Society of American Travel Writers Chapter Convenes in Regional Meeting to Discover Atlanta's Best and Brightest

ATLANTA,, June 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Joined by some of the most-prominent names in the city's media, 70 members of North America's pre-eminent travel journalism organization are gathering in Atlanta June 3 -5. The Atlantic Caribbean Chapter of the Society of American Travel Writers will hold its annual meeting at the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel and various tourism venues.

Delegates draw from the ACC's region from Pennsylvania through Florida, and the District of Columbia, and include writers, photographers, videographers, online journalists and travel-industry public relations specialists.  Across days of workshops and touring, the ACC's agenda will include sessions aimed at learning how to make the most of social media.

Among Atlanta-area media pros who will be presenting both expertise and solutions are Atlanta author/columnist Hollis Gillespie, creator of "The Most Popular Blogging Workshop Ever," and local Twitter expert Jenny Schmitt, with Cloud Spark.

During a media panel at the High Museum, Annette Thompson, associate travel editor of Southern Living Magazine, will join Atlantans Rich Eldridge, contributing editor of Atlanta Magazine; Renee Werbin, publisher/columnist of TravelGirl magazine; Allison Entreken, writer with Flavors and other magazines, and Mitch Leff, Atlanta media guru. The panel will address the blurring changes in the media landscape under the topic, "What now – now what?''  The delegates also will hear from author/innovator Peter Shankman, recognized for his radical ways of thinking about social media and creativity..

The travel journalists will explore Atlanta for stories and images at some of the top tourism and cultural attractions, as well as a dine-around at some of the city's leading restaurants. ACVB is providing City Passes, and the delegates will have MARTA passes to assist in transportation.

Competition to host the SATW-ACC meeting began more than a year ago with ACC members choosing between Orlando and Atlanta for the destination meeting site. Daniel Senden, Director of Sales & Marketing for the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel, spearheaded a successful effort to serve as Atlanta's primary host.

Senden said, "On behalf of the Sheraton Atlanta I was not going to forfeit this incredible opportunity for the right to expose our dynamic Atlanta tourism and business travel market to a leading organization of travel journalists and destination-based PR pros."

Bob Jenkins, chairman of the ACC and former travel editor of the St. Petersburg Times, said, "I know Atlanta is the vibrant heart of the South, and Daniel and his staff are showing  us the hospitality we'd expect  if we were visiting with family."

"I'm also pleased at the generosity offered to us by the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, High Museum of Art and the Georgia Aquarium, where we will hold our important Media Marketplace. All of these venues are providing the level of professional-meeting expertise that guarantees a successful event.  Our members are looking forward to sampling Atlanta's best and reporting on it.''

SOURCE Society of American Travel Writers