TravMedia UK have announced the finalists for the TravMedia Awards 2024 in an industry broadcast, held ahead of this year's Awards ceremony at The Londoner, Leicester Square on Monday 22 April 2024.
With up to seven finalists were announced across 25 categories, the Awards attracted a record entry of 1015 registrations, up a staggering 36% year to year. The Finalist Announcement event presenters Henry Hemming, Global Managing Director of TravMedia, and Louise Napier, Managing Director of Travel UK, also reported a record number of new finalists in the Awards, including lots of first-time entrants.
The Awards (www.travmediaawards.com) honour the finest journalistic, influencer and PR achievements in travel, and set the highest bar for recognising the most memorable output and impactful individuals. Highlights of April's Gala dinner will include the revelation of the Travel Writer of the Year, Influencer of the Year and PR Professional of the Year.
Among the most hotly contested Awards were Freelance Writer of the Year and Specialist Writer of the Year, with each category eliciting over around 100 entries and plenty of new journalists achieving finalist status. New categories this year included a Diversity Champion of the Year, with six entrants achieving finalist status from an impressive entry.
In the media categories inaugural finalists were revealed for Feature of the Year, Domestic Travel Writer of the Year, and Travel Media Website of the Year. TravMedia also divided the blue-ribband national newspaper travel section category into two, announcing both Tabloid and Broadsheet finalists. In the PR Awards the first ever finalists for PR Business Leader were revealed.
Said Louise Napier, Managing Director of Travel UK: “Given the record entry, anyone who has made finalist status this year has done outstandingly well.
“We offer every commiseration to those who just missed out. We believe the 'stratospheric entry' we reported reflects the stature the Awards have attained.
“The entry also shows our audience is comfortable and confident about how hard TravMedia has always strived to ensure impartial outcomes. We have received entries from everyone from rookie reporters to Fleet Street veterans, boutique PR agencies to A-list global tourism destinations.
“The judges remarked that we gave them a truly challenging task!” 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.
This year's TravMedia Awards sponsors include Gran Canaria Tourist Board (Travel Magazine of the Year); Hong Kong Tourism Board (Welcome Drinks Reception); Hyatt Hotels Corporation (Consumer Staff Writer of the Year); Kuoni (Outstanding Contribution Award); Princess Cruises (Travel Media Website of the Year); Switzerland Tourism (Freelance Writer of the Year); Tourism Australia (National Broadsheet Newspaper Travel Section of the Year); Travel Texas (Photobooth); True Traveller (Media Rising Star of the Year); Visit Gibraltar (Diversity Champion of the Year); VisitPITTSBURGH (Influencer Rising Star of the Year). A few categories still remain available in the run up to the big night.
On Awards night, a celebrity host will drive the show and sponsors' tables will host finalists from their chosen category. The evening's big reveals will segue within a three-course dinner, following a welcome drinks reception sponsored by Hong Kong Tourism, and the night will climax with an after-party.
Entry to the Awards event will be limited to finalists, sponsors, and limited ticket holders. Some table bookings remain available.
Last year's event at The Londoner attracted a packed audience of 300 people with comedian and broadcaster Dom Joly the celebrity host. 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 35 judges (listed below) from across the travel industry, including senior media figures, communications heads and commentators, and top industry executives.
A full list of the finalists can be found at: https://www.travmediaawards.com/2024-finalists.html.
