For the first time in Australia, the International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association Australasia (IFWTWA) launches an awards initiative to celebrate the best food, wine and travel writers in the region.

IFWTWA Australasia is the only association in Australia addressing the professional interests of writers in all three sectors - food, wine and travel (leisure and business) - including bloggers, photographers and PRs.

The IFWTWA inaugural awards will be a celebration of the best in the business, and includes sections for writing, blogging and photojournalism.

IFWTWA Australasia Chair Kevin Moloney says the decision to launch the awards program was an important step in ensuring those in the industry are rewarded for their invaluable contribution. 

"Many businesses in the culinary travel sector are reliant on this exposure for their livelihood and we're keen to celebrate the talents of our writers and reward the valuable contribution they make to the hospitality and tourism industries." 

He says financial members (past or present) from January 2011 will be able to enter articles published between February 2011 and December 2012.

As well as a cash prize, the winners will be granted the title of 'IFWTWA writer, blogger or photojournalist of the year 2012' in their section.

Judged by respected independent editors, the winners will be announced in February at the IFWTWA Australasia conference, and again in May at the IFWTWA global annual conference in Hawaii.

Entry forms and more details will be available in Q4 at: http://www.ifwtwa.org/australasia/index.html

About IFWTWA

Launched in Australia in 2011, the International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association (Australasia) sits under the global Association of the same name, which was established in the 1950s, and has a growing global membership base in North and South America, Europe and the UK.

IFWTWA Australasia has members in Australia, New Zealand and Asia and has a strong commitment to the growth of the online media community, including independent bloggers.

Its focus is on offering skills development, strong story angles and story leads as well as a student program to ensure it supports the next generation of food, wine, travel and business events writers.

In May 2013 the global association, and IFWTWA Australasia, will hold a joint annual conference in Hawaii.

For more information including membership: http://www.ifwtwa.org/australasia/index.html

Follow our blog here: http://foodwinetraveltips.wordpress.com

Awards criteria

• Entry articles must not have been submitted to other awards programs
• IFWTWA reserves the right not to make an award if the entries do not meet the standards required
• Entries are open to IFWTWA financial members between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2012.
• Entries must have been published between February 2011 and December 2012
• Bloggers are welcome to join the Association and enter the awards program if they blog regularly on food, wine or travel and post consistently (a minimum of twice a month).
• Judges' decisions will be final. 

For more information:

Kirstie Bedford

KDJM communications

E: kirstie@kdjmcommunications.com.au

T: 0437 455 001