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TravelTools.net (now known as ReidsGuides.com) named among best travel sites on the Web by SATW and Lowell Thomas

• SATW
• Lowell Thomas announcement
• Lowell Thomas winners
• "Endangering Our National Parks"
• "On the Road with Reid: Round Ireland"
• TurkeyTravelPlanner.com

On September 7, 2004, the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) announced the winners of the 2003–2004 Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition.

To my great surprise, this little ol' Web site, TravelTools.NET (a.k.a. ReidsGuides.com), won the Silver award in the category Internet Publication/Web site. Here's what the judges had to say:

One of the best designed and easiest to use and view sites. Good, “personal” travel expert site with good links. Smart in that it specializes in European travel and does not try to encompass too much, nor is it too narrow. Great travel tools, which provide useful information with a perspective.

Aw, shucks.

Honorable Mention in the category went to the excellent TurkeyTravelPlanner.com, written and maintained by my friend and colleague Tom Brosnahan. This is encouraging proof that the little guy can still make his voice heard in the information wilderness of the Internet (the Gold went to LonelyPlanet.com, and the Bronze to Frommers.com—both of which are corporate sites that benefit from having staffs, budgets, and whole bookshelves full of guidebooks they can offer online for free).

So long as I'm tooting my own horn here, I am proud and humbled that SATW also honored me with two other Lowell Thomas awards, both for stories I wrote on MSNBC.com. I received Silver in the Internet Travel Article category for an editorial entitled “Endangering Our National Parks,” and Honorable Mention in the Special Packages/Projects category for a five-part series called “On the Road with Reid: Round Ireland." (Though neither story is still live on MSNBC.com, they were kind enough to give me permission to post them on this site; links below.)

Here's what the judges had to say about those:

On “Endangering Our National Parks”:

Mixing direct observation, traditional reporting and editorial license, Bramblett explains vividly how White House policymakers are causing havoc to national park environmental standards and fire safety. There are consequences for tourists and local economies.

On “On the Road with Reid: Round Ireland”:

Reid reads like he would be a delightful traveling companion, the fellow who would never be taken for a fool. He writes with an easy style and ample detail — enough to give readers confidence that they can follow in his footsteps and find B&B’s just as wonderful and eat just as well and maybe track down some kinfolk, too.

About Reid Bramblett

Reid Bramblett is the author of ten guidebooks, including Frommer's Northern Italy, Europe for Dummies, Eyewitness Top 10 Tuscany, and Frommer's Memorable Walks in New York, which he has updated these over more than two dozen collective editions. He has contributed to many other travel guides, including Honeymoons for Dummies and Frommer's Europe from $70 A Day.

Reid also spent a year penning ten stories per week as MSNBC.com's daily travel reporter, for which he won two Lowell Thomas awards, and has contributed articles to the Miami Herald, Dallas Morning News, TravelandLeisure.com, Modern Bride, Condè Nast's epicurious.net, and Newsweek. He is a Contributing Editor at Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel magazine, where he was formerly an Associate Editor, as well as at Concierge.com.

Reid founded, designs, writes, and maintains the award-winning ReidsGuides.com / TravelTools.net as well as ReidsItaly.com.