Thanks for your comment- glad that the piece resonates with you and your experience.

In my own opinion, I don’t think it’s appropriate to approach local tourism boards to ask for their sponsorship with respect to airfare. Not necessarily because it’s an ethical issue, but because it really just doesn’t make sense for them to invest their limited resources in individual writers. This is especially true of developing countries.

Rather, I think that if you’re going to absorb the cost of your airfare that you should be sure to submit your receipts as deductible work-related expenses on your taxes. And possibly extend the trip if you’re going to make the investment in airfare, in which case, I think it *would* be appropriate to approach the tourism board about contacts that could offer a media rate for lodging.

thanks so much,
Melody Wren

Glad to see you’re from the U- I’d love to see your blog (I’m Matador’s managing editor and one of the developers of the curriculum).
You may be surprised to learn that you don’t necessarily have to have a big readership to be offered a press trip. Check out this interview that Pam Mandel did with Kara Rosner of DiamondPR: http://www.nerdseyeview.com/blog/2010/01/18/pr-chat-kara-rosner-diamond-pr/

Also, as far as being squeezed for positive reviews, I’ve never personally had anyone pressure me to write a positive review. They want coverage, obviously, but there’s never been any strong arming to write a favorable piece as a result of a press trip. You may want to check out my writing/editing blog, http://www.cuadernoinedito.wordpress.com for some more thoughts on that topic.

Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

Peace,
Julie

I, too, have just read this as part of the MatadorU course. I was wondering about being squeezed for positive reviews, so this was a really great post to read.

All I need now is a big enough readership to warrant being offered a press trip!

I’m really glad the piece helped you, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you ever have any questions. Also, I’ll be speaking about travel writing and ethics at the TBEX conference this year, so if you have any specific topics, you’d like addressed, please let me know!

I’m reading this piece for MatadorU and am so grateful that it was assigned reading! Lately I’ve been contemplating these issues a lot and feeling a little like I might accidentally become advertisement, and it has scared me away from building my travel writing career. This information really helped clarify how to go about travel writing with integrity. Thank you.