Associate Member Application
The following guidelines for membership have been approved by the SATW Board of Directors. These are the guidelines the membership committee will refer to in reviewing your application. Once you have read these instructions and you wish to apply online you may do so here.
Associate Membership Guidelines
Associate members in the Society of American Travel Writers represent some of the most exciting and talked about travel destinations and experiences in the world. Associates are well regarded in their field and are on the leading edge of evolving communications technologies and concepts. Our public relations professionals understand the needs and demands of travel journalists. They are leaders in the organization and are fundamental to the well-rounded experiences of an SATW membership.
Associate members in SATW receive unique opportunities to work on a daily basis with SATW Actives – those writers, photographers, editors and other media specialists who create a large portion of the travel communication available today. SATW professional development include programs designed to specifically meet the needs of our Associate members, helping them become even more accomplished in their fields.
SATW welcomes applications for membership from individuals who are professionally engaged in public relations within the travel industry and work regularly with the media. Up to two individuals from a company, firm or Destination Marketing Organization may join SATW, as long as both work directly with the travel media.
Below are the guidelines for Associate membership. If you any question, just ask. We are honored that you are considering membership in the Society of American Travel Writers – Travel’s Most Trusted Voices.
You may be eligible for SATW Associate membership if you:
- Represent a DMO (Destination Marketing Organization) and are actively involved in working with travel media.
- Own or are employed by a public relations firm, and at least 75% of your time (based on billable hours) is devoted to servicing client accounts in the travel and tourism industry such as destinations, hotels/resorts, tour operators, airlines, cruise lines, attractions, etc.
- Own or are employed by a hotel/resort property or corporation and you are the primary travel media contact for the property.
- Own or are employed by a travel-related company (airline, cruise line, attraction, tour operator, etc.) and you are the primary travel media contact.
Note: Persons who only represent travel-related products that are not destination-focused, such as luggage, gear, clothing, insurance and accessories, online travel agencies, etc., do not qualify for Associate membership. However, if you represent these types of products, we invite you to talk with our Executive Director about convention sponsorships. We have several packages that will allow you great access to our membership with your message.
Another note: Associate membership is awarded to an individual, not an organization. Therefore, if you leave your position of employment, the membership stays with you, not your employer.
Processing of Applications
How do we determine your viability as an Associate member of SATW? After you fill out the forms below and sign our Code of Ethics, your application will be sent to a committee of 16 individuals representing all geographic regions of our membership. These are editors, photographers, PR professionals and freelancers like yourself. They will read the information you provide below, perhaps follow up with editors and contacts you provide, maybe ask an additional question or two of you. During this time, your name will be posted before the entire membership for comments. You also must submit a non-refundable application fee of $125.
When all of that is said and done, we will hopefully welcome you as our next member of the Society of American Travel Writers.
Associate membership applicants must submit with application:
- Contact information (name, phone, e-mail, website if applicable) for 10 travel media contacts (writers, photographers, editors, broadcasters) with whom the applicant has worked within the past 12 months, and results of that interaction.
- Ten clips (print-broadcast-online with circulation/traffic stats) of media coverage received over the past 12 months for the travel destination(s) and/or client(s) and describe how this resulted from the applicant's public relations efforts. No more than two clips may be submitted from one release/press trip and only one clip per person per release/press trip. Online copies of articles published in print outlets are acceptable, provided they indicate when the article appeared in print. (Note: For vacation time-share/fractional or other real estate-type lodging, the clips must reference/emphasize the destination and the property, not the real estate portion.)
- A summary of all public relations activities performed in the past year on behalf of the client(s), such as media functions/visits organized, press trips hosted and press materials created and distributed.
Code of Ethics
All members of the Society of American Travel Writers—Actives and Associates—subscribe to the highest standards of professionalism and, by accepting membership, agree to abide by the Code of Ethics of the Society.
The code is comprised of principles and rules, and procedures for enforcement.
The principles represent the highest standards of conduct toward which all members should strive, and represent the overriding concepts from which the specific rules are derived.
The rules are mandatory. They state the minimum level of conduct below which no member of SATW can fall without being subject to disciplinary action. The rules are uniformly applied to all members.
The procedures set forth the process by which violators of the rules will be investigated and disciplined. Disciplinary action, which may be imposed by the ethics committee or the executive committee of SATW, may range from a reprimand to suspension or expulsion from membership in the Society.
For the online Code of Ethics Form, please click here.
