Join
How to Apply
Thank you for your interest in the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW). Active membership is open to qualified writers, editors, photographers, bloggers, and broadcast/video/film producers. An applicant for Active membership will be considered eligible for membership only if his/her work is published primarily through North American media. Associate membership is open to public relations representatives in the travel industry.
Applicants for Active Membership must submit a $75 non-refundable fee with submission of the application and $100 upon acceptance. Applicants for Associate Membership must submit a $125 non-refundable fee and $200 on acceptance. In addition, dues will be assessed annually and will be prorated for the initial year. The membership year is January 1- December 31 and dues are due by September 15 of the previous year.
Whether you apply as an Active or Associate, you must have a primary sponsor who is a member of SATW. References cannot be relatives, colleagues within your own company, or anyone who presents a conflict of interest. References must have professional knowledge of your work and explain why you are a good candidate for membership. It is essential that you contact your sponsor for permission before listing them on your application. Your application is not complete until your sponsor has completed the required form.
Your application must include a signed and dated copy of SATW’s Code of Ethics. Your name will be posted before the SATW membership for a 30-day comment period. Member comments alleging unprofessional conduct that is contrary to SATW's Code of Ethics and professional responsibility will be investigated and can lead to denial of your application.
Next, your application will be reviewed by a committee representing both actives and associates from all geographic areas of SATW. This committee adheres to legally-mandated guidelines approved by the Board of Directors. You may be contacted by an administrative employee of SATW no more than twice if the committee has questions or needs additional information.
Our goal is to act upon your application and provide a decision to you in less than 90 days. If at any time you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact SATW headquarters at info@satw.org.
Sponsor
Sponsors are encouraged to re-familiarize themselves with the membership requirements before agreeing to sponsor an applicant. The SATW sponsor should review the candidate's full application, master credits list, clips and other supporting material. The application process moves much faster if the sponsor is thorough in their reviews and alert applicants of potential problems before submitting to Headquarters. Frequent issues include missing contact information for editors, grossly inaccurate circulation figures or AUVs, and outdated materials. Sponsors, please click here to access the online sponsor form once you have reviewed all applicant material.
Online Applications
When you are ready to apply, click here for the Active (journalist) Application form or click here for the Associate (publicist) Application form. Unfortunately, it is not possible for you to save your application and return at a later time to fill in details. Therefore, you may wish to print out an application as a working document prior to beginning the online application procedure. Freelancers should consult the point chart and fill out the Master Credit List on paper so you will have this information on hand for the online form. For circulations of major magazines and newspapers, please click here for Magazines or Newspapers. Cision is the official source for SATW membership. Assistance for unique visitors can be found on website media kits and general benchmarks can be found on Quantcast.com, but the final word is Cision.
Printed Applications
Print and fill out the Active (journalist) application (PDF) or Associate (publicist) application (PDF) and mail with payment and supporting materials to:
SATW
Society of American Travel Writers
11950 W. Lake Park Dr., #320
Milwaukee, WI 53224-3049
USA
Active 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.
To view the Active Points Chart, please click here.
Active Membership Guidelines
Active members of the Society belong to either the Freelance Council or the Editors Council. Applicants for Editors Council may be salaried editors or staff writers, or travel website owners. Membership is based on travel content and reach of their media outlets. Applicants for Freelance Council are reviewed according to a point system. To qualify, applicants must produce 72 points within a 12 month period.
Work published without payment— either of a traditional monetary fee or a proven revenue stream — will not be considered.
A travel article, image, video, broadcast, blog entry, website contribution, or mobile app must be editorial content that shows, describes, evaluates, discusses and/or facilitates travel. The viewpoint must not be dictated by any advertiser or travel vendors referenced in the article.
Advertorial or promotional copy will not count toward membership. Advertorial content is paid for by an advertiser or sponsor and printed only after advertiser/sponsor approval.
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.
Circulation Figures
U.S./Canadian Newspaper and Magazine Circulations
Use this pdf document to check circulations and to verify publication names for your membership profile or application.
Magazines & Websites (US & Canada) / Circulation (PDF)
Newspapers / Circulation (PDF)
