IFWTWA Launches Fund Drive for Annual Journalism Excellence Awards

Oct. 23, 2010 - PRLog -- Donating a weekend travel package at your resort, hotel or vacation home is a great way to support IFWTWA's efforts to recognize outstanding talent in the craft of travel, food and wine writing. How? A donation not only funds IFWTWA's annual Excellence Awards program, but also is a great way to promote  properties, services or products and gain media exposure in the process.

According to Maralyn Hill, President of IFWTWA, “Our goal for the annual Excellence Awards program for journalists is to assist food, wine and travel writers in improving their skills and marketability. In addition to honing their writing and marketing skills, we also stress the importance of writers taking responsibility for media coverage for their hosts and sponsors, whether that be in print or on-line, whenever appropriate.”

IFWTWA is acquiring extraordinary donations to auction on E-Bay and to use in a drawing to raise funds for its annual Excellence Awards program. Every dollar raised will be used to pay for the program and its promotion.

Here are a few suggested donations, but donors are encouraged to come up with creative donation ideas of their own:
A two or three night stay for two with dinner
An airfare-hotel package for three or more nights
An adventure tour package with airfare and lodging
A cruise
Dinner for two or more
A case of wine
Culinary products
Spa products  
Digital cameras
Travel products

“Donating whatever showcases your products or services or an experience at your property would be the perfect drawing or auction item,” says Allen Cox, IFWTWA board member and chair of the Excellence Awards program. “Most packages or items are appropriate for this auction. Every donation helps a great deal.”

What do donors get besides the satisfaction of assisting winning journalists on their career paths? In return for a donation, IFWTWA will promote the donation and donating company with press releases throughout various media outlets, on the IFWTWA website, with members and on social networking sites. The donor's public relations firm may provide the press release of the donation package being offered or IFWTWA could write it. Auction items will also be promoted on E-Bay. Donor brand and products, services or properties are prominently promoted in all materials: press releases, social media communications, blog entries, etc. Donors also get their logo displayed on IFWTWA's website as sponsors.

Company's wishing to take advantage of this opportunity by donating a travel package, products or services to this fund-raising drive, or wishing to discuss donation ideas, should notify the contact on this press release no later than December 31, 2010.

“Every donation is very much appreciated,” says Cox. “We couldn't assist these journalists without the generosity of our donors. We make this a win for our award recipients and a win for our donors.”

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About IFWTWA: The International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) is a global network of journalists who cover the hospitality and lifestyle fields, and the people who promote them. In 1956 a group of prominent Frenchmen started rating restaurants. This small group, along with an American, conceptualized an international version of their organization. It became the International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association when formally created as a non-profit organization in California in 1981.