Odyssey, a bimonthly magazine taglined “the world of Greece”, is the leading English-language publication about Greece and the Greek diaspora. Launched in 1993 to bridge the generations and distance separating Greece and Hellenes and philhellenes everywhere, its content seeks to balance readers’ disparate interests with articles and commentaries on a range of subjects, from Greek domestic politics and foreign affairs to business, sports, and the arts. As a bimonthly, the editorial focus is on providing readers with context for political and social issues as well as looking ahead to future developments. In each issue, Odyssey’s 40,000 readers enjoy a range of features and interviews with newsmakers—current and future—as well as commentaries and news reports in trends in politics, business, society, literature, the arts, and music, plus separate sections on food, wine, and travel in Greece.
Odyssey’s content reflects the diversity of its readers, who represent a mix of ages (late teens and college to pensioners), backgrounds (first-, second-, and third-generation Greek immigrants to Greeks in Greece and abroad), location, professions, and leisure interests. Editorial policy is independent and geared towards critical appraisals and constructive criticism rather than presenting a glossy picture of Greece. This approach has established Odyssey’s credibility as a source and created loyal readers.
The magazine’s mission is not just to keep the diaspora informed of developments in Greece or throughout the diaspora, but also to encourage readers to maintain active links with Greece with frequent visits. The extensive travel feature focuses on destinations in Greece, highlighting their natural beauty, cultural interest, as well as leisure facilities like marinas, golf, and ski, hiking, and other tourism products. The focus on cultural activities, from art exhibitions to theater, is also in this spirit of creating and maintaining ties between readers and Greece.
Readership profile
Odyssey magazine is also a unique resource for businesses wishing to communicate their presence to an audience that appreciates quality and rewards it with customer loyalty.
The magazine’s readership is split between North America and the rest of the world, with 55 per cent of subscribers living in the U.S. and Canada, and the rest in 43 other countries, including Australia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Greece. Odyssey is also sold at selected bookstores in the U.S. and in Greece at foreign press outlets, bookstores with a foreign magazine section, and selected locations, including some 20 high-end hotels throughout Greece and the business lounges at Athens International Airport, while some 400 complimentary copies are distributed to Greek embassies, Greek National Tourism Organization branch offices abroad, media organizations, think tanks, and decision-makers.
Reader surveys show that over 74 per cent of Odyssey subscribers travel to Greece 3 or more times per year, making the magazine’s annual hotel and restaurant guides two of the most-read features. Other invaluable resources are the annual guide to Greek studies programs, in Greece and around the world, the annual summer festivals guide, and occasional surveys of investment opportunities and the real estate sector. Odyssey readers have high education and income levels, and are as loyal to the Odyssey brand as they are to Greece, which is both a main holiday destination and place for investment.