23 Apr 2024
Tags: Travel, tourism, awards, event, exhibition, TravMedia, TravMedia Event, The Londoner, London, networking, conference, media, travel journalists, travel writers, travel influencers, PR professionals
Winners announced at TravMedia Awards gala dinner at The Londoner, Leicester Square on 22 April | Awards set highest bar for the finest journalistic, influencer and PR achievements in travel.
The TravMedia Awards 2024 were announced tonight at a sold-out gala dinner at The Londoner, Leicester Square, with Madeleine Barber winning Travel Writer of the Year; James Stewart the new Freelance Writer of the Year, and media titles including The Daily Telegraph, National Geographic Traveller (UK), and Selling Travel also securing top Awards.
Hosted by celebrity Rylan, the packed event (www.travmediaawards.com) drew a crowd of over 300 media, influencers, PR professionals and industry executives.
This year's Awards attracted a record entry of 1015 registrations, up a staggering 36% year-on-year.
Madeleine Barber, Head of Partner Content at TTG Media secured the Trade Staff Writer of the Year Award during the evening, putting her in the running for Travel Writer of the Year at the evening's culmination. Also considered were journalists who had won select individual media categories.
According to the judging panel, Madeleine's destination writing in trade paper TTG “was strong enough to go into any consumer title”. She has “natural flair” and a “super bright future” they enthused.
Highly Commended in Travel Writer of the Year was Liz Edwards of the Times who had won the coveted Consumer Staff Writer of the Year award.
Telegraph Travel won the new National Broadsheet Newspaper Travel Section of the Year, while The Sun landed the spoils as National Tabloid Newspaper Travel Section of the Year. National Geographic Traveller won the intensely fought Travel Magazine of the Year for the second year running.
Adventure.com one the inaugural Travel Media Website of the Year, while Trade Publication of the Year went for the first time to Selling Travel. Consumer Magazine Travel Section was won for the first time by Woman & Home, its pages overseen by travel editor Alicia Miller.
National Geographic's Farida Zeynalova won the highly contested Specialist Travel Writer crown, while Phoebe Smith landed Sustainability Writer of the Year. Domestic Travel Writer of the Year went to Ed Grenby, while Sarah Barrell won Feature of the Year for a story in National Geographic Traveller.
Ben Clatworthy landed Exclusive of the Year for the second year on the trot, this time for his 'No passports needed under Border Force e-gate plan', story in The Times, a story which was subsequently run by multiple media titles.
Broadcast Programme of the Year was secured by Alex Outhwaite, for So You Think You Know (Sky), while Media Rising Star was won by freelancer Laura Sanders, formerly with the travel team at Which?
Diversity Champion of the Year, a new Award, went to Sassy Wyatt, Blind Girl Adventures, a vigorous campaigner for blind and disabled travellers. The Outstanding Contribution Award went to Luxy Huxley, Editor-in-Chief at Travel Weekly Group.
In the PR Awards, the PR Business Leader of the Year was won by FINN Partners' supremo Debbie Flynn, while PR Professional of the Year went to LOTUS' Kate McWilliams. LOTUS triumphed as PR Agency of the Year, while the team at VisitEngland landed In-House PR Team of the Year. The Campaign of the Year title went to FINN Partners for their work for Advantage Travel Centres, while the PR Rising Star Award went to Emme McKay of Intrepid Travel.
Influencer of the Year went to Amy Hulley, Amy en Voyage, with Alex Hunter of Attaché winning Vlogger of the Year for the second year in a row. Blogger of the Year was Kate McCulley, Adventurous Kate, while Bea Meitiner of Bea Adventurous was the new Influencer Rising Star of the Year.
Louise Napier, Managing Director of TravMedia UK commented: “This was a thrilling evening. Congratulations go to Madeleine Barber, and all the other media, influencer and PR winners. Well done to all finalists for making it to Awards night – this was a year with an astonishing record entry, so everyone deserves a resounding round of applause!”
The TravMedia Awards are independent, not linked to any grouping or association, and are open to all journalists, influencers, and PR professionals. The Awards are organised by TravMedia, the leading social network connecting the global travel industry with media and influencers, and honour the finest journalistic, influencer and PR achievements in travel, and set a new bar for recognising each sector's top professionals and most memorable output.
An expert panel of 35 judges (listed below) from across the travel industry adjudicated, including senior media figures, communications heads and commentators, and top industry executives. The level playing-field created by TravMedia also depends on rotating judges, Of this year's 35 judges, 20 were not involved in 2023 – a 57% turnover – and 15 of this year's judges have never previously adjudicated in any year.
The TravMedia Awards 2024 sponsors were:
ATOL - National Tabloid Newspaper Travel Section of the Year
Classic Cottages - Domestic Writer of the Year
Deep South USA - Travel Writer of the Year
Gran Canaria Tourist Board - Travel Magazine of the Year
Hong Kong Tourism Board - Welcome Drinks Reception Sponsor
Hyatt Hotels Corporation - Consumer Staff Writer of the Year
Kuoni - Outstanding Contribution
Princess Cruises - Travel Media Website of the Year
Protected Trust Services - Trade Staff Writer of the Year
Switzerland Tourism - Freelance Writer of the Year
The Travel Corporation - Sustainability Writer of the Year
Tourism Australia - National Broadsheet Newspaper Travel Section of the Year
Tourism Western Australia - Specialist Writer of the Year
Travel Texas - Photo Booth Sponsor
True Traveller - Media Rising Star
Visit Gibraltar - Diversity Champion of the Year
Visit Herefordshire – Broadcast Programme of the Year
Visit Pittsburgh - Influencer Rising Star of the Year
Visit Tampa Bay - Trade Publication of the Year
Ends
TRAVMEDIA AWARDS 2024: WINNERS, FINALISTS, JUDGES
THE MEDIA AWARDS (IN ORDER ANNOUNCED)
BROADCAST PROGRAMME OF THE YEAR
SPONSORED BY: Visit Herefordshire
WINNER: So You Think You Know – Alex Outhwaite (Sky)
FINALISTS:
Heart & Soul: Future Shaman, Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent, BBC (Podcast)
Simon Parker's Global Adventures, Simon Parker, Times Travel (TV)
The Travel Diaries, Holly Rubenstein (Podcast)
The Travel Show: Uzbekistan, Rajan Datar, BBC (TV)
Wander Woman: A Travel Podcast, Phoebe Smith (Podcast)
TRAVEL MEDIA WEBSITE OF THE YEAR
SPONSORED BY: Princess Cruises
WINNER: Adventure.com
FINALISTS:
Anywhere We Roam
CNN Travel
National Geographic Traveller
Rough Guides
The Sun
TRADE PUBLICATION OF THE YEAR
SPONSORED BY: Visit Tampa Bay
WINNER: Selling Travel
FINALISTS:
Cruise Adviser
Hertelier
Onboard Hospitality
The Business Travel Magazine
TTG Media
CONSUMER MAGAZINE TRAVEL SECTION OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Woman & Home
FINALISTS:
Breathe Magazine
British Muslim Magazine
Fabulous
Good Housekeeping
Radio Times
TRAVEL MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR
SPONSORED BY: Gran Canaria Tourism
WINNER: National Geographic Traveller (UK)
FINALISTS:
Charitable Traveller
JRNY
Much Better Adventures
OutThere Magazine
Wanderlust
NATIONAL TABLOID NEWSPAPER TRAVEL SECTION OF THE YEAR
SPONSORED BY: ATOL
WINNER: The Sun
FINALISTS:
City A.M.
Daily Mail
The Sun
NATIONAL BROADSHEET NEWSPAPER TRAVEL SECTION OF THE YEAR
SPONSORED BY: Tourism Australia
WINNER: The Daily Telegraph
FINALISTS:
The Financial Times
The Guardian
The i
The Independent
The Sunday Times
EXCLUSIVE OF THE YEAR
WINNER: No passports needed under Border Force e-gate plan', Ben Clatworthy, The Times
FINALISTS:
I found paradise, drew a map, and in 15 years it was ruined', Greg Dickinson, The Telegraph
Rhodes Fires - I was so scared for my baby', Heidi Fuller-Love, iNews
The double-decker airplane seat is back', Francesca Street, CNN Travel
The otherworldly US states where cows outnumber humans', Zoey Goto, The Times
The three-year cruise is cancelled', Julia Buckley, CNN Travel
FEATURE OF THE YEAR
WINNER: A Rail Adventure in Kyushu', Sarah Barrell, National Geographic Traveller
FINALISTS:
Cruise Captain', Mark Palmer, Daily Mail
Finding a happy place', George Kipouros, Wanderlust
I had an emotional reunion with the City my parents fled', Eddi Fiegel, The Sunday Times
The Magnetic North', Mike MacEacheran, National Geographic Traveller
The World's Newest Mega Hotel', Ed Grenby, The Sunday Times
MEDIA RISING STAR OF THE YEAR
SPONSORED BY: True Traveller Insurance
WINNER: Laura Sanders
FINALISTS:
Bella Falk
Jessica Reid
Sam Kemp
Sasha Nugara
Sophie Dickinson
TRADE STAFF WRITER OF THE YEAR
SPONSORED BY: Protected Trust Services
WINNER: Madeleine Barber, Head of Partner Content, TTG Media
FINALISTS:
April Hutchinson, Editor, TTG Luxury
Beverley Fearis, Editor, The Business Travel Magazine
Harry Kemble, Cruise Editor, TTG Media
Ilaria Grasso Macola, Reporter, TTG Media
Tom Parry, Content Producer, TTG Media
DOMESTIC TRAVEL WRITER OF THE YEAR
SPONSORED BY: Classic Cottages
WINNER: Ed Grenby
FINALISTS:
Ben Aitken
Greg Dickinson
Lauren Jarvis
Phoebe Smith
Sarah Baxter
Sian Lewis
SUSTAINABILITY WRITER OF THE YEAR
SPONSORED BY: The Travel Corporation
WINNER: Phoebe Smith
FINALISTS:
Charlotte Cullinan
Emma Gregg
Karen Edwards
Richard Hammond
Shafik Meghji
SPECIALIST TRAVEL WRITER OF THE YEAR
SPONSORED BY: Tourism Western Australia
WINNER: Farida Zeynalova
FINALISTS:
Chris Leadbeater
Mary Novakovich
Mike Unwin
Nigel Tisdall
Sarah Marshall
CONSUMER STAFF WRITER OF THE YEAR
SPONSORED BY: Hyatt Hotels Corporation
WINNER: Liz Edwards, Deputy Travel Editor, The Times & Sunday Times
FINALISTS:
Cathy Adams, Senior Content Editor, The Times & Sunday Times
Greg Dickinson, Deputy Head of Travel, The Telegraph
Lorna Parkes, Commissioning Editor, National Geographic Traveller
Niki Blasina, Deputy Editor, FT Globetrotter
Tom Robbins, Travel Editor, The Financial Times
FREELANCE WRITER OF THE YEAR
SPONSORED BY: Switzerland Tourism
WINNER: James Stewart
FINALISTS:
Adrian Phillips
Ed Grenby
Emma Thomson
Georgina Lawton
James Stewart
Jamie Lafferty
THE SPECIAL AWARDS
TRAVEL WRITER OF THE YEAR
SPONSORED BY: Deep South USA
WINNER: Madeleine Barber, TTG.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Liz Edwards, The Times and The Sunday Times.
DIVERSITY CHAMPION OF THE YEAR
SPONSORED BY: Visit Gibraltar
WINNER: Sassy Wyatt, Blind Girl Adventures
FINALISTS:
Chloe Berman, Intrepid Travel
Sion & Ben Walton-Guest, The Globetrotter Guys
Steph Dyson & Lottie Gross, Talking Travel Writing
Uwern Jong, OutThere magazine
Vivienne Dovi, Freelance Journalist
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION
SPONSORED BY: Kuoni
WINNER: Luxy Huxley, Editor-in-Chief, Travel Weekly Group
THE INFLUENCER AWARDS
INFLUENCER RISING STAR OF THE YEAR
SPONSOR: VisitPITTSBURGH
WINNER: Bea Meitiner, Bea Adventurous
FINALISTS:
Alex Stratikis, Autism Adventures Abroad
Jess Murray, Jet Off with Jess
Jessica & Wayne Heather, Holiday With The Heathers
Stacey Milentijevic, Minas Journey
INFLUENCER - BLOGGER OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Kate McCulley, Adventurous Kate
FINALISTS:
Abigail King, Inside the Travel Lab
Becki Enright, Borders of Adventure
Lavina Dsouza, Continent Hop
Victoria Watts Kennedy, Bridges and Balloons
INFLUENCER - VLOGGER OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Alex Hunter, Attaché
FINALISTS:
Alex Outhwaite, Alex Outhwaite
Amy Hulley, Amy en Voyage
Dave & Deb Bouskill, The Planet D
David & Alicia Reilly, Life of Riley
Mansoureh Farahani, Travel With Mansoureh
INFLUENCER - INFLUENCER OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Amy Hulley, Amy en Voyage
FINALISTS:
Alex Hunter, Attaché
Chloe Gunning-Sherifi, Wanderlust Chloe
Peter Elia, The Man Who Hiked The World
Sima Sthanakiya, the Curious Pixie
Sion & Ben Walton-Guest, The Globetrotter Guys
THE PR AWARDS
PR - RISING STAR OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Emme McKay, Intrepid Travel
FINALISTS: Ellie Chambers, Sekoya Communications
Emma Berg, Heaven Publicity
Freya Lord Jones, FINN Partners
Harriet Wright, J/PR
Lauren Clifton, LOTUS
PR - PR CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR
WINNER: FINN Partners – Advantage Travel Partnership, 'Travel Triumph: Making Advantage the Voice of the Travel Industry'
FINALISTS:
Black Tomato, 'Black Tomato x 007'
Hotels.com, 'Room Service Report'
LOTUS - TravelSupermarket, 'Cost of Holidays'
Skyscanner, Travel Trends 2024
Universal Destinations & Experiences, 'The Grinch UK Takeover'
PR PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Kate McWilliams, LOTUS
FINALISTS:
Charlotte Humphrey, Princess Cruises
Grace Parker, FINN Partners
Kevin Gibson, Universal Destinations & Experiences
Louise Newton, Iglu.com
Marine Teste, Atout France
PR - PR BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR ** NEW **
WINNER: Debbie Flynn, FINN Partners
FINALISTS:
Daisy Rachlin. Templemere PR
Jules Ugo, LOTUS
Lynsey Devon, Heaven Publicity
Natalia Dowling-Kennedy, MMGY Hills Balfour
Rachel O'Reilly, Kuoni
PR - IN-HOUSE PR TEAM OF THE YEAR
WINNER: VisitEngland
FINALISTS: Atout France
Intrepid Travel
Kuoni
Switzerland Tourism
TUI
PR AGENCY OF THE YEAR
WINNER: LOTUS
FINALISTS:
Black Diamond
FINN Partners
J/PR
Lemongrass Marketing
MMGY Hills Balfour
THE TRAVMEDIA AWARDS JUDGES
Amy Skelding, Managing Partner, Finn Partners
Andrew McConnell CAA, Head of Media & External Affairs, UK Civil Aviation Authority
Barry Neild, Global Editor, CNN Travel
Carol Hay, Lead Consultant and Chief Tourism Officer, McKenzie Gayle Limited
Caroline Moultrie, President, MMGY Global EMEA
Charlotte Humphrey, PR Manager, Princess Cruises UK & Europe
Daniel Pearce, CEO & Owner, TTG Media
Dawn Page, Marketing Director, True Traveller Insurance
Debbie Hindle, Vice-Chair, The Travel Foundation
Fiona Anderson, Director, GEC PR
Florian Valmy-Devillers, Director, Caribbean Tourism Organisation UK & Europe
Freya Matthews, PR Manager, British Airways Holidays
George Kipouros, Editor in Chief & CEO, Wanderlust
Graeme Buck, Director of Communications, ABTA
Jamie-Lee Abtar, Marketing Manager, Not in the guidebooks
Jane Dunford, Travel Editor, The Guardian
Jane Knight, Freelance Travel Journalist and Editor
Jim Odoire, Founding Director, Black Diamond
Jules Ugo, CEO, Lotus
Julie Giraud, PR Director, MSL
Kevin Gibson, Director of Marketing, Public Relations and Communications – EMEA, Universal Destinations & Experiences
Laura Brander, Vice President – Communications, Virgin Atlantic
Lauren Khawam, Senior Communications Manager, easyJet holidays
Lisa Minot, Head of Travel, The Sun
Louise Ferrall, Senior PR Manager, VisitEngland
Lysbeth Fox, CEO, Fox Communications
Marine Teste, Head of Public Relations, Atout France
Mark Palmer, Travel Editor, Daily Mail
Martyn Sumners, Executive Director, AITO – The Specialist Travel Association
Myriam Ziesack, Head of Media and Communications, Switzerland Tourism
Rachel O'Reilly, Director of Communications, Kuoni
Stuart Fyfe, PR Manager UK & Northern Europe
Tolene Van Der Merwe, Director UK & Ireland, Malta Tourism Authority
Tracey Poggio-Magnus, UK Head Media and Marketing, Gibraltar Tourist Board and Chair, ANTOR
Uwern Jong, Experientalist-in-Chief and co-Founder, OutThere magazine
Ends
For information on TravMedia Awards 2024:
Louise Napier
Managing Director TravMedia UK
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 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.
