You may want to check this out. I have personally attended TMS three times. Each was more than worthwhile. They are well run and in addition to discovering a site you might now travel, you meet with tourism representatives who are anxious to learn about how you can work together. Be sure to memtion to are a member of IFWTWA. Hopefully, Michelle and I will see you there.  ~Maralyn D. Hill

J. Vero & Associates is pleased to announce that Travel Media Showcase 2012 will be held August 21-24, 2012 in Sioux Falls, SD.

Complete information is available on our web site at http://www.travelmediashowcase.com

Once again Travel Media Showcase will bring together leading travel media to meet with representatives from major national and international destinations in a highly organized, business-like format, involving pre-scheduled one-on-one appointments. The Sioux Falls Convention & Visitors Bureau is going all-out to showcase the area and have put together an exciting list of regional fam tours.

All media must pre-qualify to apply for TMS 2012. You can do so on our website (http://www.travelmediashowcase.com/journalists/pre-qualification.php). The pre-qualification process will confirm that all necessary criteria for applying have been met. If so, you will be forwarded a Member ID and Password to fill out your official application for this year’s event.

If you should have any questions please contact Kim Ernst at 800-211-5161

The busy summer travel season is a great time for IFWTWA members to recognize deserving hosts who stand above the rest with an IFWTWA Excellence Award nomination. Seven categories of awards include: hospitality, culinary, beverage (wine/brew/spirits and more), spa, cruise, tourism services and destination marketing. You’ll find criteria for each category at http://ifwtwa.com/awards/excellence-awards. Filling out and submitting a nomination is easy and only takes about 10 minutes. IFWTWA Excellence Award recipients highly value these awards as well as the press and social media promotion that result. Do your part as a food, wine and travel industry insider by helping outstanding providers receive the recognition they deserve. There’s no better way to say “thank you!”

Chef Brian Puett receives IFWTWA Culinary Excellence Award from John Lamkin – photo ©Paul Ross

Executive Chef Brian Puett of the Far View Lodge’s Metate Room Restaurant in Mesa Verde, Colorado is awarded an Award of Excellence in the Culinary Arts by the International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).

Friday, April 27, 2012, in an intimate ceremony in the Metate Room, Executive Chef Puett was rewarded the IFWTWA’s prestigious Culinary Excellence Award. Present were “Chef’s” wife Amanda, Cris Page and Thelma Dena of ARAMARK, and journalists/photographers Judith Fein, John Lamkin, Paul Ross and Susanna Starr.

Read more here.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 Apr 20, 2012 -
The International Food, Wine & Travel  Writers Association’s (IFWTWA) prestigious Excellence Awards are  awarded quarterly and recognize the best of the best in beverages, cruise, culinary, and hospitality around the world.  The award nominations are recommended by IFWTWA members, carefully evaluated by IFWTWA’s Excellence Awards Committee, and finally approved by IFWTWA’s Board of Directors.

Executive Chef Brian Puett of the Metate Room Restaurant in Mesa Verde, Colorado was awarded a Culinary Excellence Award in the second quarter of 2012 in part for his  mission to preserve the area’s culinary tradition while adding his own contemporary spin. Puett’s goal is not only to meet the increased expectations of Mesa Verde national park visitors, but to go easy on the environment and do as much business as possible with the locals.

According to the IFWTWA member journalist who nominated Chef Puett, Chef’s preparation uses innovative and cutting edge techniques; the combination of ingredients is well balanced in terms of flavor profile and texture.  The presentation is creative, appetizing and aesthetically pleasing.  Chef Puett was commended on his exemplary use of sustainable sources (i.e. locally sourced, organic ingredients).

Brian Puett graduated from the Denver School of Culinary Arts and decided to stay in the local outdoors/small town area instead of heading for NY or LA. Puett describes his cuisine as contemporary Southwestern, with a philosophical bent toward traditional and sustainable local ingredients. “Colorado is a natu­ral land of bounty,” Puett points out. “The Ancestral Puebloans began cultivating the Mesa Verde region 1,400 years ago, growing corn, beans, and other Southwestern staples and taking advantage of the native animal population.” At his restaurant, he features these ingredients in creative forms, like the locally grown beans he uses for his black bean hummus, which is served in lieu of rolls and butter as a complimentary appetizer, presented with a selection of traditional Native American flatbreads made in-house with locally produced and milled flour.

For addtional information visit: http://www.visitmesaverde.com/dining/metate-room.aspx

About: The International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) is a dynamic nonprofit organization based out of Southern California. What started out as a small group of prominent restaurant writers  in 1956 is now a global network of journalists, bloggers and photographers who cover the hospitality and lifestyle fields, and the people who promote them. Members cover a broad spectrum of travel destination attractions such as active and passive adventure activities, ecology, historical features, culture, fairs, festivals, food, wine, and special events. The association’s membership includes professionals in culinary arts and sciences, the wine growing and production industry, and hotel and hospitality management industries.

For more information on the IFWTWA visit: http://www.IFWTWA.org

Issued By		:	Kissam Consulting for IFWTWA
City/Town		:	Temecula
State/Province		:	California
Country		:	United States
Industry		:	Food, Tourism, Travel