Preview: VisitMalta Announced as Headline Sponsor of the TravMedia Awards

12 Apr 2023

VisitMalta Announced as Headline Sponsor of the TravMedia Awards

Winners revealed on 18 April | TravMedia Awards sets high bar for the finest journalistic, influencer and PR achievements in travel.

VisitMalta was today announced as the Headline Sponsor of the TravMedia Awards 2023, ahead of the winners being revealed at a gala dinner at The Londoner, Leicester Square on Tuesday 18 April 2023, in a ceremony hosted by comedian and writer Dom Joly.

Tolene van der Merwe, the organisation's Director UK & Ireland, will address the event's audience with a short presentation on this top tourism getaway.

With over 300 days of sunshine a year, Malta has long been a top favourite of British travellers. But the destination is more than a Mediterranean paradise, leading the way across top 2023 travel trends such as LGBTQ+ travel, budget travel, movie tourism and winter sun.

In addition to Headline Sponsorship, VisitMalta additionally sponsors the Trade Publication of the Year Award at the prestigious event.

The Awards (www.travmediaawards.com) honour the finest journalistic, influencer and PR achievements in travel, and set a new bar for recognising each sub-sector's top professionals and most memorable output. Highlights include Travel Writer of the Year, Influencer of the Year and PR Professional of the Year.

Among the most hotly contested Awards are Freelance Writer of the Year and Specialist Writer of the Year, with each category eliciting over 80 entries and many new journalists achieving finalist status (full list of finalists below).

The 'blue-ribband' category of National Newspaper Travel Section of the Year sees a shortlist of Daily Mail; The i; The Financial Times; The Independent; The Sunday Times, and The Telegraph.

The powerful Consumer Staff Writer category has produced finalists of Amanda Hyde (The Telegraph); Cathy Adams (The Times), Chris Leadbeater (The Telegraph); Mark Palmer (Daily Mail); Tom Robbins (Financial Times) and Uwern Jong (OutThere Magazine).

Said Tolene van der Merwe, VisitMalta's Director UK & Ireland: “Malta is at the forefront of new holiday trends and ideas. As such, we're delighted to support the TravMedia Awards which supports pioneering output from the finest journalists and media titles in our industry, while also acknowledging the vital work of influencers and PR professionals.”

Henry Hemming, Managing Director of TravMedia commented: “Huge thanks to Tolene and VisitMalta from us. We're delighted Malta will be front of mind on 18 April as we reveal the winners!”

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 34 judges (listed below) from across the travel industry, including senior media figures, communications heads and commentators, and top industry executives.

The other TravMedia Awards 2023 sponsors are Expedia Group (Exclusive of the Year); Explore France (Event Photobooth); Gran Canaria Tourism (Travel Magazine of the Year); Heaven Publicity (Blogger of the Year); Hong Kong Tourism Board (Welcome Drinks Reception); Hyatt Hotels Corporation (Consumer Staff Writer of the Year); Kuoni (Outstanding Contribution Award); Meet Boston (Specialist Travel Writer of the Year); Princess Cruises (Consumer Magazine Travel Section of the Year); Spanish Tourist Office (Trade Staff Writer of the Year); Switzerland Tourism (Freelance Writer of the Year); Tourism Australia (Sustainability Writer of the Year); Tourism Western Australia (National Newspaper Supplement of the Year); Travel Texas (Broadcast Programme of the Year), True Traveller Insurance (Media Rising Star of the Year); Villa Resorts (Event Prize Sponsor); Visit San Antonio (Travel Writer of the Year) and World Nomads Insurance (Influencer Rising Star of the Year).

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CONTACTS:

For more information on Malta:

Amy Skelding, Kylie Bawden, Rachel Santa Cruz, Tallulah Gardiner

E: malta@finnpartners.com.

https://www.visitmalta.com/en/

For more information on the TravMedia Awards 2023:

Louise Napier

Regional Director, TravMedia

T: +44 (0)20 3440 8915

E: louise.napier@travmedia.com

EDITORS NOTES:

MALTA

Malta is an archipelago in the central Mediterranean, comprising three main islands - Malta, Comino and Gozo. Malta is known for its history, culture and temples dating back over 7,000 years and is home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In addition to its fortresses, megalithic temples and burial chambers, Malta is blessed with nearly 3,000 hours of sunshine every year. English is the second national languages on the islands, and Malta is part of the EU; Valetta is the smallest capital in Europe. The archipelago is famous for its diving, which attracts aficionados from around the world, whilst the nightlife and music festival scene attract a younger demographic of travellers. Malta will host Euro Pride in 2023 and is consistently ranked as one of the top countries by the IGLA for LGBTQ+ travellers. There are daily departures to Malta from airports across the country, with an average flight time of three hours.

With more than 300 days of sunshine a year, one of the highest in Europe, it's no surprise Malta is popular amongst British travellers, but Malta is more than a Mediterranean paradise. The destination leads the way across top 2023 travel trends such as LGBTQ+ travel, budget travel, movie tourism and winter sun.

LGBTQ+ Travel

Almost two thirds (63%) of Brits believe it's important to choose a holiday destination based on its acceptance of diversity, such as with the LGBTQ+ community, with the vast majority of those surveyed (80%) saying that tourist boards should do more to promote inclusivity and diversity within their destination.

For the seventh year in a row, Malta continues to occupy the number one spot on the Rainbow Europe Index with a score of 92%. The annual Rainbow Map and Index ranks 49 European countries on their respective legal and policy practices for LGBTQ+ people. It's no surprise then why the Maltese capital of Valletta has been chosen to host EuroPride 2023. From 7 – 17 September 2023, Valletta will be home to one of the largest LGBTQ+ events on the continent.

With half of Brits (50%) either have taken or interested in taking part in an LGBTQ+ event (such as Pride), there's no better time than 2023 to discover Malta.

Budget Travel

An overwhelming majority of Brits (98%) are concerned by the rising living costs and amongst the main things we will be cutting back on are holidays (42%) despite 91% of us saying they help improve mental health and wellbeing.

Malta tops the list for best winter holiday bargains ahead of Spain and Portugal, according to travel agent loveholidays. Peaceful and comparatively less busy than other Mediterranean destinations, Malta's great deals make it a perfect destination for those feeling the pressure of the cost of living crisis but not willing to miss out on all the mental health and wellbeing benefits a holiday has to offer.

TV & Film Tourism

More than 40% of travellers have visited a destination due to its appearance in film or TV. A fifth of those surveyed said film and TV made them think more about a destination.

Jurassic World (47%) topped the list of movie locations Brits would like to visit, followed by Lord of the Rings (38%), Star Wars (32%) and Gladiator (23%).

Jurassic World was filmed in Malta, home to the Malta Film Studios, one of the largest production facilities in the world having serviced over 200 feature films, TV shows, documentaries and commercials. Other iconic films and TV shows that have been filmed on the Maltese islands include Game of Thrones, Troy and Gladiator.

Winter Sun

Almost 40% of British travellers are looking to take a holiday this winter with affordability (67%), guaranteed sun (41%) and length of flight (23%) the most important factors for Brits when booking their trip.

People are most looking forward to having a break with family (43%), enjoying the sunshine (39%) and just generally visiting a different country (38%). This winter, many look forward to soaking up some winter rays (49%), sampling local cuisines (45%) and spending quality time with friends and family (42%) while they're away.

Malta is one of the sunniest European destinations with a good climate all year round, making it an ideal location for a winter getaway. An island steeped in history, Malta is extremely accessible, making it an ideal short-haul destination.

-ENDS-

The TravMedia Awards – Finalists

THE MEDIA CATEGORIES

MEDIA RISING STAR OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by HEAVEN PUBLICITY

Andrew Sim and Emily Gough, Along Dusty Roads
Chloe Gunning, Wanderlust Chloe
Cory and Greg Varga, You Could Travel
Jessie Moore, Pocket Wanderings
Paul Healy and Mark Barnes, Anywhere We Roam

VLOGGER OF THE YEAR

Alex Hunter, Attaché
Alex Outhwaite, Alex Outhwaite
Brogan Tate, Brogantatexo
David and Alicia Reilly, Life of Reilly
Macca Sherifi, An Adventurous World
Malini Sampat and Sonny Jostins, Malini Angelica

INFLUENCER OF THE YEAR

Abigail King, Inside the Travel Lab
Jessica Last and Charlie Wild, The Travel Project
Macca Sherifi, An Adventurous World
Nicola Easterby, Polkadot Passport
Sian Lewis, The Girl Outdoors

THE PR CATEGORIES

PR RISING STAR OF THE YEAR

Bethany Dimond, FINN Partners
Callum McGoldrick, The PC Agency
Chloe Hernandez, Rooster PR
Peter Gregory, Rooster PR
Stefaniia Konovalova, FINN Partners

DIGITAL PR CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR

FINN Partners | VisitMalta UK - Pretty as a Picture
G Adventures - Roamies Launch Campaign
Lemongrass Marketing | Motel One - The Most Walkable Cities in Europe
LOTUS | Spanish Tourist Office - #SlowTravelSpain
VisitEngland - Accessible North York Moors

PR CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR

Agatha Christie and Black Tomato - Agatha Christie x Black Tomato
AM+A | Kaunas2022 - European Capital of Culture
Shephard Communications | Buckingham Palace/DCMS - The Queen's Platinum Jubilee
Skyscanner - Spontaneity
South Australian Tourism Commission - £10 Flights to Adelaide - Working Holiday Maker Visa Campaign

IN-HOUSE PR TEAM OF THE YEAR

ABTA
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Tourism
TUI UK & Ireland
Universal Destinations & Experiences
VisitEngland
VisitScotland

PR AGENCY OF THE YEAR

FINN Partners
Four Communications
Frog & Wolf PR
Hume Whitehead
J/PR
LOTUS

PR PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

Amy Skelding - Senior Partner, FINN Partners
Julia Perowne - Founder & CEO, Perowne International
Paul Charles - CEO & Founder, The PC Agency
Rachel O'Reilly - Director of Communications, Kuoni
Rosie Barcroft - Senior Account Director, Heaven Publicity
Rosie Shephard - Founder & CEO, Shephard Communications

THE TRAVMEDIA AWARDS JUDGES

Amanda Hills | President, MMGY Hills Balfour
Andrew McConnell | Head of Media, UK Civil Aviation Authority
Andy Harmer | Managing Director, CLIA UK & Ireland
Barry Neild | Global Editor, CNN Travel
Caitlin Johnson | Acting Head of PR, Social and Influencer Marketing at VisitBritain
Debbie Flynn | Managing Partner, Global Travel Practice Leader, FINN Partners
Esther Bell | Owner, HELLOMrsBell PR & Communications
Florian Valmy-Devillers | Business Development Director of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation Chapter UK & Europe
Graeme Buck | Director of Communications, ABTA – The Travel Association
James Treacy | Senior PR & Communications Manager, Abercrombie & Kent
Jane Dunford | Travel Editor, The Guardian
Jim Odoire | Founding Director, Black Diamond
Jules Ugo | CEO, LOTUS
Kate Nicholls OBE | CEO of UKHospitality
Kat Thomas | Founder and Global Executive Creative Director of One Green Bean
Lisa Minot | Head of Travel, The Sun
Liz Edwards | Head of Communications, TUI
Marine Teste | Head of Public Relations, Atout France
Mark Palmer | Travel Editor, Daily Mail
Myriam Ziesack | Head of Media and Communications, Switzerland Tourism
Natalie Allard | Director of Global Media Relations, Expedia Group Brands
Nat Frogley | Co-Founder, Frog & Wolf PR
Paul Charles | Founder and CEO, The PC Agency
Phil Bloomfield | Head of Corporate Communications & PR, dnata Travel Group UK
Pippa Jacks | Editorial Director, TTG Media
Qin Xie | Freelance Journalist
Rae White | Director, Rae White Communications
Serena Guen | Founder, SUITCASE Magazine
Sharon Ehrlich Bershadsky | Director, Israel Government Tourist Office
Sofia Panayiotaki | CEO & Founder, PRM Global Group
Stuart Fyfe | PR Manager (International UK/Northern Europe), Tourism Australia
Tolene Van Der Merwe | Director: UK & Ireland, Malta Tourism Authority
Tracey Poggio | UK Head Media and Marketing, Gibraltar Tourist Board and Chair, Association of National Tourist Offices and Representatives (ANTOR)
Uwern Jong | Experientialist®-in-Chief and co-Founder OutThere magazine

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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 across multiple global regions 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 features two days of meetings, professional development sessions and breakout networking events. The most recent IMM in the UK too place in London from 13-14 March 2023, with almost 150 top travel and tourism brands participating.

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MED LRG