The winners of the 10th anniversary Travel Media Awards, in association with Visit Qatar, were revealed at the Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane. The glittering event – attended by the UK’s leading travel media, industry operators and suppliers – saw 27 journalists, publications, broadcasters and photographers earn the coveted awards.
New categories included Accessible Travel Writer of the Year, won by Sassy Wyatt of Blind Girl Adventures, and two Specialist Travel Writer awards, won by Ed Grenby and Harriet Mallinson. The new Emerging Writer of the Year award went to Queenie Shaikh.
Actor and travel broadcaster Sir Michael Palin CBE earned the Special Contribution Award, which recognises a significant figure in travel and honours an illustrious career spanning more than 40 years of travelogues and books.
“It’s a pleasure to celebrate our 10th anniversary Travel Media Awards alongside so many talented industry professionals,” said Anthony Leyens, chairman and co-founder of APL Media. “As with previous years, the quality of entries, finalists and winners has been exemplary.”
Giles Harper, owner of Travega and co-founder of the awards, said: “Thank you to everyone who participated and ensured the night went spectacularly. And thanks also to our headline sponsor Visit Qatar, our consumer media partner easyJet holidays, our venue partner Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane, and all our category sponsors.”
The evening also featured the continuation of the Travel Media Awards Step Up internship scheme, aimed at improving inclusivity and diversity in the industry. Returning partners include APL Media, TTG Media, FINN Partners and Intrepid Travel, joined by easyjet Holidays, Kuoni, The Sun, Ink Global and Virgin Holidays coming on board.
THE WINNERS IN FULL
BROADCAST PROGRAMME OF THE YEAR *JOINT WINNERS*
From Our Own Correspondent, BBC Radio 4, Mark Stratton
Simon Parker’s Global Adventures
BLOGGER/VLOGGER OF THE YEAR
Kash Bhattacharya, BudgetTraveller, budgettraveller.org
ACCESSIBLE TRAVEL WRITER OF THE YEAR
Sassy Wyatt, Blind Girl Adventures
BREAKING TRAVEL NEWS OF THE YEAR
Julia Buckley, Freelance
REGIONAL PUBLICATION FEATURE OF THE YEAR *JOINT WINNERS*
Domhnall O’Donoghue for ‘Discovering the art of peace with The Hague’s collection’ in the Belfast Telegraph
Siobhan Grogan for ‘I spotted the last wild orangutans in Borneo – you can too’ in City AM
GUIDE OF THE YEAR
Bradt Guides: Paddling France, Anna Richards
SUSTAINABILITY TRAVEL FEATURE OF THE YEAR *JOINT WINNERS*
Doug Loynes for ‘Cruise control’ in BBC Wildlife
Jessica Reid for ‘Looking to the future’ in Wanderlust
SUSTAINABILITY TRAVEL WRITER OF THE YEAR
Imogen Lepere, freelance
CUSTOMER CONTENT OF THE YEAR
Companion
EMERGING WRITER OF THE YEAR
Queenie Shaikh, Freelance
PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD
Andrew Reiner
SPECIALIST TRAVEL WRITER OF THE YEAR – REGION
Ed Grenby, US
SPECIALIST TRAVEL WRITER OF THE YEAR – SECTOR
Harriet Mallinson, Cruise
TRADE PUBLICATION OF THE YEAR – PRINT
TTG
TRADE PUBLICATION OF THE YEAR – ONLINE
The Business Travel Magazine
TRADE WRITER OF THE YEAR
Mike MacEacheran, freelance
CONSUMER PUBLICATION OF THE YEAR – PRINT
JRNY Travel Magazine
CONSUMER PUBLICATION OF THE YEAR – ONLINE
Adventure.com
NATIONAL CONSUMER FEATURE OF THE YEAR
Nigel Tisdall for ‘Welcome to the Channel Island that ran away’ in The Sunday Telegraph
CONSUMER MAGAZINE SECTION OF THE YEAR
Country & Town House
CONSUMER WRITER OF THE YEAR
Jamie Fullerton, freelance
NATIONAL BROADSHEET PRINT & DIGITAL SECTION OF THE YEAR
Telegraph Travel
NATIONAL TABLOID PRINT & DIGITAL SECTION OF THE YEAR
The Sun
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTION AWARD
Sir Michael Palin CBE