kedem (2003–2005), Dror Feuer (appointed September 2005, dismissed February 2007), and Rotem Bar Cohen. The current editor is Ido Rosenblum, with Oren Tzivlin as editor-in-chief and publisher. Another Journey remains a recognizable Israeli travel-media brand, combining a themed print magazine with a comprehensive online destination guide.

Another Journey (Masa Acher) was founded in 1987 by Tal Kelm and Gil El-Ami, who served as publishers and first editors. Moshe Gilad later joined as editor, followed by Zohara Ron. In 1992 Tal Kelm left the management and editorship. In its early years the magazine was published bi-monthly, marketed as a "backpacker's journal" and focused on travel and journeys to "exotic" places; over time it broadened its coverage and adopted the slogan "a world-embracing magazine." In 1990 the magazine took part in a campaign against the establishment of a Voice of America relay station in the Arava. In 1999 the magazine attempted to launch a television channel called "Masa Acher" devoted to tourism, vacation and leisure, in partnership with Prime Plus Communications of entrepreneur Roy Raviv and producer Shuki Friedman. The channel signed agreements to acquire content from television channels in Europe and the United States and an investment agreement with Jerusalem Capital Studios, but it was ultimately never launched. In the early 2000s Masa Acher became the second best-selling magazine in Israel (after La'Isha), selling about 85,000 copies per month. In 2002 Masa Acher tried to prevent the publication of a competing journal called Masa Olami initiated by Eyal Peled. Masa Acher claimed this violated an arrangement between the parties in which Peled had undertaken not to use the name "Masa Olami" in the field of journals and magazines. The dispute began when Peled sought, in June 2000, to register the name "Masa Olami" as a trademark, but Masa Acher argued the name was too similar to its own. Masa Acher lost the legal battle. From 2003 to 2005 the magazine was edited by Yair Kedem. In the summer of 2003 an electronic version of the magazine was launched for the first time as a joint project with NetVision. In September 2005 Dror Feuer was appointed editor. In February 2007 Feuer was dismissed and Rotem Bar Cohen was appointed in his place. At that time a new content portal was also launched with an investment of 2.5 million shekels. In the early 2000s the magazine reached its peak circulation, but afterward, in the face of intense competition and the breakthrough of the tourism field on the internet, its circulation shrank. As financial difficulties mounted, the print magazine was sold in February 2008 to publisher SBC, which produced the magazine Masa Olami; following the acquisition, Masa Olami was merged into Masa Acher. In May 2009 SBC was bought by the Motto Communications Group. Finally, the monthly was bought in November 2013 by Time Out Tel Aviv and published within it until the decision to suspend the print issue in May 2016. From July 2017 Masa Acher returned to activity in a printed version (by the Tzivlin Tzeirim Communications Group) and deals with tourism, travel, journeys, world culture, geography and history, with an emphasis on changing themes. The magazine's current editor is Ido Rosenblum, and the editor-in-chief and publisher is Oren Tzivlin. In parallel, the website operates under the name "Masa Acher Online" and is updated with content on tourism, travel, geography and more. In addition, the site contains a guide with geographic details, tourist information and maps for most destinations in the world. Masa Tza'ir was a monthly from Masa Acher intended for ages 6–13, launched in 1998. It dealt with nature and science; its articles were short and vocalized. In 2008 Masa Tza'ir was acquired by the SBC group and merged with the monthly Galileo Tza'ir. As part of the merger, Masa Tza'ir subscribers joined Galileo Tza'ir subscribers, and the unified journal continued under the name Galileo Tza'ir. In the early 2000s the magazine established the School for Geographic Photography, offering photography studies in a variety of tracks. The school serves as a framework for training professional photographers and also addresses amateur audiences. It has also organized several photography exhibitions for teachers and graduates.

• 2017

  Magazine returned to print as a bi-monthly in July under Tzivlin Tzeirim Communications Group.

• 2016

  Print edition suspended in May.

• 2013

  Monthly bought by Time Out Tel Aviv in November.

• 2009

  SBC bought by Motto Communications Group in May.

• 2008

  Print magazine sold to publisher SBC in February; Masa Olami merged into Masa Acher. Masa Tza'ir acquired by SBC and merged with Galileo Tza'ir.

• 2007

  Dror Feuer dismissed in February; Rotem Bar Cohen appointed editor; new content portal launched with 2.5 million shekel investment.

• 2005

  Dror Feuer appointed editor in September.

• 2003

  Electronic version of the magazine launched as a joint project with NetVision.

• 2002

  Masa Acher lost legal battle to prevent publication of competing journal Masa Olami.

• 2000

  Eyal Peled sought to register the name Masa Olami as a trademark, sparking a legal dispute.

• 1999

  Attempted launch of a television channel named Masa Acher; ultimately not launched.

• 1998

  Children's monthly Masa Tza'ir launched for ages 6–13.

• 1992

  Tal Kelm left the management and editorship.

• 1990

  Magazine participated in a campaign against the establishment of a Voice of America relay station in the Arava.

• 1987

  Magazine founded by Tal Kelm and Gil El-Ami.

A world-embracing Israeli travel and geography media brand, combining themed print issues with a comprehensive online destination guide.

• Masa Acher magazine

  Bi-monthly print magazine on tourism, travel, culture, geography and history, each issue with a unifying theme.

• Masa Acher Online

  Website operated by Masa Acher Online Ltd., with travel content and a guide containing geographic details, tourist information and maps for most destinations worldwide.

• Masa Tza'ir

  Children's monthly for ages 6–13 launched in 1998, covering nature and science; merged into Galileo Tza'ir in 2008.

• School for Geographic Photography

  Photography school established in the early 2000s, offering professional and amateur tracks and organizing exhibitions.

1. 1מסע אחר – האתר המוביל לטיולים נסיעות ופנאיmasa.co.il
2. 2Another Journeywikidata.org
3. 3מסע אחרhe.wikipedia.org