As you know, The National Board and the Media Membership Criteria Committee have been working on a new media membership/requalification policy since our last AGM that better reflects the changing travel media landscape. The creation of this new policy has been done for both new and existing TMAC members.

Late last year, a comprehensive survey was sent out to you asking for your input on the formulation
of this new policy. More than 50% of TMAC members completed the survey providing the Media Membership Criteria Committee with the data required to develop a new policy that captures what TMAC’s membership wants while continuing to support TMAC’s guiding mission statement of excellence in travel journalism.

Over the past two weeks, we have had numerous TMAC members test the online portal to evaluate ease of use, functionality, terminology, and navigation. Recommendations were made by TMAC members, followed by further changes to ensure the new membership and requalification criteria strategically positions TMAC favourably for the future.

Given the significance of this policy change, the National Board has decided to put the new membership/ requalification policy to a vote. You will be asked to vote Yes or No on the adoption of the new policy. Re-qualification will commence immediately after the votes are counted and announced. Please vote on or before 12:00 p.m. (EST) on Friday, February 22, 2019.

Before doing so, I would encourage you to review the new media membership criteria in its entirety here:

1. Two letters of reference from TMAC members must be provided – for new members only.

2. You must have been active in the industry for the previous two years.

3. You must supply a minimum of five submissions. For books and guidebooks, you will need to supply one submission.

4. You may supply samples of work (words only; images only; both words and images; audio; or video) in any or all of the following Types that meet the minimum criteria: Magazine; Newspaper; Website; Book; Guidebook; Radio; TV; Blog; Vlog; and Podcast.

5. You will receive a maximum of 10 points for each submission. For books and guidebooks, you will receive a maximum of 50 points for each submission.

6. Sponsored content must be identified and will be allocated 25% of the total points. Sponsored content will be treated the same as advertorial and is defined as content that was created as part of a contract where payment was received directly from a brand. Please note that receiving payment from a publisher or editor is not sponsored content. Any content created beyond what was outlined in the contract does not count as sponsored work and will be allocated full points.

7. Prospective members who only work within public social platforms (i.e., Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) do not qualify.

8. All submissions must meet the minimum criteria. All submissions will be scored on up to three different criteria. This criteria changes (in some or all cases) by submission Type.

Media Membership Criteria Points Table

You may also wish to review the Media Membership Criteria FAQs here:

Media Membership Criteria FAQs

While there may some criteria you do not agree with, or feel is not applicable to your circumstance, it is the bigger picture and future implications of adopting the new policy for TMAC we are asking you to focus on.

On behalf of the National Board, I thank you in advance for taking the time to familiarize yourself with the new membership/re-qualification criteria and casting your vote on the implementation of this new policy.

Please use the link in the e-mail sent yesterday. If you no longer have that link, a reminder will be sent out tomorrow,