Tier 1
The Platform Awards
6 categories
The engines. The best travel creator on each major platform and format. Judged on: reach and engagement on the platform, consistency of output, format innovation, and demonstrable influence on travel intent.
01TikTok Creator of the Year
Short form reach and cultural cut through
- Native short form: hooks, watch through, shares, and content that provably sends people somewhere.
- Reach and engagement on the platform itself
- Consistency, and formats others copy
Category partner: available
02Instagram Creator of the Year
Reels, feed and Stories
- Reels, feed and Stories working as one: saves, sends, and destinations made famous.
- Reach and engagement on the platform itself
- Consistency, and formats others copy
Category partner: available
03YouTube Creator of the Year
The best long form travel storyteller
- Long form storytelling: retention, production quality, and journeys audiences finish.
- Reach and engagement on the platform itself
- Consistency, and formats others copy
Category partner: available
04The Golden Mic
Travel Podcast of the Year
- Audio craft: storytelling, guests, listener loyalty, and audiences who act on it.
- Reach and engagement on the platform itself
- Consistency, and formats others copy
Category partner: available
05The Wordsmith
Travel Writer or Newsletter of the Year
- Writing that gets read: voice, reporting, subscriber growth, itineraries actually used.
- Reach and engagement on the platform itself
- Consistency, and formats others copy
Category partner: available
06The Next Wave
Emerging Platform Creator of the Year
- First mover proof on a rising platform, with real traction rather than mere presence.
- Reach and engagement on the platform itself
- Consistency, and formats others copy
Category partner: available
Tier 2
The Sector Awards
5 categories
Built around how the industry sells: flights, stays, rail, cruise and experiences. Judged on: demonstrable influence on bookings and decisions in the sector, depth of expertise, storytelling, and audience trust.
07Best in the Skies
Aviation and Flights Creator of the Year
- Aviation authority: reviews, routes and points, and influence on how people fly.
- Evidence of bookings and decisions moved
- Depth of real expertise in the sector
Category partner: available
08Best in Stays
Hotels and Stays Creator of the Year
- Stays that sell out: property storytelling, honest reviews, measurable booking impact.
- Evidence of bookings and decisions moved
- Depth of real expertise in the sector
Category partner: available
09Kings of the Road
Rail and Road Trip Creator of the Year
- Rail and road journeys: route craft, practicality, and trips audiences copy.
- Evidence of bookings and decisions moved
- Depth of real expertise in the sector
Category partner: available
10Best at Sea
Cruise and Sea Creator of the Year
- Cruise and sea expertise: ships, itineraries, and first timers converted.
- Evidence of bookings and decisions moved
- Depth of real expertise in the sector
Category partner: available
11Best Experiences
Tours and Experiences Creator of the Year
- Things to do: tours, activities and experiences audiences actually book.
- Evidence of bookings and decisions moved
- Depth of real expertise in the sector
Category partner: available
Tier 3
The Genre and Audience Awards
7 categories
The way people actually travel: luxury, budget, family, solo, adventure, food and sustainability. Judged on: authority in the niche, storytelling quality, community engagement, and real world impact on how people travel.
12The Tastemaker
Luxury Travel Creator of the Year
- Luxury credibility: access, taste, and high value bookings influenced.
- Authority and audience trust in the niche
- Community engagement, not just numbers
Category partner: available
13The Smart Traveller
Budget and Value Creator of the Year
- Value engineering: hacks, deals and budgets that survive contact with the real world.
- Authority and audience trust in the niche
- Community engagement, not just numbers
Category partner: available
14The Family Adventurer
Family Travel Creator of the Year
- Family logistics made doable: honest, practical, trip tested with kids in tow.
- Authority and audience trust in the niche
- Community engagement, not just numbers
Category partner: available
15The Trailblazer
Solo and Female Travel Creator of the Year
- Solo and women led travel: safety, confidence, and journeys inspired.
- Authority and audience trust in the niche
- Community engagement, not just numbers
Category partner: available
16The Wild One
Adventure and Outdoor Creator of the Year
- Adventure with substance: skill, safety, and respect for the wild.
- Authority and audience trust in the niche
- Community engagement, not just numbers
Category partner: available
17The Flavour Chaser
Food and Drink Travel Creator of the Year
- Food as the destination: discovery, culture, and places put on the map.
- Authority and audience trust in the niche
- Community engagement, not just numbers
Category partner: available
18The Changemaker
Sustainable and Responsible Travel Creator
- Responsibility made desirable: lower impact travel that people actually want.
- Authority and audience trust in the niche
- Community engagement, not just numbers
Category partner: available
Tier 4
The Craft Awards
3 categories
The makers. Photography, film and the short form edit. Judged on: technical excellence, originality, consistency, and influence on the visual language of travel.
19Through the Lens
Travel Photographer of the Year
- Still photography: originality, technique, and a recognisable eye.
- Technical excellence of the work
- A recognisable signature style
Category partner: available
20The Filmmaker
Travel Videographer of the Year
- Cinematography and edit: craft that elevates the place, not just the drone shot.
- Technical excellence of the work
- A recognisable signature style
Category partner: available
21The Scroll Stopper
Short Form Series of the Year
- A repeatable series format: hooks, consistency and cultural cut through.
- Technical excellence of the work
- A recognisable signature style
Category partner: available
Tier 5
The Impact and Headline Awards
4 categories
The moments the ceremony builds to, ending with The Gold Passport. Judged on: overall influence across travel, with The People's Passport decided by public vote and The Gold Passport by the full panel.
22The One to Watch
Breakthrough Creator of the Year
- Trajectory: the year's steepest rise, with substance behind the numbers.
- Influence felt across all of travel
- The trajectory over the qualifying year
Category partner: available
23The Perfect Match
Brand Collaboration of the Year
- A creator and brand campaign with results both sides would happily publish.
- Influence felt across all of travel
- The trajectory over the qualifying year
Category partner: available
24The People's Passport
Decided by public vote
- Decided by verified public vote across every shortlisted creator.
- Influence felt across all of travel
- The trajectory over the qualifying year
Partner: People's Choice tier
25The Gold Passport
Global Travel Creator of the Year. The Grand Prix.
- The full panel's verdict: the single most influential travel creator of the year.
- Influence felt across all of travel
- The trajectory over the qualifying year
Presented by the Headline Partner
How every entry is scored
Five axes. One rule: impact beats size.
Every category is scored by the panel on the same five weighted axes, adapted to the category criteria above. The full methodology and the named panel are published in September.
30Impact on travel decisions: evidence content moves bookings, visits and plans
25Storytelling and craft: the quality of the work itself
20Engagement and community: depth of audience relationship, not size
15Originality and innovation: formats and ideas others copy
10Growth and momentum: the trajectory over the qualifying year
The judging model
How a winner is decided, start to finish.
Blind where it should be blind, human where it must be human, and auditable the whole way through.
ROUND 0Screening
Eligibility check and brand suitability screen on every entry before a judge sees it. Ineligible or unsuitable entries never reach the panel.
ROUND 1Blind scoring
Three judges per category score every entry independently on the five axes, blind to each other's scores, on the judging platform. The top five by combined score become the shortlist.
ROUND 2The panel decides
The full panel reviews each shortlist together and ranks it. The chair holds a casting vote for ties. Judges declare conflicts and recuse from any category where one exists.
ALWAYSAuditable
Every score is logged with an audit trail. A quarter of the panel rotates each year, no judge marks the same category twice running, and partners never vote.