Experience

So you need some fresh ideas for travel content. Why should you contact me, of all people? Consider my client list and experience, for starters. I'm a full-time freelance copywriter, project manager and editor, working with a variety of travel industry clients. I’ve got more than 15 years of experience as a writer, editor and manager, including two stints with American Express Custom Publishing Solutions and nearly nine years at Northstar Travel Media, the nation’s largest travel trade publisher.
I currently serve as a contributing editor at Travel Weekly, the national newspaper of the travel industry, as well as contributing editor at Passport Magazine, the national gay travel magazine and contributing writer at Business Traveler, the nation's most popular magazine and Website for international business travelers. I also maintain a growing library of stock photography for editorial and commercial use.
I also have the ability to talk your ear off about trends in the travel industry. I’ve moderated and participated in panels at a number of travel and journalism conferences and workshops, including the New York Times Travel Show, TravelAge Magazine, The Learning Annex, Passport Magazine, the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Assocation and the International Conference on Lesbian and Gay Tourism. I’ve also been quoted and interviewed in a variety of media, including Air Transport World, PBS’s “In The Life,” Detroit Free Press, San Francisco Chronicle and other daily newspapers nationwide.
My experience with niche markets includes years of covering Latin America and working with clients in the region (I can conduct meetings and correspond with clients in Spanish). I’m also the author of The Gay Vacation Guide: The Best Trips and How to Plan Them (Kensington Books), which is already in its second edition. And I’ve co-authored an educational Lifestyle Specialist Course on the gay and lesbian market for The Travel Institute.
A partial list of my industry clients, editorial outlets and public speaking experience is on the next page. Interested in seeing samples and references? Just let me know.

1. Maintain a separate press section. Don’t make journalists jump through hoops when they want to give you free publicity. Put a press section on your site, even if it’s just one page. That’s the place for news updates, press releases, factoids, story angles and interesting tidbits that could spark a story. Date everything, and keep it in chronological order. Include a library of low-resolution stock images depicting your product, destination or service, and be ready to respond promptly to requests for higher-resolution versions for publication (you can place a watermark on each low-res image with your copyright to protect against misuse, but the high resolution images must be watermark-free).

2. Make the press section easy to find. Your site should have a clearly visible place to click that says “Press Relations,” “Media Center” or something like that. If you have a completely separate Website (with a different address) that serves as your online newsroom, include easy-to-find links throughout your main Website.

3. Don’t force reporters through forms. Journalists shouldn’t have to register for access to the press section. After all, the information inside is public, so why make it hard to use? You can, however, offer them an automated form where they can register to receive updates — but don’t make it mandatory. And above all, always include a press contact name (a real-live person), a phone number, an e-mail and mailing address. A “submit” form is not sufficient, as reporters may need to speak by phone, or send an e-mail from their own address.