SATW Society of American Travel Writers | SATW Society of American Travel Writers

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 membership in the Society of American Travel Writers is limited to those persons professionally engaged in public relations within the travel industry and working regularly with the media. Each new applicant must submit proof that his/her professional qualifications meet or exceed current membership criteria adopted by the Society. Applicants must be well regarded in their field and must have a desire to participate actively in the Society. According to SATW bylaws, the number of Associate members in the Society must always be less than the number of Active members. Thus, there could conceivably be a time when Associate Membership will not be available to new members.

Associate membership in SATW is given to an individual, not an organization. If an Associate SATW member leaves his/her position, the organization or company does not automatically retain the membership. The Associate's successor must apply for SATW membership.

You may be eligible for SATW Associate membership if you:

1. Represent a DMO (Destination Marketing Organization) -- the official tourism promotion organization for any city, state, region or country -- and are actively involved in working with travel media. Up to two people from a DMO may be eligible for Associate Membership provided that his/her primary responsibility involves working directly with travel media.
2. 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. One primary public relations representative per travel industry account may apply for SATW membership as long as the industry client does not already have its own SATW Associate member. (Note: Persons who only represent travel-related products that are not destination-focused, such as luggage, gear, clothing and accessories, insurance, online travel agencies, etc., do not qualify for Associate membership. These and other product representatives may qualify for special convention sponsorships and should contact the convention committee for appropriate opportunities.)
3. Own or are employed by a hotel/resort property or corporation and you are the primary travel media contact for the property. More than one person from a single corporate hotel/resort company may be eligible for Associate membership provided his/her primary responsibility involves working directly with travel media.
4. Own or are employed by a travel-related company (airline, cruise line, attraction, tour operator, etc.) and you are the primary travel media contact. In the case of a corporation, more than one person may be eligible for Associate membership provided his/her primary responsibility involves working directly with travel media. (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. These and other product representatives may qualify for special convention sponsorships and should contact the convention committee for appropriate opportunities.)

Processing of Applications

Here’s a synopsis of SATW’s application processing procedure. Please be advised that this procedure is subject to change and that the complete application processing procedures and rules are set forth in the Operations Manual. In the event of conflict or inconsistency with the rules set forth herein, the procedures and rules in the Operations Manual shall govern.

1. An applicant must agree to abide by the SATW Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility. Previous, documented conduct not in keeping with this code may be grounds for denial of membership.
2. An applicant may choose to be sponsored by two SATW members or one SATW sponsor and two references from notable travel industry professionals who are not related or colleagues within the same company or anyone who would be a conflict of interest. Applicants with two SATW sponsors must designate one as a primary sponsor. An SATW sponsor cannot be personally related to an applicant nor have any financial or supervisory relationship with an applicant.
3. Each applicant’s name will be circulated to the entire membership and comments regarding the his/her professional qualifications and conduct will be considered by the membership committee.
4. After the chapter membership committee has reviewed the application and comments from SATW members, it will decide on the applicant’s eligibility. The applicant will be notified by SATW headquarters.
5. If an applicant is dissatisfied with the decision of the chapter membership committee, he/she may appeal within 90 days.
6. Once an applicant has been accepted, his or her SATW primary sponsor will serve as mentors for one year.
7. A non-refundable application fee of $100 must be submitted with the application, either online with a credit card or by mail with a check.
8. A balance of $400 will be billed upon acceptance, plus pro-rated dues for the first year. Associate member dues are $250 per year (January 1 -- December 31)./LI>

Associate membership applicants must submit with application:

1. Full contact information (name, address, 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.
2. 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 and describe how they resulted from the applicant's PR efforts.
3. 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, press materials created and distributed.

No more than two clips may be submitted from one release/trip and only one clip per person per release/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.)

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.