Gala dinner ceremony at The Londoner on 2 February 2022 | TravMedia Awards set new bar for the finest journalistic, influencer and PR achievements in travel.

TravMedia UK today announced the launch of the TravMedia Awards 2021, culminating in a gala Awards dinner at the brand-new 5-star hotel The Londoner, Leicester Square on 2 February 2022.

The Awards (www.travmediaawards.com) honour the finest journalistic, influencer and PR achievements in travel, and set a new bar for recognising each sector's finest output.

Highlights include Travel Writer of the Year, Influencer of the Year and PR Professional of the Year.

Freelance and staff journalists have new opportunities for glory with the introduction of Specialist Travel Writer of the Year, Sustainability Writer of the Year, and Exclusive of the Year awards.

PR categories now feature Digital PR Campaign of the Year, while the four categories for influencers remain unchanged.

On the Awards night, a celebrity host will drive the show and sponsors' ballroom tables will host category finalists. The evening's big reveals will segue within a three-course dinner, following a champagne networking reception. The Awards will climax with a lavish after-party in one of The Londoner's most exclusive lounges.  Entry to the Awards event will be limited to finalists, sponsors, and limited ticket holders.

The first year's winners, announced at a gala ceremony at the QEII Centre, London, in March last year, attracting a packed audience of over 300 people. The broadcaster John Humphrys presided over the event.

Greg Dickinson of the Telegraph scooped the ultimate accolade of Travel Writer of the Year. James Stewart landed Freelance Writer of the Year, while Amie Keeley - then of Travel Weekly - secured Trade Staff Writer of the Year.

Top vlogger Joe Allam became the first-ever Influencer of the Year, while Kate McWilliams of LOTUS secured the title of PR Professional of the Year, with LOTUS also winning PR Agency of the Year.

Lyn Hughes, Editor-in-chief and founder of Wanderlust secured an Outstanding Contribution award.

Said Henry Hemming, Managing Director of TravMedia: “The overwhelming success of the first year's TravMedia Awards convinced us to take the event to a new level with a gala dinner.

“We've got new Awards categories, even more networking for journalists, PRs, influencers and industry figures, and the fun of an after-party. We chose The Londoner, Leicester Square's exciting new 5-star venue, as it sets the perfect tone for the Awards.”

“After one of the most challenging periods ever in the travel industry's history, we hope we can look forward to a great celebration, and a great reunion of friends.”

The Awards are organised by TravMedia, the leading social network connecting the global travel industry with media and influencers.

The Awards are independent, not linked to any grouping or association, and are open to all journalists, influencers and PR professionals. The Awards are adjudicated by an expert panel of judges from across the travel industry, including senior trade executives, media figures and commentators, and communications heads.

Ends

The TravMedia Awards 2020 – Winners

THE SPECIAL AWARDS

TRAVEL WRITER OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Travelbag)

WINNER: Greg Dickinson - Digital Content Producer, The Telegraph         

OUSTANDING CONTRIBUTION AWARD (sponsored by Travelbag)

Lyn Hughes, Editor-in-chief and founder of Wanderlust

THE MEDIA AWARDS

TRADE STAFF WRITER OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Destination Canada)

WINNER: Amie Keeley - Head of News, Travel Weekly           

CONSUMER STAFF WRITER OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Visit Wales)

WINNER: Greg Dickinson - Digital Content Producer, The Telegraph         

FREELANCE WRITER OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Visit Wales)

WINNER: James Stewart

CONSUMER MAGAZINE TRAVEL SECTION OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Tourism Australia)

WINNER: Olive

TRAVEL MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR (sponsored by CLIA)

WINNER: Wanderlust 

NATIONAL NEWSPAPER TRAVEL SECTION OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Gran Canaria Tourist Board)

WINNER: The Guardian 

MEDIA RISING STAR OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Malta Tourism Authority)

WINNER: Tom Allan - Freelance Writer

TRADE PUBLICATION OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Destination Canada)

WINNER: TTG

BROADCAST PROGRAMME OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Tailor Made Rail)

WINNER: Ultimate Japan (Tern TV Productions for BBC World News Channel)

THE INFLUENCER AWARDS

INFLUENCER RISING STAR OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Saint Lucia Tourism Authority)

WINNER: Teresa Gomez - Brogan Abroad 

VLOGGER OF THE YEAR

WINNER: Joe Allam (@JoeAllam) 

BLOGGER OF THE YEAR  

WINNER: Mark and Mim Forstmanis - The Common Wanderer          

INFLUENCER OF THE YEAR

WINNER: Joe Allam (@JoeAllam) 

THE PR AWARDS

PR PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

WINNER: Kate McWilliams - Deputy Managing Director, Lotus

PR AGENCY OF THE YEAR

WINNER: LOTUS

IN-HOUSE PR TEAM OF THE YEAR

WINNER: ABTA 

PR STUNT OF THE YEAR

WINNER: British Airways - 100 Acts of Kindness         

PR CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR

WINNER: Fred Olsen Cruise Lines - The Royal British Legion's 'D-Day 75 Voyage of Remembrance'

SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR (PR)

WINNER: SLC Representation on behalf of Tourism Western Australia - Freckles the Manta Ray

PR RISING STAR OF THE YEAR

WINNER: Alissa Kirkwood - Public Relations Executive, Kuoni

Ends

For information on TravMedia Awards 2021:

Louise Napier

Regional Director, TravMedia

T: +44 (0)20 3440 8915

E: louise.napier@travmedia.com

EDITORS' NOTES

The TravMedia Awards are owned and operated by TravMedia UK, the company operating TravMedia.com in the UK and Ireland.  TravMedia is a global social network connecting the travel industry with the media and connects PR professionals from over 3000 tourism and travel brands with over 25,000 journalists and influencers worldwide.

The technology used by TravMedia has become an essential tool for journalists and PR professionals in their day-to-day activities, as they connect and share information in their working lives.

TravMedia was originally created by a travel journalist seeking a better way to research and report travel news and is dedicated to creating thriving online communities of travel journalists and travel PR professionals.

The site operates in 11 countries: Australia, Germany, Dubai, United States, Canada, United Kingdom, India, Brazil, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Africa, and has amassed over 50,000 journalist and PR members.

In the UK, TravMedia and Food4Media are part of the family of websites that also includes Homes4Media.com and Property4Media.com, sites that are owned and operated separately by News4Media Ltd.

TravMedia operates the worldwide event IMM (International Media Marketplace), a market-leading exhibition-style event connecting the travel industry with journalists and influencers.

The first-ever IMM was held in London in March 2013 and has since expanded to all corners of the earth, with annual events now taking place in countries including the USA, Australia, Germany and France. IMM in the UK became a two-day event in 2020 for the first time, featuring two days of meetings, professional development sessions and breakout networking events. The next IMM in the UK will take place in London during March 2022.