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About the Guild

Founded in 1960, the British Guild of Travel Writers is an association of over 270 writers, editors, photographers, producers, radio and television presenters involved in the world of travel.

Most are freelance but the BGTW includes travel editors of national and regional newspapers, magazines, radio and TV programmes. They cover specialities from transport to camping, horse-riding to archaeology, cycling, walking, cruising, food, business travel, antiques, music, skiing or 'just holidays'. From the Antarctic to Zimbabwe, Guild members have been there.

Members contribute regularly to twelve national dailies and eight national Sundays. In the regional press, members contribute to over 30 provincial newspapers and three Sundays. In women's media, members supply travel features to 39 publications; in the activity and travel press to 56 magazines; to 83 general interest publications; to 37 business and trade journals; to 42 inflight and ferry magazines. Many members write travel books and guidebooks. Radio and TV are represented, as is the Internet.

Events

The Guild holds monthly meetings addressing travel topics such as environmental tourism, guidebook writing, travel writing and sustainable tourism, humour in travel writing, and travel and technology, along with working sessions on subjects from copyright to digital photography. Guests include travel PRs, tour operators, tourist board officials and representatives of other travel industries.

Meetings are mostly held in London, but there are also overnight and longer trips away: recent destinations have included North Wales, Cyprus, Aube-en-Champagne, Portsmouth, the Isle of Wight and Boston. The 2007 AGM is to be held in the Scottish Highlands.

Affiliations

The Guild was a founder member of ETP (the European Travel Press), made up of several national travel writers' associations. It has a close relationship and regular meetings with such groups as the Australian Society of Travel Writers (ASTW) and ETWA (the Egyptian Travel Writers' Association) and is also keen to open dialogues with other similar organizations across the globe.