Arizona Highways Magazine

What Arizona Highways Magazine does

Arizona Highways Magazine is a monthly travel and photography publication founded in 1925, operating as a division of the Arizona Department of Transportation (a state government entity). The magazine publishes award-winning photography and travel journalism focused exclusively on Arizona, covering the state's national parks, landscapes, cultural heritage, Native American history, wildlife, and outdoor recreation opportunities. Its product portfolio includes the core print magazine, a digital replica edition, an extensive online issue archive, a podcast series, an Arizona Highways Television program broadcast on multiple regional stations across Tucson, Phoenix, and Yuma, and an e-commerce shop selling guidebooks, calendars, and branded merchandise.

The publication generates revenue through four primary streams: (1) print and digital subscriptions priced at $24/year for print, with gift and corporate subscription options; (2) e-commerce merchandise sales through shoparizonahighways.com; (3) advertising and sponsored content placements featuring Arizona tourism boards, state agencies, and local businesses; and (4) corporate sales programs for bulk subscriptions and business gifting. The publication explicitly prohibits AI-generated content, emphasizing human-authored journalism and professional photography as core differentiators. Strategic partnerships with Arizona Game and Fish Department, Arizona State Parks, Visit Arizona, and regional tourism entities (Cochise County, Visit Winslow, Payson/Rim Country, Window Rock/Navajo Nation) support content production and audience development.

The magazine serves four primary customer segments: Arizona travel enthusiasts (primary), photography enthusiasts, outdoor adventure seekers, and history and culture enthusiasts. Distribution spans direct-to-consumer subscriptions, e-commerce, corporate sales, and broadcast media. With 51-100 employees headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona Highways functions as a specialized niche media property with a diversified revenue model and century-old brand equity, though it operates within the structural constraints of a state government entity rather than a private commercial enterprise.

Name

Arizona Highways Magazine

Legal name

Arizona Highways Magazine

Website

https://arizonahighways.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Arizona Highways Magazine, founded in 1925 and operated as a division of the Arizona Department of Transportation, publishes monthly travel journalism and award-winning photography focused exclusively on Arizona's landscapes, parks, culture, and history for travel enthusiasts, photographers, and outdoor adventurers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Travel Magazine Publishing

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Travel & Outdoors Magazines (MPAJAEAH)

Keywords

• Travel magazine publishing
• Photography content
• Print subscriptions
• Outdoor recreation
• Arizona tourism

Headquarters

HQ city

Azusa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Print and Digital Subscriptions: Recurring subscription revenue from print and digital magazine editions. Print subscriptions available at $24/year. Digital edition replica subscriptions also available.
2. Product Sales: Merchandise sales including books, calendars, accessories, home decor, and specialty items through the Arizona Highways shop (shoparizonahighways.com).
3. Advertising and Sponsorships: Sponsored content and advertising placements throughout the website and publication, featuring Arizona destinations, tourism boards, and local businesses.
4. Corporate Sales: Bulk subscription orders and corporate gift programs for businesses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Arizona Highways Magazine publishes a monthly print and digital magazine featuring award-winning travel journalism and photography focused exclusively on Arizona. The publication sells annual subscriptions to individual readers and operates a companion e-commerce shop selling guidebooks, calendars, accessories, and branded merchandise. It also distributes related media content through a television program, podcast series, and online archive.

Product overview

Arizona Highways Magazine is a single unified print publication focused on travel journalism and photography for Arizona. The product portfolio includes the core monthly print magazine (published since 1925), a digital replica edition for online access, an extensive online archive, the Arizona Highways Television broadcast program, an audio podcast series featuring Arizona stories, and a dedicated online shop selling guidebooks and branded merchandise. Photography features include the Photo of the Day showcase and the annual Arizona Wildlife Views photo contest. The magazine operates under a strict non-AI policy, explicitly prohibiting published content created by generative AI tools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Arizona Highways Television: A television program that airs on Saturdays at 6:00 a.m. on KMSB (Channel 11) in Tucson and 8:30 p.m. on KTVK (Channel 3) in Phoenix, and on Sundays at various times in Tucson, Yuma, and Phoenix.

Products and services

• Arizona Highways Magazine Monthly print magazine featuring award-winning photography and travel journalism about Arizona's landscapes, history, culture, and outdoor destinations. Available by annual subscription at $24/year, targeting individual consumers interested in Arizona travel and photography.
• Arizona Highways Digital Edition Digital replica of the printed magazine available as a separate online subscription, providing readers with digital access to magazine content.
• Arizona Highways Shop Online store offering books, calendars, hiking guides, accessories, home decor items, and branded merchandise such as the Arizona Highways Dad Hat.
• Arizona Highways Television Television program airing on Saturdays on KMSB in Tucson and KTVK in Phoenix, and Sundays on KTTU, KYMA, and KPHO, featuring Arizona travel and photography content.
• Arizona Highways Podcast Podcast series featuring stories about Arizona's landscapes, history, and people, including episodes on the Grand Canyon, cover shoots, and Arizona history figures.
• Online Issue Archive Online archive providing access to past magazine issues for subscribers and members, offering a digital library of historical Arizona Highways content.
• Annual Print Subscription Recurring annual print magazine subscription priced at $24/year, with options for gift subscriptions and bulk/corporate orders.
• Arizona Wildlife Views Photo Contest Annual wildlife photography contest sponsored by Arizona Game & Fish, inviting entries from photographers focused on Arizona wildlife.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Arizona Game and Fish DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration featuring wildlife conservation content and promoting outdoor recreation. Arizona Game and Fish sponsors wildlife-related content including the Arizona Wildlife Views photo contest.
• Arizona State ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership showcasing Arizona's 27 state parks, camping information, hiking trails, and outdoor activities.
• Cochise CountyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsored content promoting Cochise County tourism, including Willcox, Douglas, Bisbee, and Sierra Vista destinations.
• Visit Arizona (Arizona Office of Tourism)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsored content promoting Arizona as a travel destination, featuring Grand Canyon, resorts, and state attractions.
• Visit WinslowminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsored content promoting Winslow attractions including Lorenzo Hubbell Trading Post, McHood Park, La Posada Hotel, and Historic Route 66.
• Payson/Rim CountryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsored content promoting Payson and the Rim Country area as a travel destination in central Arizona.
• Window Rock / Navajo NationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsored content promoting Window Rock and Navajo Nation tourism including Navajo Zoo, tribal parks, and cultural attractions.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Outside Magazine: Direct peer: outdoor recreation and adventure magazine featuring destination stories, photography, and active-travel content—sharing the outdoor adventure, hiking, and Arizona-relevant editorial overlap.
• Texas Highways Magazine: Direct peer: a state-focused travel and photography magazine, also government-affiliated, covering Texas destinations and culture. Shares the same model of state-tourism-aligned travel magazine publishing.
• Sunset Magazine: Direct peer: a long-running Western U.S. lifestyle and travel magazine focused on the American West, sharing a regional travel editorial model with photography emphasis and similar audience of Western U.S. residents and travelers.

Broad incumbents

• Better Homes & Gardens: Broad incumbent: long-running consumer magazine with travel, home, and lifestyle content sharing the model of regional lifestyle journalism, although with a much broader editorial scope beyond Arizona travel.
• Condé Nast Traveler: Broad incumbent: premium travel publication offering destination features, photography, and travel journalism with a high-end subscriber base, comparable in editorial positioning but global rather than Arizona-specific.
• Travel + Leisure: Broad incumbent: major consumer travel magazine covering global destinations, with comparable travel editorial, photography, and subscription model, but operating at national scale rather than single-state focus.
• National Geographic Traveler: Broad incumbent: a globally recognized travel magazine brand covering destinations worldwide with award-winning photography, comparable in premium travel content positioning but operating at much larger scale and broader geographic scope.

Others

• Arizona tourism publications: Adjacent: Visit Arizona and related state tourism publications operate in the same ecosystem, with overlap in destination marketing, photography, and travel content, but focused on promotion rather than independent journalism.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/azhighways
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ArizonaHighways/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/azhighways
• Instagraminstagram.com/arizonahighways
• Pinterestpinterest.com/azhighways

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Arizona Highways Magazine