Yandell Publishing, the family-owned company behind School Travel Organiser, Group Leisure & Travel and a range of other specialist media brands and events, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this month.
Founded on 12th August 1986 by CEO Graham Yandell, the business began with the launch of magazines serving the meat industry. Four decades later, the company serves the group travel, school travel, food and meat sectors through magazines, websites, yearbooks, awards programmes, exhibitions and events.
To mark the milestone, Graham has reflected on the company’s journey in a special interview published by School Travel Organiser’s sister title Group Leisure & Travel.
In the interview, he explains how he took the decision to leave a senior publishing career and invest in building his own business, launching the company with ambitious plans and a commitment to quality journalism and trusted editorial content.
Among the highlights, Graham discusses the development of the company’s travel portfolio, including the launch of Group Leisure & Travel, and how Yandell Publishing later expanded into the school travel sector with School Travel Organiser, the Learning Outside the Classroom Yearbook and the annual School Travel Awards.
Reflecting on the company’s success, Graham highlights the importance of long-standing relationships with readers, advertisers, event partners and colleagues, many of whom have worked with the business for decades. He also cites the company’s resilience during the Covid pandemic as one of its proudest achievements, having continued publishing throughout a challenging period for the media industry.
Looking ahead, Graham says the company remains ambitious about future growth while continuing to adapt to changing markets and technologies.
Speaking about the business philosophy that has guided him for 40 years, he recalls advice from a mentor who told him: “We are here to change events, not record them.”
The role of School Travel Organiser in the learning outside the classroom sector…
Graham said: “School travel is an essential ingredient in developing and education young people. For schools the trips that are undertaken have to be relevant, safe, informative and often curriculum linked. School Travel Organiser and its website is a totally unique resource full of ideas, inspiration and the experiences of many varied school undertaking all types of trips.
“There is much to consider these days if you are an EVC or a teacher planning trips. We are there to help and support the process.”
Asked why it was so important to celebrate and champion these amazing experiences that children can have, Graham said: “They say that your school days are the best days of your life. What is for sure is that giving young people real life experiences that they may not otherwise have is beyond gold.
“Like most people I remember my school trips with great fondness. I think the range and type of school trips we cover in STO is amazing and I hope an inspiration to all those planning all types of school trips.”
Yandell Publishing is marking its 40th anniversary throughout the year across its various industry events and publications.
Read the full interview with Graham Yandell on the Group Leisure & Travel website.
Yandell Publishing is the publisher of School Travel Organiser, the Learning Outside the Classroom Yearbook and organises the School Travel Awards. It also owns the Group Leisure & Travel portfolio, as well as producing media in the food industry.
