The Australian Society of Travel Writers

What The Australian Society of Travel Writers does

The Australian Society of Travel Writers (ASTW) is a not-for-profit professional association founded in 1975 and incorporated in 2011, serving as the peak body for travel media across Australia and New Zealand. Its membership of approximately 250 professionals includes freelance and staff travel writers, travel editors, radio and television broadcasters, digital publishers, guidebook authors, photographers, videographers, podcasters, and travel-focused public relations, social media, and marketing professionals. The organisation does not operate a proprietary technology platform beyond its website and standard association management software (Membes AMS); its core value is delivered through credentials, events, and a code of ethics rather than software.

ASTW's core offerings center on the annual ASTW Awards for Excellence (running for over 25 years), the multi-day ASTW Annual Convention (typically 120-150 delegates), and an array of supporting programs including a Mentor Program, member-only webinars on sustainable tourism, a Style Guide, member discounts, and the Jack Butters Memorial Award. The society enforces a strict code of ethics, runs an Ethics Panel, and offers membership substantiation to credential its members. ASTW also operates a Sustainable Travel Initiative and signed the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism in 2022, committing to a 50% emissions reduction by 2030.

ASTW's business model is a hybrid of membership subscriptions, event revenue (low-priced lunches, afternoon teas, and conventions), and sponsorship packages sold to tourism boards, travel providers, and PR companies (award category sponsorships at AUD $2,750-$5,500+ GST, newsletter advertising, website banner ads, event sponsorships, and board meeting hosting). Revenue is event-driven and relationship-driven, with a salaried secretariat supporting a voluntary elected board. Distribution is direct through the ASTW website, email newsletter, in-person events across NSW, VIC, QLD, and WA, and active social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn).

Name

The Australian Society of Travel Writers

Legal name

Australian Society of Travel Writers

Website

https://www.astw.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Australian Society of Travel Writers is a not-for-profit professional association founded in 1975, serving as the peak body for approximately 250 Australian and New Zealand travel media professionals including writers, editors, broadcasters, photographers, and PR specialists through membership programs, an annual convention, and the long-running ASTW Awards for Excellence.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Travel & Outdoors Magazines (MPAJAEAH)

Keywords

• Professional association membership
• Travel media networking
• Travel journalism awards
• Industry convention events
• Mentorship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Crows Nest

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership subscriptions: Annual membership fees from travel writers, editors, broadcasters, digital publishers, PR professionals, and photographers/videographers.
2. Sponsorship revenue: Awards sponsorship ($2750-$5500+ GST), newsletter advertising ($500-$5000+ GST), event sponsorship, home page banner ads ($500/quarter or $2000/annum), Facebook group posts ($250+ GST), and package deals for social media posts.
3. Event revenue: Revenue from member events including lunches ($45 members/$60 non-members), afternoon teas ($30/$45), and Christmas lunches ($50/$65). ASTW collects payments and provides sponsors a rebate.
4. Board meeting hosting: Sponsors provide meeting venues and accommodation for ASTW board meetings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Australian Society of Travel Writers (ASTW) is the peak industry body representing travel media professionals across Australia and New Zealand, including travel writers, photographers, videographers, editors, bloggers, and PR specialists. The organization delivers a paid membership program, runs an annual convention, administers industry awards (the ASTW Awards for Excellence in Travel Writing and the Jack Butters Memorial Award), offers a formal mentor program for emerging travel writers, and secures sponsorships from tourism boards and travel brands.

Product overview

The Australian Society of Travel Writers (ASTW) operates as a membership-based professional association offering a core ecosystem of products and services for Australian and New Zealand travel media professionals. The primary offerings include the Awards for Excellence (annual awards program recognizing outstanding travel writing, photography, broadcasting, and digital content) and the ASTW Annual Convention (multi-day event with seminars, workshops, and networking). Supporting services include membership programs, the Jack Butters Memorial Award for outstanding contribution, a Mentor Program for professional development, webinars on sustainable tourism, member discounts, and sponsorship opportunities for tourism industry partners. The society also operates a comprehensive Sustainable Travel Initiative supporting responsible travel practices and climate action.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ASTW Membership Program A paid annual membership program granting travel media professionals access to the ASTW community, networking opportunities, professional development resources, a directory listing, and member-only events. Members include travel writers, photographers, editors, videographers, bloggers, and PR professionals across Australia and New Zealand.
• ASTW Annual Convention An annual in-person industry convention that brings together ASTW members and tourism industry sponsors for networking, professional development, keynote sessions, and destination familiarization. Held in different Australian and New Zealand locations each year.
• ASTW Awards for Excellence in Travel Writing An annual awards program recognizing outstanding work by Australian and New Zealand travel writers, photographers, and videographers across multiple categories. Open to ASTW members and, in some categories, non-members.
• Jack Butters Memorial Award A prestigious annual award honouring a member who has made a significant and sustained contribution to the ASTW and the travel writing profession in Australia and New Zealand.
• ASTW Mentor Program A structured mentorship initiative pairing established ASTW members with emerging travel writers to develop skills, share industry knowledge, and support career progression in travel media.
• ASTW Industry Sponsorship Program A sponsorship offering for tourism boards, destination marketing organizations, PR agencies, and travel brands to access the ASTW membership through annual convention sponsorship, state-based event partnerships, and direct engagement with travel media professionals.

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• One Planet NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2022ASTW became a supporting organisation signatory to the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, which is run by UNWTO in collaboration with the One Planet Network and Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency.
• United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2021ASTW signed the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, launched at UN's COP26 climate conference. The declaration invites travel organizations to commit to reducing emissions by 50% by 2030.
• Tourism Declares a Climate EmergencycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2021ASTW signed the Glasgow Declaration which operates within the framework of Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency initiative, inviting travel organizations to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030.
• World Animal ProtectionminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019ASTW works with World Animal Protection on sustainable convention guidelines. According to guidelines, ASTW does not support activities that use captive wild animals for entertainment.
• TravMediacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTravMedia has been a sponsor of the annual ASTW Awards for Excellence since 2004 and has sponsored many awards and ASTW projects and events. Founder Nick Wayland served on the ASTW committee and was instrumental in establishing the first ASTW website.
• Visit Sunshine CoastflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerVisit Sunshine Coast is collaborating with ASTW to present the ASTW Convention 2026 on the Sunshine Coast. This is a major destination partnership for the organization's 50th anniversary celebrations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Society of American Travel Writers: US-based trade association founded in 1956 serving travel writers, editors, photographers, and broadcasters. ASTW's most direct international equivalent, offering comparable membership benefits, awards programs (including Lowell Thomas Awards), and networking events for travel media professionals.
• British Guild of Travel Writers: UK-based professional association for travel writers and journalists offering networking events, awards, and industry representation. Directly comparable to ASTW as a national-level peak body serving travel media professionals in its home market with similar membership structure.
• TravMedia: Australia-based travel media industry platform distributing news to travel journalists and serving as ASTW's long-standing awards sponsor since 2004. Functions as a commercial intermediary in the same ecosystem ASTW serves, with overlapping membership and complementary value proposition.

Regional players

• Pacific Asia Travel Writers Association (PATWA): International travel writers association focused on Asia-Pacific travel media with members across multiple countries. Comparable to ASTW in serving travel writers across the broader Asia-Pacific region, though with broader geographic scope and affiliation with FIJET.

Broad incumbents

• MEAA (Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance): Australia's largest media, entertainment, and arts industry union representing journalists, performers, and creative professionals. Broader industry incumbent whose membership overlaps materially with ASTW's writer and editor segments, though MEAA serves a much wider constituency.
• Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA): Australia's peak industry body for public relations and communication professionals. Directly comparable to ASTW in serving PR professionals (a core ASTW member segment) with similar industry recognition, awards programs (Golden Target Awards), and continuing professional development frameworks.

Others

• International Federation of Journalists (IFJ): Global peak body representing over 600,000 journalists across 146 countries. Thematically related to ASTW as a journalism-industry representative organization, though IFJ operates at a much larger global scale with a broader journalism mandate beyond travel.
• Tourism & Transport Forum Australia: Australia's peak industry body for tourism, transport, and aviation sectors representing major operators and destinations. Adjacent peer serving the broader tourism ecosystem with an overlapping sponsor and stakeholder base that ASTW depends on for sponsorship revenue.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ASTWinc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Australian Society of Travel Writers