Click HERE to access new media membership points table.
This is the updated version following comprehensive review by the Membership Committee and approved by the Board in October 2022.
1) Two letters of reference are required.
- One from a current TMAC industry member with whom you have worked with directly.
- The second may be from a) a travel media professional who is a TMAC member or another media-accredited association, or a member of the travel industry.
2) Must have been active in the industry for at least two years.
1) You must supply a minimum of FIVE (5) submissions.
For books, guidebooks, films/documentaries you will need to supply one (1) submission.
2) A minimum of 50 points must be achieved by an individual media member to qualify. Noting, in the case of the new Co-Creator membership category, the minimum points achieved is 100 points.
3) Work submissions for application and re-qualification must have been published up to the previous 24 months.
i.e. Re-Qualifying in the Fall of 2023, work eligible for submission includes January 1, 2022 - November 30, 2023 (the deadline for submission).
4) Depending on your profession and work being submitted, you may submit samples of work that include words only; images only; words & images; audio; or video, in any or all of the following types that meet minimum criteria: Magazine, Newspaper, Website, Book, Guidebook, Radio, TV/Web series/Blog, Vlog, Podcast, Film/Documentary and Social Media Content.
5) Your total points per submission comes from the tallying of each of the points categories, but max out at 10. ie. Circulation + Word Count + Photos. If you are a photographer, per submission you would tally circulation/UMVs + photos. Note that you receive a maximum of 10 points for each submission (even if your tally exceeds a total of 10). For books and guidebooks, your maximum is 50 points for each submission. Films/documentaries receive a max of 20 points each.
6) Applicants who only work within public social platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, TikTok) do not qualify for membership.
7) Sponsored content, must be identified and will be allocated 25% of the total points. Sponsored content is the same as advertorial, and is defined as content created as part of a contract where payment received is directly from a brand.
NOTE: Content created outside the contract is not considered sponsored and will be awarded full points. Receiving payment from a publisher or editor is not sponsored content.
8) All submissions MUST meet the minimum criteria. Unless otherwise indicated, all submissions will be scored on up to three different criteria. Any that do not will be disqualified.
9) Volunteer Points are part of our National Volunteer Recognition Program. Acknowledging the valuable contribution of media members to TMAC, you are able to augment your points score with these points, however, they are not intended to displace submission of eligible work for consideration. The maximum applied is 10 Points.
Once you apply or re-qualify, your accreditation is valid for three years.