The Society of Travel Writers has been criticized by this blogger as well as Tim McDonald many times.

Read McDonald's Calling on the SATW to clean up the sorry state of travel writing.

The SATW needs to provide better clarification about its role as a media organization. Does the SATW care if travel writers write objective articles that provide both sides of a destination or does the SATW only want the prim and proper public relations side?

According to the SATW's "General Guidelines for Active Membership," a travel article shall be construed broadly to mean an article that encourages travel."

So, going by this statement, does a travel writer risk running afoul of the organization if he or she criticizes a destination in a manner that would discourage a traveler from traveling to a particular site or destination?

In a heated and strongly worded letter written to The Rebel from the SATW, the organization disagreed with a past blog of mine that stated the SATW "tacitly encourages" public relations. In fact, they stated that my assertion was defamatory.

As a reputable organization, the SATW needs to clarify or get rid of this statement in its general guidelines. If it is indeed against its writers writing with a public relations slant, then it needs to state its objectives and guidelines more clearly. Requiring travel articles to encourage travel runs in conflict with journalism objectivity. Many travel writers pass themselves off as "journalists" when they are nothing more than public relations flack artists.

The SATW is the world's single largest travel writer organization. It is the only organization that can enforce and encourage its membership to write solid and objective journalism. The SATW has a responsibility to the public to make these writers state the truth and write accurately. The SATW is often victimized by its own members who shill for resorts and tourism boards for the sake of gaining freebies and enjoying perks.

The SATW must do more than go to bat for the writers and public relations firms who join its organization. It must serve the traveling public first and foremost.

Rebel

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