Vallarta Lifestyles turns 15
- and hosts the City and Regional Magazine Roundtable

By Heather Wilson
Winter-Spring 2004


The City and Regional Magazine Association (CRMA) kicked off Vallarta Lifestyles’ fifteenth anniversary celebration by holding its Publisher’s Round Table here in January.

Stimulating seminars and discussions between members ­ 93 prestigious city and regional lifestyle publications throughout North America ­ made for an informative and successful conference. And Lifestyles publisher John Youden, a member since 1998, took pleasure in showing off this gorgeous destination.


Lifestyles is in good company ­ the highest circulation lifestyles magazines in sophisticated markets like Palm Springs, Las Vegas, Boston, Chicago, Vancouver and Toronto ­ with members maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and quality in their respective markets. A conduit for the sharing of information, CRMA membership means magazines that keep getting better and more effective.

Rigorous ethical standards must be upheld to qualify for membership, publications adhering to the editorial and circulation guidelines set forth in the association’s mandate. For example, maintaining a clear delineation between advertising and editorial is mandatory, mixing or selling the two in tandem strictly prohibited.


“Membership is priceless,” says CRMA president John Palumbo. “I often say that one conference attended, one phone call made, or an e-mail on a critical issue can have a return on investment of membership several times over. Networking and idea exchanges have helped Lifestyles expand and change, its social pages and profiles of local people putting a ‘face’ on PV for visitors.

“Lifestyles is the only member in Mexico and the only bilingual magazine on the roster, which shows it has a progressive publisher who wants to grow and learn and is willing to be held to a higher standard.”

The PV Roundtable went so well that Palumbo announced it will be held here every other year, which will benefit the local economy. “Youden has been such a good ambassador for PV that many who had never been here before have said they will also return for personal vacations.”