You want to show the world what you can do.
We show you pathways to success.
Reason #1: Expand Your Circle of Influence at IFWTWA Conferences
Join colleagues at our popular annual professional development conferences and walk away with a notebook full of stories from one of our many hosted press tours at every conference.
IFWTWA collaborates with local experts to bring exclusive and unique access to exceptional food, wine, and travel learning experiences.
- The conference offers pre-trips and post-trips that allow attendees to apply for associated media trips.
- You’ll gain exclusive access to the history and notable figures driving local and regional topics relevant to our industry.
- You’ll meet people, explore new areas, and get a chance to discover destinations and attractions the typical tourist might miss.
- Media Marketplace to meet destination representatives.
See What Others Like You Found Out
Reason #2: Discover Stories on Media Trips
We facilitate small group press trips From culinary tours in Jordan to cultural tours in Greece, to Lafayette’s culinary, cultural, and diverse musical scene to the panoramic beauty of the Kitsap Peninsula region, you’ll find our press trips offer something for writers with the broadest range of interests.
- Travel with other IFWTWA freelancers in the industry.
- Network, pick up contacts, and learn from your fellow members.
- Stand out among your colleagues: competition is keen out of the dozens who apply.
“One great benefit of IFWTWA is the press trips. Press trips are the bread and butter for most travel writers so having them set up and arranged is a big benefit. Traveling with a compatible professional group is a bonus. Naturally you need to get approved by the host but that is a standard for all trips. My last trip with IFWTWA was to Lafayette. What a treat. It was a great mix of nature, history and food. I sold stories from that trip and posted some on my own site.”
— Kathleen Walls
Author and Travel Journalist
American Roads and Global Highways ~ Katy’s World
Reason #3: Present Your Stories to the World
Publish with us. Our flagship Association publication Food Wine Travel Magazine is our online worldwide consumer magazine and gateway that presents the travel experiences of our members.
- Pitch our editors with your stories.
- Receive a stipend for one approved and published article per month.
- You have the opportunity to be Author of the Month.
- Add to your writing portfolio.
- Articles published permit you to enter writing contests.
Publication is not guaranteed. If you craft great stories, we expose your work to the world.
“If professional industry associations were a pretentious food menu, IFWTWA is all meat and potatoes. A salad of travel magazines tossed with blogs has diluted what used to be robust destination media. But not IFWTWA’s premium Food, Wine & Travel Magazine (FWT). If one can look the other way about the missing Oxford comma (ha), FWT is easily the closest thing to a digital version of a glossy doctor office magazine that a patient actually sneaks into the waiting room when called on. I am privileged to have three stories published in FWT where they took my niche topics and photos to a higher level than I could have elsewhere – and continue to reference them as a favorite clip source.”
— Andrew T. Der, C. E. P.
Principal, Andrew T. Der & Associates, LLC
Travel Journalist <> Environmental Consultant
Sustainable Tourism Expert
Reason #4: Webinars and Roundtables
Learn about the world of food, wine, and travel virtually.
- Explore new destinations with CVBs and DMOs with IFWTWA.
- Join us for a virtual wine-tasting or cooking demonstration.
- Professional development topics to improve your photography, video, and writing skills.
Reason #5: Network with Colleagues Daily
Our association’s social media features daily shares on FaceBook, Instagram, and X.
Join our private FaceBook group to gain access to what is happening with IFWTWA, get to know our members, or share information or your latest accomplishment. Many Members tell us this group is worth the entire cost of membership!
I joined IFWTWA several years ago and have been very pleased to have had my pitches for articles or participation in round-up articles accepted on a number of occasions to appear in our Food Wine Travel Magazine (FWT), which provides me with professional clips and a number of articles regarding Hungary, my specialty. As a result, I am able to share them online with my followers on Facebook, Instagram and Tumblr known as ‘Getting Hungary,’ as well as my personal friends and family members. IFWTWA enables me to also get credit for my published articles at my job as a course director, teaching writing for journalism, and public relations students at Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida. It’s a win/win.”
— Dr. Diane Dobry
Wine & Communications Consultant
Getting Hungary ~ Diane Dobry
Reason #6: Grow Your Brand on Social Media
Our members are all over the internet. It’s easy to join in. We have daily share posts on weekdays.
“I have been participating in the IFWTWA Social media sharing daily threads for over 7 months. It has given me a daily focus for my social shares. During this time, I have not only seen a significant increase in my followers, but I have been exposed to so many more quality social accounts.”
— Lori Sweet
Freelance Writer & Photographer
Voyage Writers @voyagewriters on all Social
Reason #7: Get On-the-Air with Big Blend Radio
We’ve teamed up with Big Blend Radio & TV Magazine to give you the extra exposure you need for yourself and the destinations you write about. Since 1997, Big Blend Magazines has produced, published, and distributed engaging content on multimedia platforms, successfully educating and entertaining an audience. Their digital content marketing and branding system introduces and connects their partners with audiences with similar interests.
Live and recorded radio segments and podcasts set you apart as an industry expert beyond your present print, blog, or online placements. As a member in good standing, you can apply to be part of a panel or do a solo article promotion.
“IFWTWA has a fantastic network of professional food, wine and travel writers who keep our Big Blend Radio and Magazine audiences up-to-date on where to travel and how to have an authentic once-in-a-lifetime experience. They are informative and fun, and always inspiring!”
— Lisa D. Smith and Nancy J. Reid
Radio Show Hosts
Big Blend Radio and Big Blend Magazines
Reason #8: Press Card
As a media member, you will receive a press card that provides free or discounted entry into various places.
Reason #9: Volunteer Your Way to Industry Visibility
We’re a volunteer-run organization. Everything in the organization is done by volunteers who contribute their time and talent, making our Association a resource-rich organization in the travel and hospitality industry. There are many ways to help; by doing so, you’ll become known in the Association.
We need volunteers to:
- Imagine, shape and run regional events
- Help out at conferences
- Research and collect information
- Help with editing.
- Mentor new writers.
- Guest host a professional development webinar.
- Organize press trips.
- Bring a new or unique skill set or perspective to further Association goals.
- Grow our membership base.
We Don’t Just Talk: We Do
We don’t talk about helping you live the food, wine, and travel writer’s life; we open the doors to help you experience it.
When you join us, you join a unique group of industry specialists who collaborate to elevate professional development, networking, and content creation.
Membership Requirements
IFWTWA is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit. Membership is open to professionals in three areas. Those currently publishing, photographing or broadcasting in the food, wine, or travel industry, tourism industry related professionals and businesses, and aspiring students currently enrolled in an writing classes.
Yes, you have every reason to join and no reason not to do so if you want to be a success. Membership in IFWTWA means you contribute your time, talents, and ideas to help us make our Association a best-in-class experience.
Regular Membership is just $180 per year with a first-year application fee of $50.
Are you up to the challenge?
IFWTWA Mission Statement
To provide guidance to the restaurant, hotel, and travel industries and the bestowing of awards on meritorious organizations and individuals through means of evaluation, articles, education and visitation. Further, to provide scholarships for students in hospitality and travel programs and to provide funds to educational organizations furthering the development and progress of the food, wine, travel and hotel industry.
“When I signed up for the IFWTWA conference held on Whidbey Island, Washington in May 2018, I was a brand-new member of the International Food Wine & Travel Writers Assn. I was thrilled to also be part of a pre-conference press trip to San Juan Island.
The conference on Whidbey Island was filled with great networking, educational sessions, a tourism marketplace and excursions throughout the island. It was my first time to visit Washington State and I came back to my home state of Indiana with a new appreciation for the Pacific Northwest. I returned having made new connections and friendships, which have developed over the past year. I have become more involved in the organization, helping out with the Food Wine Travel magazine as an Assistant Editor and coordinating story opportunities for the monthly Press Pass newsletter. I also enjoy participating in social media sharing days, including Travel Tuesday, Wine Wednesday, Instagram Thursday, and Foodie Friday via the IFWTWA Members group on Facebook,
The upcoming IFWTWA conference sounds great. I’ll be able to explore another part of the U.S. that I haven’t yet visited, as well as take part in the workshops that have been planned to help us hone our skills as writers and photographers.“
— Debbra Dunning Brouillette
Caribbean Travel Specialist & PADI Certified Diver
Tropical Travel Girl