Hello everyone, I’m writing the introduction this month for Helen Hernandez because we want to inspire you to celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Day this month. I’ve had the pleasure of teaching a kindness class to university students for the…
The North American Travel Journalists Association is proud to announce the Rob Jerome Travel Journalism Scholarship. Through Rob’s generosity, we are offering one-year complimentary media membership for 10 undergraduate or postgraduate students interested in exploring travel journalism as a career path.…
Dear NATJA Members & Friends, Winter is still in high gear as we face weather issues all across North America. In some areas, it has been unseasonable and unusual. For us here in California, we are thankful for the rain…
Explore Fairbanks and NATJA are excited to share the pre and post-conference press trip options available to media attending the 2023 NATJA Conference & Marketplace in Fairbanks, Alaska! The lineup of trips will allow journalists to explore the wild beauty of interior…
Happy Holidays! November was a whirlwind as travels took me to Turkey, Greece and Paris for the entire month. It was a trip planned pre-pandemic and well worth the wait. Thank you to our Advisory Board Co-Chairs, Francesca Donlan and…
Hello from your advisory board co-chair, filling in for Helen as we cross from Thanksgiving into the holiday shopping season. And hopefully, travel planning season for 2023! This has been a great year of roaring back for many of our…
Happy Fall! I am writing the NATJA Notes introduction this month while Helen Hernandez and Ben Root enjoy a much-deserved trip abroad. It’s almost Thanksgiving and many use this time to reflect on gratitude. I recently spoke to a new NATJA…
Happy Fall! For the last several weeks, I have been enjoying true fall days: crisp mornings and nature’s vibrant changing of colors. My travels have taken me from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway to Washington,…
Greetings! October is one of my favorite times of the year. Pumpkin season is in full swing, the leaves are changing, and the “ leafers” are out enjoying the colors of Autumn. It’s hard to believe that in just 2…
Happy Fall! As I write this note. Our thoughts and prayers are with our South Carolina and Florida members who are experiencing torrential rainfall, ocean swells, and devastation from Hurricane Ian. This appears to be a once in 100 years…
Happy September! We are on the cusp of welcoming fall and we eagerly await its crisp embrace. Hot chocolate and pumpkin pie are on the horizon. As it goes this time of year, we are in the beginning stages of…
Greetings! As summer winds down and kids get ready to go back to school, we are preparing for the last holiday of the summer. Labor Day is the beginning of the transition from summer to fall. Everyone is squeezing in…
Greetings! We hope you are all enjoying the last full month of summer. Perhaps you are among the millions of people who are taking advantage of this time to travel and explore the world or taking it easy, connecting with…
Happy Summer! We are now well into the summer season and indicators are that travel has surpassed pre-Covid levels in many parts of the world. For our members, it means more travel content and promotion for destinations. There are countless media…
“June is bustin’ out all over!! You can feel it in your heart. You can see it on the ground.“ Oscar Hammerstein II wrote these lyrics many years ago and that’s what I see as the summer travel season begins.…
Today marks the 1st day of June and the unofficial beginning of summer. Normally, this time of the year graduates are donning their caps and gowns, children are getting out of school, parents are planning family vacations, and generally, life…
Greetings! We are back from an exciting conference in Puerto Rico. NATJA would like to thank the Discover Puerto Rico team led by Brad Dean and Leah Chandler for providing an entertaining and educational experience. They pulled out all the…
Dear NATJA Family, As spring sets in, this is the time of year for renewal and celebration, and more than ever, looking forward to spending time with our families without the dark cloud of the pandemic looming above. In 2…
Happy Spring! The snow is melting and flowers are blooming with an anticipation of warm days ahead. This is the time to make travel plans to spend time with loved ones, celebrate graduations, or simply enjoy some respite from the…
Dear NATJA Family, As I write this message, we are only days away from welcoming the Spring season. The ground awakens from a winter’s nap with beautiful flowers, carpets of grass, critters running up and down trees, and the excitement of…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 28, 2022 PASADENA, CALIF. – The North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) announced the winners of the 30th Annual NATJA Travel Media Awards Competition. Awards were made to publications, travel journalists and photographers, and destination marketing organizations. Winning entries from…
Dear NATJA Family, On Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil predicted 6 more weeks of winter, so we are hunkering down, hoping for more rain and snow in California, and dreaming of beachside cocktails in Puerto Rico this May. The final preparations…
Happy February! We begin the month by celebrating Black History in the U.S. and internationally, the Lunar New Year and welcoming the Year of the Tiger. One of travel’s great powers is its capacity to create awareness of the diversity…
Dear NATJA Family & Friends: Happy 2022! We hope that you enjoyed beautiful and safe holidays. As we begin this new year, our public health challenges from the last couple of years continue to affect our daily lives. With these obstacles come…
Dear NATJA Family: As 2021 comes to an end, I can’t help but feel grateful for all of you. This year has been challenging but we have all stayed connected and supportive of one another. Thank you to our Advisory Board as…
Adventure brand provides Deserving Student, Becca Paine with an Opportunity of a Lifetime AUGUSTA, Ga. (Dec. 9, 2021) – Aggressor Adventures® and the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) announced the selected candidate for the Travel Journalism Internship Program. Becca…
Dear NATJA Family: The holidays are here! For the first time in 2 years, there is an electric buzz in the air that has less to do with shiny Christmas lights, and more to do with the prospect of spending…
Dear Friends: This year we launched our first membership drive. Through the efforts of our members, we have increased our NATJA family by nearly 15%. Thank you to all who participated! The awards competition has ended and despite the disruption…
Adventure brand partners with the North American Travel Journalists Association to Provide a Deserving Student with an Opportunity of a Lifetime AUGUSTA, Ga. (Nov. 4, 2021) – Aggressor Adventures® announces today a travel journalism internshipprogram through a collaboration with the…
Greetings! Wherever you are in the world, we hope that you are enjoying the change in season. There is a crispness in the air that is so wonderfully refreshing after the hot summer months. The change of pace is quite…
Great News! You now have more time to submit to the 30th Annual NATJA Awards Competition! Submit your travel or destination marketing content for the chance to be recognized for your work! Entries must be submitted online by Monday, November…
You’re invited to sponsor a qualified travel journalist and get 50% off on your NATJA membership renewal! Sponsor 2 new members and get a full year of complimentary dues! New members that join by November 15th receive one complimentary entry…
Happy Fall! We hope our Canadian members had a wonderful Thanksgiving, surrounded by family and friends! This is a time of year that so many cherish, and after last year’s isolation, to be able to share it with our loved…
Happy Fall! At NATJA, we enjoy seeing the seasons change, and absolutely love the change in colors from summer to fall. Our own California weather is limited in its change, so we revel in our members’ stories and photography with…
Greetings! As we prepare for the most beautiful time of the year, we encourage you to read the newest edition of TravelWorld International magazine for some fall travel inspiration! This issue, “The Beauty of Fall”, highlights some of the most gorgeous places to…
We begin to say goodbye to the dog days of summer and welcome the beauty of autumn and its magnificent display of colors. This is a time for the return to school and to prepare for the annual festivities related…
Calling all travel content creators! It’s time to submit your work to the 30th Annual NATJA Awards Competition! Articles, photographs, videos, podcasts, books, and more that you have published between October 1, 2020, and September 30, 2021, are eligible for…
Are you ready? Registration for the 2022 NATJA Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico is now open! Media members can take advantage of the special conference rate of $699 USD that includes 3-nights hotel accommodations at the Sheraton Puerto Rico,…
TravelWorld International (TWI) Magazine is now accepting submissions for the 2021 Fall and Winter issues. A NATJA member benefit, TWI magazine contributors must be current NATJA members in order to be published. Below are the upcoming deadlines for TWI. Fall…
Happy Summer! We are at the beginning of a more promising summer as people hit the road or take to the skies to embark on much-anticipated travel adventures. After sixteen months of staying put, it is no wonder that we…
Happy Summer! While we are only a few days away from the “official” date, we wanted to extend greetings for what seems to be a full re-opening for the United States. It is our hope that our Canadian members will…
Greetings! This is the week when NATJA will hold its first virtual conference. Thanks to all who have registered for what is scheduled to be an informative, educational, and fun event. Our conference committee members, Suzie Dundas, Helen Hatzis, Betsi Hill, Barbara Marrett and Gustavo Rivas-Solis, who met on a…
Dear NATJA Family: All I can say is, “We are back!” After this past week’s announcement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relaxing the use of masks, we are confident that tourism will once again see a boom! Travel…
Dear NATJA Family and Friends: The last several weeks have been thought-provoking given the results of the Derek Chauvin trial and the increase in assaults against Asian-Americans. One does not need to be political when it comes to seeking fairness,…
Dear Friends, As destinations open up and travel resumes, we wanted to provide an opportunity for our community to come together. While countries are in the process of having its residents vaccinated, this process probably will not be completed until later in the year. Our NATJA team felt it…
Happy Spring! Spring this year marks a new beginning with a whole new meaning! Vaccinations in the United States are ramping up and we are hopeful that our friends in Canada will see a similar boost in vaccines soon. We are all eager to shed away the vestiges…
Wishing all a four-leaf clover filled with good luck! As spring takes hold and we begin to see signs of nature’s rebirth, we can’t help but be hopeful for our future. As more destinations across the United States see an…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 3, 2021 PASADENA, CALIF. – The North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) announced the winners of the 29th Annual NATJA Travel Media Awards Competition. Awards were made to publications, travel journalists and photographers, and destination marketing…
Greetings! As we slowly begin to open up nationally and our citizens are being vaccinated, there does seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and…
By Bob Nesoff NATJA Founding President Sometimes it takes a kick in the “You know what” to get things off the dime and moving. That’s how NATJA came into being. For a number of years many legit travel writers complained…
Happy 30th Anniversary! This month marks the beginning of our yearlong celebration of NATJA’s inception. You will all be receiving a new membership pin with your renewal commemorating this milestone. Dan Schlossberg, a NATJA founder and president emeritus, will begin…
As Ted Baxter told his television colleagues on the Mary Tyler Moore Show, it all started at a little radio station in Fresno. For NATJA, it all started at a little Meadowlands hotel in Lyndhurst, New Jersey.
We are saddened to share that founding NATJA media member and NATJA’s first Treasurer, Sandy Nesoff, passed away on January 24. She is survived by her husband and fellow NATJA member, Bob.
Join NATJA for a Town Hall on “What Does it Mean to Advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility?” which will be held on Tuesday, January 19th at 11am PST/2pm EST. Open to travel media and destination marketing organizations. Speakers Dr.…
As the year comes to an end, we reflect on the challenges that have affected so many, and how we, as an organization, have attempted to address them.
Our NATJA members from across the globe shared with us how they will be spending the season in our “Home for the Holidays” issue of TravelWorld International Magazine.
The Holidays are upon us and while for many of us they are a time of joy and celebration, this year we are challenged by redefining what is “normal.”
As this year draws to a close, we look back and are thankful for so much.
For our members who are United States citizens, both at home and abroad, we have a critical day approaching.
The leaves are changing colors and we are slowly entering the time for hot chocolate and pumpkin pie.
Happy Fall! It’s time for the 29th Annual NATJA Awards Competition! This year we have consolidated many of the categories due to the decline of printing and expansion of online publications. Our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Committee recommended…
Stories of how journalists and destinations have survived during Covid-19 Featuring stories and photography from NATJA members. Read all the stories now at travelworldmagazine.com. Thank you to our NATJA members who contributed and shared their stories during these times. Linda Ballou…
It’s hard to believe that it is the middle of September. This year has certainly had its challenges. I think that I speak for everyone when I say 2020 can’t leave fast enough!
Here we are six months into the COVID-19 pandemic. As the seasons continue to change, so have we to meet the challenges of this new era.
It’s hard to believe that summer is almost over and we are all gearing up for fall. As COVID-19 continues to take its toll, we are all getting accustomed to the “new normal” which has impacted our businesses, social lives,…
We are saddened to share that longtime NATJA media member Joel Zatz passed away on July 14. His wife and fellow NATJA member, Arline, shared with us the lovely quote below from Joel, as well as his obituary. Our thoughts…
It doesn’t seem possible that we are now entering the month of August. Where has summer gone?
With the social pressures that have recently brought into sharp focus the importance of diversity in each organization’s workforce composition, internal processes and outward bound messages, NATJA’s Advisory Board thought it appropriate to take its own temperature.
First of all, thank you to all who participated in our June NATJA membership virtual meeting. We had participation from over 30% of our membership.
So much has changed in the last few months and we have yet to know what the effects will be long term.
Where do I begin? Just as many of our destinations were beginning to emerge from some of the darkest weeks we have experienced in our lifetimes, we have been catapulted into another type of darkness, one rooted in centuries of…
As states start to open up for business once again, we begin to better assess what our new normal will look like and the effects of it on travel and tourism.
The NATJA team is struggling a bit with Covid-19 and the shutdown, like all of you, but we are surviving and preparing to emerge and thrive.
Life, for the foreseeable future, has changed dramatically.
So much has happened in the last two weeks that has affected each of us.
Dear NATJA Family & Friends: Based on the impact of the Covid-19 virus and the recommendations of governmental authorities, including Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vázquez’ curfew and meeting lockdown requirements, Discover Puerto Rico and NATJA’s executive leadership have together decided…
PASADENA, CALIF. – The North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) announced the winners of the 28th Annual NATJA Travel Media Awards Competition.
Dear NATJA Family, It is with deep sorrow that we share with you the tragic loss of longtime NATJA member and Keith Bellows Award recipient David Noyes. David was a familiar face at our conferences; we know many of you had…
Get your stories, photos, videos and podcasts ready! The 28th Annual NATJA Awards Competition is now accepting entries until October 31st. Details for the competition, including categories and guidelines, are now up on the NATJA website. This awards competition recognizes the best of the best from…
PASADENA, CALIF. – The North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) is pleased to announce that journalist Jayme Moye has been selected to receive the Keith Bellows Award for Excellence in Travel Journalism, named in honor of the long time Editor-in-Chief of National Geographic Traveler. The award…
The North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) will celebrate the winners of the 2018 Awards Competition on Friday, February 15th at a dinner at the City Club Los Angeles, located on the 51st floor of the City National Bank building with sweeping…
The North American Travel Journalists Association is pleased to announce that David Noyes will receive the Keith Bellows Award for Excellence in Travel Journalism for his outstanding work as a journalist and photographer and his commitment to changing the world through the organization he founded, Innocent Eyes Project. The Keith Bellows Award was established to honor his work as the…
Last month, the NATJA Advisory Board held its first annual retreat where they discussed potential new member benefits and exciting professional development sessions for our annual conference. Hosted by NATJA members Marc Kassouf and Nathan DePetris, proprietors of Strawberry Creek Inn and Quiet Creek Inn, the naturally tranquil setting of the retreat created a serene…
With the Holiday Season in full swing, we would like to wish you Happy Holidays and thank you for continuing to be part of the NATJA Family. Thank you to our members who shared with us their holiday greetings, along with what they’re grateful for this year. If you would like to share a greeting…
