Interest Groups

ISTM Interest Groups are self-organized groups of 25 or more members with a common professional interest usually pertaining to a single sub-group of travellers or a single issue affecting large groups of travellers.

Interest groups are "bottom-up" entities that are created, driven and sustained by a critical mass of members. Interest groups must register with the Executive Board defined mechanisms for appointment and rotation of leadership and must have a Charter & Objectives document. Interest Groups in existence for 2 or more years may request funding for initiatives during the annual budgeting cycle. Criteria to support funding and sustainability of the Interest Group would include numbers of members affiliating with the group at the time of annual membership renewal, frequency and content of leadership teleconferences, development of substantive material for the ISTM website, and participation in group meetings at CISTM.

Interest Group members will have their affiliation with the Interest Group displayed as part of their membership listing in the ISTM online member directory that is available to all ISTM members for searching other members. Interest Group leadership has the ability to e-mail newsletters and items of common interest to all those affiliated with the interest group.


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How Do I Start an Interest Group?

An individual or groups of individuals wishing to propose a new interest group should submit written material describing the scope, objectives, and sample initiatives for the Interest Group by September 1 of each year to the ISTM Secretariat Office. A template is available for those wishing to use it.

The material will be placed on the ISTM website and included in the printed mailing sent each October with the membership renewal form for the following calendar year. A Checkbox section on both the printed and online membership renewal form will allow ISTM members to self-affiliate with as many existing and proposed Interest Groups as they wish. All Interest Groups that are selected by 25 or more members will be officially recognized by ISTM as Interest Groups for the following calendar year. New ISTM members will be offered affiliation in Interest Groups at the time they join.

ISTM Operational Guidelines for Interest Groups can be found here.