The British Guild of Travel Writers (BGTW) celebrated its 50th anniversary in style on 1st July at a party attended by top figures from the travel industry at The Battery Restaurant, Canary Wharf, London.

Festivities began en route as 150 of the 250 guests travelled to the reception with glasses of Champagne in hand along the Thames aboard a riverboat courtesy of City Cruises.

Congratulatory speeches were made by guests of honour Richard E. Gooding, the Chief Executive of London City Airport, and Ken Kelling, the Director of Communications at Visit London.

Relating the origins of the BGTW, Chairman Melissa Shales said that it had been the brainchild of a group of journalists who had met in 1960 in Berkeley Square, London, at – appropriately enough – the board room of Thomas Cook: the company often credited with the invention of mass tourism.

Led by Lt Col Geoffrey Portham, proprietor of Go, one of the earliest travel magazines, they founded an organisation to represent professional travel writers, with novelist W Somerset Maugham as their first distinguished Honorary President.

“We are delighted that a few of those original members of the Guild are still members today, 50 years later. The seeds that they sowed have blossomed into a lively organisation with nearly 280 members – writers, broadcasters, editors, and photographers,” said Ms Shales.

Richard Portham, the son of the Guild's first Chairman, Lt Col Geoffrey Portham, was present to cut the birthday cake. Also present were founder member, Susan Lester, and the wife and son of another founding member, the late Reg Butler.

The BGTW’s founders were travel writing pioneers of the Swinging Sixties – that post-war boom time marked by an upsurge in air travel, an expansion in package holidays and greater general affluence, giving the nation an appetite to learn more about going abroad and a real need for objective and well-researched travel reporting.

Guests at the party enjoyed a surprise appearance by an icon of the Swinging Sixties – Elvis Presley – whose tribute reincarnation, Elvis Shmelvis, had guests young and old rocking and jiving.

Today, the Guild has close to 280 professional members including distinguished industry names such as the publisher and founder of the Bradt travel guide empire Hilary Bradt, veteran broadcasters Judith Chalmers (ITV’s Wish You Were Here) and John Carter (BBC TV’s Holiday programme) and BBC travel presenter Sankha Guha. Past members have included Egon Ronay, Maeve Binchy and Alastair Sawday.

Says current Chairman Melissa Shales: “There is virtually nowhere in the world that has not been covered by one of our members, virtually no publication – in print, on the airwaves or online, in the UK and, increasingly, abroad as well – in which our work is not represented on a regular basis.”

The BGTW is recognised as Britain’s leading body for those working in the fields of travel writing, photography, editing and broadcasting. “While today’s members are blogging, twittering and writing for the web as well as for more traditional print and broadcast outlets, they remain committed to retaining the standards and spirit of the original members,” said Ms Shales.

In 2010 membership of the BGTW is seen as a professional seal of quality in the world of travel media. Members benefit from networking opportunities and professional support and development.

Find out more about the BGTW’s 50th anniversary at www.bgtw.org

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Pic captions:

All pictures to be credited to Stuart Forster: www.whyeyephotography.com

• SF_BGTW_50th_035: Tribute to the swinging sixties in which the BGTW of 2010 has its roots
• SF_BGTW_50th_037: Richard Portman, the son of the BGTW's first Chairman, Lt Col Geoffrey Portham, proprietor of Go, one of the earliest travel magazines, cuts the birthday cake
• SF_BGTW_50th_039: In celebratory mood: Guild Chairman Melissa Shales (left) with Vice-chair Mary-Anne Evans (centre) and former Chairman John Bell