Time Out Group facts for kids
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| Public company | |
| Traded as | LSE: TMO |
| Industry | Media |
| Genre | Lifestyle |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Founder | Tony Elliott |
| Headquarters |
,
England
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Key people
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Chris Öhlund (CEO) |
| Products | Websites, mobile apps, guidebooks, social media, live events, food and cultural markets |
| Brands | Time Out Time Out Market |
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Number of employees
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450 (2022) |
Time Out Group is a company from Great Britain that helps people discover the best things to do in cities around the world. It started as a magazine but now has websites, mobile apps, and even food markets. Time Out gives you ideas for events, entertainment, and culture in your city or a city you're visiting.
The company was started in 1968 by Tony Elliott. Today, Time Out is a global guide, helping people explore 333 cities in 59 different countries. In 2014, it also launched Time Out Market, a special kind of food hall, starting in Lisbon, Portugal.
Contents
How Time Out Began
The first Time Out magazine came out in London in 1968. It was created by Tony Elliott and co-editor Bob Harris. At first, it was just a single sheet of paper listing fun things to do in London.
In its early days, the magazine was known for being part of the "counter-culture." This means it wrote about new ideas and supported causes like fairness for all people. The first issues printed about 5,000 copies. It grew so popular that it was soon printing 110,000 copies every week.
Growing Around the World
In 1995, the brand expanded to the United States with Time Out New York magazine. A year later, it launched Time Out New York Kids. Because it was so successful, Time Out began launching magazines in cities all over the world. The company also started creating travel magazines, city guides, and books.
When the internet became popular, Time Out had to catch up. Other city guides already had websites, which was a challenge. However, the company kept growing. In 2009, it released a free iPhone app for New York and London.
Changes and Going Digital
To help the company grow even more, founder Tony Elliott sold a large part of the company to a group called Oakley Capital in 2011. With new owners, Time Out focused on improving its websites and apps. They wanted to create a single online platform that worked for all cities. In 2012, they launched an iPad app for New York and London.
In June 2016, Time Out Group became a public company. This means people can buy small pieces of the company, called shares, on the London stock exchange.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when people had to stay home, Time Out cleverly changed its logo to Time In. Its website started suggesting fun activities people could do at home.
Time Out Publications
You can find Time Out content for cities all over the globe. Some of these cities include Paris, Los Angeles, Sydney, Madrid, Singapore, Tokyo, and Dubai.
Time Out London was a free weekly magazine that told people about movies, plays, and art shows in the city. After 54 years, the last printed magazine was given out on June 23, 2022. Now, Time Out London continues online.
Time Out New York was the first Time Out magazine in North America. Today, it's a free magazine that comes out every other week. You can find it in special boxes and stands all over New York City. Its website gets about 4.5 million visitors every month.
Time Out Guide Books
Time Out also makes guidebooks. These books are written by people who actually live in the cities they write about. They share tips to help tourists find cool and interesting places that aren't always in the main tourist spots.
The company has also connected its city guides to mobile apps. If you're using the app, you can use your phone's GPS to see where you are on a Time Out map. The app can also help you find great places to eat and fun events nearby.
Time Out Market
In 2014, Time Out opened the first Time Out Market in Lisbon. It's a large food hall where 35 different small restaurants and chefs sell delicious local food. It's a great way to try many different tastes in one place.
Since then, new Time Out Markets have opened in many other cities. In 2019, markets opened in Miami, New York, Boston, Chicago, and Montreal. In 2021, a market opened in Dubai, and in 2024, new ones opened in Porto and Barcelona. More locations are planned for the future.
Buying Other Companies
Over the years, Time Out Group has bought several other companies to help it grow.
- In 2011, it bought LikeCube, a company that helps personalize suggestions for users.
- In 2013, it took over the Time Out publication in Chicago. This was part of a plan to be in 50 major cities.
- In 2016, Time Out bought YPlan, a service that helped people discover and book tickets for events.
These purchases helped Time Out improve its technology and offer better digital services to its readers and users.
