Welcome to the BGTW Annual Gala Awards 2022

I am really pleased to welcome you to the BGTW Annual Gala Awards 2022. It’s exciting to have a brand new format at a fantastic venue – the refurbished Riverside Studios right on the River Thames – and a chance to catch up with each other and celebrate the best of our industry tonight.

I want to say a big thanks to our sponsors, Hyatt Hotels, Explore Charleston and Riverside Studios. Hyatt is the first hotel sponsor in the history of this event and it’s a pleasure to welcome back Explore Charleston, who hosted our BGTW AGM & Convention in 2019, and sponsored our cocktail reception at last year’s event. We’re also really happy to be raising money for the Charitable Travel Fund and the amazing projects they have around the world.

A massive thanks to the BGTW Board, Secretariat and everyone else involved in putting the event together this year. It’s a huge effort and we are looking forward to an amazing evening of catching up with friends and colleagues, and making new ones. We have had so many new members join in the last year too and for some, it will be their first BGTW Annual Gala Awards event. We’re looking forward to finding out who’s won in our International Tourism Awards and Members’ Excellence Awards as well and celebrating the great and the good of our industry. Thanks to Stuart Render for coordinating the awards, and to all the judges who had a hard job selecting shortlists.

All that’s left is to enjoy the evening!

Meera

Meera Dattani
BGTW Chair
[email protected]

We’re very proud to introduce Hyatt as the first hotel sponsor in the history of the BGTW’s Annual Gala Awards.

With more than 1,150 hotels and all-inclusive properties in 72 countries across six continents in its portfolio, Hyatt is an exciting and fitting sponsor for this year’s BGTW Gala Awards’ theme, “A Taste of Travel”.

Hyatt has enjoyed considerable and considered growth, particularly throughout Europe over the last few years. Its loyalty program, World of Hyatt, has grown 65% over three years, and more than 70% of its portfolio are luxury lifestyle properties – spread across four outstanding collections: Timeless, Boundless, Independent, and Inclusive.

“Following our successful sponsorship of the BGTW AGM in Charleston in 2019, we wanted to develop our connection with the BGTW further. We are grateful for opportunities like the BGTW Annual Gala Awards 2022 to do just that.

Our partnership gives us a chance to share the Charleston story with top British media and increase awareness of the new and exciting things we are doing in our beautiful city. We are excited by the new format and the new venue steeped in British Media history right on the banks of the Thames.”

Doug Warner
Vice President of Media and Innovation
Explore Charleston

6.15pm

Sparkling Wine Reception
Networking & Canapés
Riverside Atrium

7pm

Welcome from the BGTW Chair, Meera Dattani
followed by
A message from Doug Warner, Explore Charleston
Melissa Tilling, Charitable Travel Fund

–

Presentation of the BGTW Outstanding Award for Contribution to Travel Journalism – The Dr Melissa Shales Award

Presentation of the BGTW International Tourism Awards

–

Live Preview Performance of Cages
Studio 2

followed by
Networking
Food & Drink
The Atrium

–

9.30pm

A message from Javier Aguila, Hyatt

Presentation of the BGTW Members’ Excellence Awards

and

The BGTW Raffle Prize Draw
in aid of
Charitable Travel Fund

–

Join us for last orders in the
Cages Bar
off the Riverside Atrium

–

11pm
Carriages

Name of Attendee	Title / Company Name	Name of Attendee	Title / Company Name
Aaron Millar	BGTW Member / The Armchair Explorer Podcast and Freelance contributor to titles such as The Times, The Guardian, National Geographic Traveller	Lauren Willmott	Curator of the Holocaust Galleries, Imperial War Museum
Aashka Patel	made Tourism Marketing	Lavanya Sunkara	SATW member / US travel writer
Adrian Bridge	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as The Telegraph	Lindsay Sutton	BGTW Member / Author and Freelance contributor to titles such as Daily Mirror, Daily Express, Daily Star (UK), The Chronicle, Derby Telegraph, Daily Post, Teesside Live
Adrian Phillips	BGTW Member / Managing Director, Bradt and Freelance contributor to titles such as Daily Telegraph, National Geographic Traveller, Sunday Times	Lisa Pirkebner	High Scardus Trail, The Balkans
Alana Parker	Far Communications	Liz Gill	BGTW Member / Experienced freelance property, travel and lifestyle journalist, titles include The Travel Magazine.
Alastair McKenzie	BGTW Member / owner of Mechtraveller.com & Travel-Lists.co.uk and Editor at Traveldudes.org	Lottie Gross	BGTW Member / Bradt Author and experienced freelance travel writer and author, contributor to titles such as The Telegraph, The Times, The Independent and National Geographic Traveller
Ali Finnegan	TravelMedia.ie Senior Account Manager	Lucy Dodsworth	BGTW Member / Editor of explorethecotswolds.com
Alicia Sheber	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as Hospitality Design, Starboard and Design Well	Lucy Hyland	Account Manager, Perowne International
Alison Cryer	ANTOR	Lynn Houghton	BGTW Member / Owner of Roaming Scribe and a freelance travel writer, with extensive interest in Nordics, Africa and developing countries.
Ally Ware	Charitable Travel Fund	Lynsey Hall	Heaven Publicity
Amanda O’Brien	BGTW Member / TheBoutiqueAdventurer.com	Mala Mistry	UK PR Manager, Tourism Western Australia
Amy McPherson	BGTW Member / Freelance travel writer, intersted in adventure and active travel.Contributor to titles such as Italia! magazine, World Nomad, The Culture Trip, thegoodlifefrance.com	Margaret Fuqua	Director of Sales, Tennessee Department of Tourism Development
Amy Skelding	FinnPartners	Marie Cazaux	Director of Communications, Western Europe, Hyatt
Andrea Britton	Director, Gozo In The House, Malta	Marine Teste	Head of PR – Explore France / Atout France
Andrew Rosindell MP	Member of Parliament	Mark Foggelliot
Andy Facer	Visit Alabama / 5F Marketing	Martin Roberts	ANTOR
Anne Gorringe	BGTW Member / Travel Editor for Bristol and Bath Business News, specialising in multi-generational trips, solo and dog-friendly travel	Martin Symington	BGTW Member / Freelance writer, lectures on cultural tours and a contributor to titles including the Daily Mail, Bradt Guides, Wanderlust
Anthony Lilley OBE	Scenario Two	Mary Anne Evans	BGTW Member / founder and editor of maryannesfrance.com Experienced travel writer and editor for websites, guide books, newspapers and magazines, including Gayot. Specialises in hotels, restaurants, Finland and Sweden
Antonia Windsor	Vice Chair BGTW / Freelance contributor to titles such as The Times, The Telegraph, The Financial Times, The Guardian, The Observer, and podcast host	Mary Moore Mason	BGTW Member / Experienced London-based travel writer, editor and author. Writes, edits and commisions for Essentially America magazine
Ash Bhardwaj	BGTW Member / Freelance travel writer, with a focus on travel with current affairs, identity, privilege, race, historical narrative and the environment. Contributor to titles such as The Times and Sunday Times, The Independent, Daily Mail, Wanderlust, GQ, BA Highlife, BBC Radio Four, and the World Service and co-hosts The First Mile travel podcast	Mary Novakovich	BGTW Member / Travel writer, journalist and author, and specialises in France, Italy, Eastern Europe, contributes to titles including The Guardian, Evening Standard and The Independent
Bella Falk	BGTW Member / Travel documentary director, photographer and writer and has own blog called PassportandPixels.com	Mateo Salles Ize	Camino del Mayab (The Maya Way), Mexico
Ben Lerwill	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as The Independent, The Guardian, National Geographic Traveller	Matt Wills
Ben West	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as The Times, Guardian, Observer, Daily Telegraph, Financial Times, Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, Daily Star, The Scotsman, Scotland on Sunday,Evening Standard (London), Metro, Black + Green Magazine	Matthew Collins	BGTW Member / Broadcaster, comedian, public speaker, author, travel writer, TV presenter, contributed to most national titles
Benita Finanzio	BGTW Secretariat / Founder TONIC Magazine	Matthew Damsell	Scenario Two
Benoit Dieval	Pas de Calais	Meera Dattani	Chair, BGTW / senior editor Adventure.com and Freelance contributor to titles such as BBC Travel, Condé Nast Traveller, The Telegraph
Caitlin McCaskey	Senior Project Manager, Equal Justice Initiative	Melissa Tilling	Charitable Travel Fund
Carol Hay	McKenzie Gayle Limited Global Tourism Marketing	Mendy Goyeau	Business Development, Château de Cognac-Baron Otard
Caroline Donaldson Sinclair	Travel and Tourism Marketing (TTM)	Michael Collins	TravelMedia.ie
Caroline Leo	Director, Caroline Leo Consulting	Michael Mason-Shaw	General Managaer of Hyatt Place London City East
Catherine Boardman	BGTW Member / Founder of culturalwednesday.co.uk	Michael Unwin	BGTW Member / Freelance travel writer, intersted in travel, nature and the outdoors, regular contributor to titles such as The Telegraph, Times, Guardian and Independent, and Wanderlust
Chris Coe	BGTW Member / Freelance Photographer and founder of Travel Photographer of the Year	Mrs T Hussain
Claire Boobbyer	BGTW Member / Guidebook author and freelance contributor to titles such as Telegraph, Times, Indy, Wanderlust, Guardian, Condé Nast Traveller	Murray Stewart	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as Medium, Daily Monitor, Bradt Travel Guides, Project Scotland Magazine
Claire Martin	BGTW Member / Experienced Blogger her blogs include clairesfootsteps.com and gosouthwestengland.co.uk	Myriam Ziesack	Switzerland Tourist Office
Claire Robinson	BGTW Member / founder, editor and writer at weekendcandy.com	Neil Murray	BGTW Member / Freelance travel journalist and former travel editor of the London Daily Mirror.
Daniela Boden,	Marketing, Hyatt Regency and Hyatt House London Stratford	Neil Taylor	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as Bradt and Estonia guidebook author
David Ezra	KBC PR	Nick Wayland	TravMedia
David Venables	Travel and Tourism Marketing (TTM)	Nori Jemil	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as National Geographic Traveller, BBC Travel, Adventure.com. Bradt Photographer and author
Debbie Flynn	FinnPartners	Oddný Arnarsdóttir	Visit Iceland
Declan Murphy	Sales and Marketing Director, Great Scotland Yard	Paul Harris	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as editor of the Jewish Telegraph
Diana Jarvis	BGTW Member / Freelance Photographer contributing to titles such as Rough Guides, Visit England, GreenTraveller, National Geographic Traveller, Cool Camping. TGO magazine, LoveExploring and Travel Weekly	Paul Healy	BGTW Member / Owner/blogger at AnywhereWeRoam.com
Dom Tulett	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as The Guardian and The Telegraph, National Geographic Traveller	Paul Vincent
Dominika Dyrjski	TravMedia	Paul Wade	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as The Telegraph, Taiwan News, Wanderlust (magazine), Mountain View Standard
Doris Pirkebner	High Scardus Trail, The Balkans	Paul Wood	Head of Economic Development, East Suffolk Council
Dorota Wojciechowska	Director, Polish National Tourist Office	Petra Shepherd	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as Silver Travel Advisor
Doug Goodman	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as The Twickenham Tribune, The Travel Magazine, Holiday, Cruise Magazine, The Good Life France, The Foody Traveller	Pia Debourse	Explore Cognac
Doug Warner	Explore Charleston	Rachel Holloway	Visit Scotland
Eamonn McEneaney	Director, Irish Museum of Time, Waterford City	Rachel Obermeier	Visit Mississippi
Emma Frayling	Visit West (Visit Bath and Visit Bristol)	Raluca Andronic	TravelMedia.ie Digital Account Manager
Emma Gregg	BGTW Member / Contributing editor, Travel Africa magazine. Author of several Rough Guides to destinations in Africa and Australia. Freelance contributor to titles such as National Geographic Traveller	Rebecca Miles	Editor of Charitable Traveller Magazine
Erin Hickey	Visit Scotland	Renate Ruge	BGTW Member / Freelance editor and contributor to titles such as The Telegraph, The Times and Sunday Times, Sainsbury’s Magazine, Supper, Compass, Journey, Cunarder, Visit Britain magazine, France magazine, Saga Magazine
Esther Bell	PR Consultant, Hyatt	Ricardo Fahrig	Zbulo – High Scardus Trail, The Balkans
Fiona Anderson	GEC PR	Richard Collett	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as BBC Travel. Owner/blogger of TravelTramp, Lonely Planet, Atlas Obscura
Fiona Quinn	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as The Telegraph, Forbes	Richard Franks	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as BBC Travel, National Geographic Traveller and Telegraph
Floriane Malignon	Director of Marketing, Western Europe, Hyatt	Richard Villar	BGTW Member / Owner and writer of neverastraightline.com as well as author and freelance contributor to titles such as The Daily Telegraph, The Spectator, the Evening Standard, Reader’s Digest,The Independent
Fran Lambert	Switzerland Tourist Office	Robert Ellison	BGTW Secretariat / Founder TONIC Magazine
Frances Tuke	Lotus	Robin McKelvie	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as Telegraph, Wanderlust, Times, The Scotsman
Francine Sheridan	Regional VP, Europe & ME, Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board	Ross Clarke	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as The Club BA, Weathe2Travel, Wizz Air, Mandarin Oriental and writer of Welsh Food Newsletter
Franziska Weber	Senior Vice President and Head of Global Communications, Hyatt	Rudolf Abraham	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as Lonely Planet, Hidden Europe, Bradt, and guidebook author
Georgia Humphreys	Junior Account Manager, Perowne International.	Rupert Parker	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as Trip Reporter, The Travel Magazine, The Guardian, The Sun, The Telegraph, Metro (UK), The Times, HuffPost UK, The Scottish Sun, Rough Guides, The Irish Sun, Sunday Times
Gillian Thomas	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as Family Traveller, Allways Traveller	Sara Lister
Graham McKenzie	Travelmole	Sara Mantovani	PR & Marketing, Emilia Romagna Region Tourism Board
Hannah Phipps	Travel and Tourism Marketing (TTM)	Sarah Lee	BGTW Member / Editor of award-winning luxury travel blog LiveShareTravel.com and author
Helen Coop	Four Communications	Sarah Salord	GEC PR
Helen Simmans	PR, Imvelo Safaris	Sarah Siese	Benefits Director, BGTW / publisher / freelance Travel journalist, TV broadcaster / executive producer for channel4 TV, Discovery channel, Telegraph, Mail on Sunday, House & Garden, Luxury magazine, CN Traveller
Henry Hemming	TravMedia	Sarah Tucker	BGTW Member / Travel editor of the Richmond magazine and Radio Gorgeous, also Author, Writer and Broadcaster to titles such as BBC Holiday Programme, Classic Fm, Share Radio,
Howard Salinger	Travel Connection Group	Sean Williams
Ian Packham	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as City AM, Africa Geographic, Bradt	Sefanit Meniste	Private Women-Led: Ethiopian Flavours in Shepherd’s Bush with Coffee Ceremony, London
Isabel Conway	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, The Times, Irish Independent, Irish Times, Irish Examiner, Irish Mirror, The Irish Sun, Sunday World, Dublin Live	Shafik Meghji	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as Wanderlust, BBC Travel, Lonely Planet, Adventure.com, and guidebook author and author.
Jack Barker	BGTW Member / Editor of the Travelmag.com	Shebs Alom	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to The Travel Magazine and travel show host at Gallivant Radio
Jacqui Agate	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as loveEXPLORING, DK Eyewitness, The Independent, The Telegraph, Rough Guides, TTG, SUITCASE	Sholto Smith	General Manager, Great Scotland Yard
Jade Bremner	Freelance Journalist, Writer and Editor for titles such as Metro New York, Travel, U.S., CNN Travel, MSN, MSN Australia, MSN South Africa, MSN UK, The Independent	Sigríður Dögg Guðmundsdóttir	Visit Iceland
James March	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as BBC, The Guardian, Daily Mail, MSN, MSN South Africa, The Sun, The Telegraph, The Washington Post, The Times, Euronews	Silvia Placucci	PR & Marketing, Emilia Romagna Region Tourism Board
James Rushforth	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as New Atlas, Crack Magazine, Wanderlust (magazine)	Simon Parker	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as Telegraph and BBC Travel. Also author, broadcaster and filmmaker.
James Stewart	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as Times, Sunday Times and Financial Times	Simon Willmore	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as Wanderlust, Bradt. Digital lead for JRNY magazine
Jane Egginton	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as In the Moment, Yoga Magazine, and author or titles published by The Sunday Times, Reader’s Digest and Michelin	Sophie Hussain
Jane Wilson	BGTW Member / Owner of thewellnesstraveller.co.uk	Stacey Yates	Chief Marketing Officer, Louisville Tourism
Javier Aguila	Regional President, Europe, Africa, and Middle East, Hyatt	Stefanie Britton	Digital Account Manager, Gozo In The House, Malta
Jennie Carr	BGTW Member / silvertraveladvisor.com	Steph Dyson	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as CNN, Lonely Planet. Owner/blogger at Worldly Adventurer and Chile guidebook author.
Jeremy Flint	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as National Geographic Traveller, BA Highlife, Lonely Planet, Bradt Guides, Digital Photographer, Outdoor Photography, Scotland, This England, Country Life and The Countryman	Steve Keenan	Journalist and co-Founder, Travel Perspective consultancy
Jessica Jackson	Travel and Tourism Marketing (TTM)	Stuart Forster	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as Telegraph and National Geographic Traveller, and blogger at GoEatDo
Jessica Morgan	Director of Tourism Development, Louisville Tourism	Stuart Fyfe	Tourism Australia
Jessica Vincent	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as BBC Travel, Lonely Planet, Atlas Obscura, Culture Trip, Matador Network, World Nomads	Stuart Render	Awards Director BGTW | Travel journalist, recently published in Group Travel World
Jody Hanson	Travel and Tourism Marketing (TTM)	Sue Vincent
Jonathan Mountford	Managing Director, made Tourism Marketing	Sue Watt	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as Telegraph, Travel Africa, The Independent
Jonathan Thompson	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as TheTimes, Telegraph, Travel Leisure Condé Nast Traveler, The Wall Street Journal and host of Adventure Cities on Discovery	Summer Rylander	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as Travel + Leisure, Reader’s Digest, Lonely Planet, Time Out
Judith Baker	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as BA High Life magazine, Culture Trip, The Daily Mail, Viestra magazine, The Resident	Susan Schwartz	BGTW Member / Owner/blogger of ALushLifeManual.com and host of Lush Life podcast
Karen Edwards	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as BA High LIfe, Telegraph, The Independent	Susanna Scott	BGTW Member / Blogger at amodernmother.com and co-founder of BritMums
Karen Warren	BGTW Member / Owner/blogger at WorldWideWriter and BewitchedByItaly	Susie Boulton	BGTW Member / Freelance guidebook author/travel writer on Italy (Venice, Florence, Rome, Milan, Italian Lakes, Sardinia, Sicily), Amsterdam, Lisbon, the Algarve, Malta and the UK
Kate Eshelby	BGTW Member / Freelance photojournalist and contributor to titles such as Telegraph , FT, Guardian, Times, Daily Mail	Susie Bowers	Visit West (Visit Bath and Visit Bristol)
Kate McWilliams	Lotus	Tharik Hussain	BGTW Member / Freelance author, travel writer and journalist specialising in Muslim heritage and culture. He’s an author of several travel guides for Lonely Planet, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Thailand, London and Great Britain.
Kate O’Brien	FinnPartners	Tim Bird	BGTW Member / Freelance photographer and travel writer, work features in titles such as Blue wings, MSN UK, The Telegraph,The Independent, Bradt, TONIC
Kate Wickers	BGTW Member / Author and freelance contributor to titles such as Telegraph, Mail, Scotsman, Lodestar Anthology, TONIC	Tina Ediss	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as Daily and Sunday Express, The Independent and Sunday Mirror.
Kathy Arnold	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as MSN UK, The Telegraph, Daily Express, New Zealand Herald	Tracey Croke	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as MindFoodmag, Adventure.com,
Kav Dadfar	Membership Director BGTW / Founder of JRNY Magazine and Freelance contributor to Condé Nast, National Geographic, Wanderlust travel magazine, Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, American Express, Daily Mail, Sunday Times Travel, Express, The Guardian	Tristan Rutherford	BGTW Member / Freelance travel writer, interested in luxury travel, sailing, wine and great rail journeys. contributor to titles such as The Times and The Daily Telegraph,
Kerry Walker	BGTW Member / Freelance contributor to titles such as National Geographic Traveller, Telegraph, Lonely Planet	Truman Smith	Explore Charleston
Kevin Harris	Managing Director, MDSG	Victoria Trott	BGTW Member / Freelance travel writer, specialising in France, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain and Wales, Experienced guidebook writer/updater for publishers including Fodors, Frommers and Rough Guides
Kirsten Henton	BGTW Member / Editor at Weather2Travel	Vince Mutty	made Tourism Marketing
KIrsty Dillury	Travel and Tourism Marketing (TTM)	Virginia Flint
Klaudija Janzelj	Private Women-Led: Ethiopian Flavours	Zoey Goto	BGTW Member / Freelance journalist and author covering American travel (specialist area is the US Southern States), contributor to titles including BBC Travel, GQ Style, Esquire, Elle, Fodor’s, Foodism, Escapism, Lonely Planet, the i Paper, Telegraph, Times, Mail on Sunday, New Zealand Herald and the Independent.

FOOD COURSE ONE

Magma Santorini Prawn Tempura

Vegan Tempura vegetables de 7Pines Ibiza

Great Scotland Yard Fish & Chips  

The Hyatt House Homemade Spring Roll (vegan)

Andaz Prague Bratwurst & Bun  

FOOD COURSE TWO

Thompson Madrid Paella / Risotto

Parma on Mash di 7Pines Sardinia

The Hyatt Place corn fritter and salsa (vegan)

Charleston slow cooked ribs

Párisi Udvar Budapest Roasted vegetable skewer with beetroot hummus (vegan)

Hotel du Palais Petit four – Traditional English fudge (and a vegan option)

The Charitable Travel Fund is a UK based charity working tirelessly to energise and galvanise the support of the global travel and tourism industry, and the travelling public. CTF work to provide tangible financial aid for communities in worldwide travel destinations that depend on tourism revenue but have little or no government welfare support when that income is threatened or extinguished by events beyond expectation or control. In essence, CTF support starts when tourism stops.

Tonight we will be raffling off 11 great prizes to support their efforts.

Raffle tickets are available from the CTF team in The Atrium. Buy yours now and don’t miss out on these superb prizes:

‘A Taste of Hyatt’. Five nights’ bed and breakfast for two at one of five Hyatt hotels – donated by Hyatt Hotels.
The choice of hotels is really rather remarkable: Thompson Madrid; Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht; Parisi Udvar Budapest; Alila Manggis (Bali); Alila Jabal Akhdar (Oman). The prize includes 20,000 World of Hyatt points for an activity of your choice and a complimentary culinary experience from Hyatt’s newly launched FIND platform. The prize is valid until December 2023.

Five nights half-board at the Hotel Mottaret in Meribel, France, donated by Ski France.
The prize is valid until April 2024.

A three-day, two-night self drive trip to Pas de Calais for two people, donated by Pas de Calais.
The prize includes two night’s accommodation, breakfast and dinner, plus a VIP wine tasting at Calais Vins, and a 50 euro voucher for your Grape Escape. The prize is valid until the end of 2023.

Two nights for two people at the Hotel AMANO Covent Garden, London.
The prize includes breakfast and rooftop drinks for two.

A Classic Champagne afternoon tea at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House hotel on Park Lane, London.

A £100 Stay in a Pub voucher, donated by stayinapub.co.uk
redeemable against a stay in one of 1,450 boutique pubs, traditional coaching inns, and affordable pubs on stayinapub.co.uk

Five prizes of an annual subscription to National Geographic Traveller. That brings you 10 issues of Nat Geo Traveller and four issues of Food magazine delivered to your door. Each winner will also receive a Hydro Flask.

Since 1978, the BGTW has been giving out their own tourism awards. As well as recognising new popular initiatives, the membership also looked for projects which were both environmentally friendly and helped the local communities.  In this way, the Guild has lead the way in recognising the importance of promoting sustainable tourism initiatives. 

The BGTW International Tourism Awards (ITAs) recognise excellence in tourism projects around the world, nominated by our members. Some projects have cost millions and are well-publicised; others are simpler community projects that take just as much effort and love.

This year’s shortlists represent a range of innovative, noteworthy and exceptional projects that highlight the resilience of the industry, and all of the good work that has been done to promote tourism across the globe. 

Best Wider World Tourism Project	Nominating Member
Camino del Mayab (The Maya Way), Mexico	Richard Collett
Camping with Custodians – Djarindjin Campground, Western Australia	Nori Jemil
Community Rhino Conservation Initiative (CRCI), Zimbabwe	Sue Watt
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, USA	Paul Wade
The Legacy Museum, Montgomery, USA	Stuart Forster
The National Museum of African American Music, Nashville, USA	Mary Moore Mason
Best Europe Tourism Project
Gozo In The House, Malta	Amy McPherson
High Scardus Trail, The Balkans	Rudolf Abraham
La Ruta del Vino de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands	Ross Clarke
Museum of Amber, Gdansk, Poland	Rupert Parker
ViaBerna, Switzerland	Rudolf Abraham
Best UK and Ireland Tourism Project
First Light Festival and East Point Pavilion, Lowestoft, England	Claire Boobbyer
Hermaness Hill Path and Welcome Area, Shetland Islands, Scotland	Diana Jarvis
Irish Museum of Time – Treasures of Timekeeping, Waterford, Ireland	Isabel Conway
Private Women-Led: Ethiopian Flavours in Shepherd’s Bush with Coffee Ceremony, London, England	Alicia Sheber
The Famous Blacksmiths Gretna Green Experience, Scotland	Vivien Devlin
The Holocaust Galleries, Imperial War Museum, London, England	Tina Ediss

The BGTW annual awards scheme recognises excellence across travel writing, blogging, broadcasting and photography. The ten individual awards and four portfolio awards were judged by more than 30 travel writers and other industry professionals from the UK and the BGTW’s sister travel writing organisations in the US and Australia.

TRAVEL FEATURE OF THE YEAR – UK

Sponsored by

TRAVEL FEATURE OF THE YEAR – NON-UK

Sponsored by Visit Scotland

TRAVEL FEATURE OF THE YEAR – REGIONAL AND SPECIALIST MEDIA

Sponsored by Great Scotland Yard Hotel – The Unbound Collection by Hyatt

SPECIALIST TRAVEL FEATURE OF THE YEAR – THE BRYN FRANK AWARD

Sponsored by Representation Plus

TRANSPORT FEATURE OF THE YEAR – THE KENNETH WESTCOTT-JONES AWARD

Sponsored by Travel Connection Group

TRAVEL GUIDE BOOK OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by ANTOR

TRAVEL NARRATIVE BOOK OF THE YEAR – THE ADELE EVANS AWARD

Sponsored by Scenario Two

TRAVEL PHOTO FEATURE OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Visit Mississippi

TRAVEL BLOG POST OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Visit West (Visit Bristol and Visit Bath)

TRAVEL BROADCAST OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Riverside Studios

BGTW TRAVEL BLOGGER OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Visit Alabama

BGTW TRAVEL BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Explore Cognac

BGTW PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by

BGTW TRAVEL WRITER OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by