Active Membership

Active members enjoy a positive affiliation with an integrity-rich group of highly qualified professional travel journalists and public relations/destination marketing representatives. By attending spring and fall conferences, members are able to generate interesting story ideas, develop professional contacts within our 13-state region and take part in valuable networking opportunities with fellow members. MTJA also offers opportunities to meet one-on-one with Associate members during Media Marketplace events, attend professional development sessions and participate in awards programs.

Categories of MTJA Active Members include:

Editors of publications with circulations of at least 10,000 must submit:

1. A one-page letter detailing your work and experience in professional journalism, length of time in the travel-writing field, percentage of time devoted to travel journalism, and any other pertinent information about your work in the travel or journalism fields.
2. A copy of your publication’s masthead with your name indicated as editor.

Staff Writers, Freelance Journalists and Online Content Producers must submit:

1. A one-page letter detailing your work and experience in professional journalism, length of time in the travel-writing field, percentage of time devoted to travel journalism, and any other pertinent information about your work in the travel or journalism fields.
2. Five travel articles, columns or features with minimum word counts of 250 published within the previous 12 months in publications with circulations of at least 10,000 or posted in online outlets with at least 10,000 sessions per month (on average per year). Clips may be print, online or any combination of the two. Submissions must be sent electronically as PDFs and must show byline, publication name and date. Two co-bylined articles with two or more author names listed on the published article are acceptable for two of the three article submissions. One clip of the five may be from a CVB-produced visitors guide and must include a byline.
3. Applicants must submit proof of income or payment for their work (the amount of payment can be blacked out) and/or 10,000 sessions per month (on average per year) for online outlets. ABC audited circulation info, screenshot of current media kits confirming circulation, Google Analytics reports or editor confirmation of reach on publication/outlet letterhead are all acceptable forms of verification.

Book Authors must submit:

1. A one-page letter detailing your work and experience in professional journalism, length of time in the travel-writing field, percentage of time devoted to travel journalism, and any other pertinent information about your in the travel or journalism fields.
2. A copy of your most recent travel-related title with an initial minimum press run of 1,500 copies published within the previous 12 months. (We will also consider subsequent editions of original books that the applicant has worked on within the past 12 months.)

Broadcast/Podcast journalists must submit:

1. A one-page letter detailing your work and experience in professional journalism, length of time in the travel-writing field, percentage of time devoted to travel journalism, and any other pertinent information about your work in the travel or journalism fields.
2. A letter from station management carrying your programs that details program length; program frequency; station call letters or other identifying information; size of audience, how long the program has aired and confirms you are paid for your work. For Podcasters, proof of downloads must average at least 10,000 per month for past 12 months.
3. Three episodes or segments via MP3, MP4, links to podcasts or air-checks.

Travel photographers must submit:

1. A one-page letter detailing your work and experience in professional journalism, length of time in the travel-writing field, percentage of time devoted to travel journalism, and any other pertinent information about your work in the travel or journalism fields.
2. A minimum of five unique assignments with published images within the previous 12 months in outlet/s with print circulations of 10,000 or more, or a minimum of 10,000 sessions per month (on average per year) for online publications. For photography used in travel-related books, the initial print run must be at least 1,500.
3. Applicants must submit proof of income/independent payment for their work (the amount of payment can be blacked out) and documentation that confirms audited print circulation of at least 10,000 and/or 10,000 sessions per month (on average per year) for digital outlets. ABC audited circulation info, screenshots of current media kits confirming circulation, Google Analytics reports or editor confirmation of reach on publication/outlet letterhead are all acceptable forms of verification.
4. Travel photographer applicants must demonstrate a body of work beyond sole collaboration with one other MTJA Inc. member. Travel photographer applicants must note on their application if they work with a current MTJA Inc. member.

Digital Publishers must submit:

1. One-page letter detailing your work and experience in professional journalism, length of time in the travel-writing field, percentage of time devoted to travel journalism, and any other pertinent information about your work in the travel or journalism fields.
2. Links to five blog posts each with a 250-minimum word count that the applicant has written within the previous 12 months.
   * Any website that the applicant publishes must be active for at least two years prior to application.
   ** People who do not own a website but instead write for a travel site owned by someone else should be considered freelance or online content producers and not digital publishers.

3. Applicants must demonstrate at least 10,000 unique visitors to your travel articles per month on average over the previous 12 months through Google Analytics reports, and submit documentation of website revenue sources (i.e. third-party ad revenue, affiliated links, etc.)