While the pandemic has effectively shut down travel, it hasn’t completely wiped out travel writing awards competitions. For example, the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards offered prizes this year, but in only three categories. That said, other competitions continue to offer prizes in many categories. Below is a list of the most established travel writing competitions. Please note that because of the pandemic, some deadlines, announcements, and eligibility windows have changed this year.
Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards
At the top of our list are the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards, which focus on books and literary travel writing. These are among the most prestigious travel writing awards in the United Kingdom. See our interviews with ESTWA winners and nominees and related articles.
- Website: https://www.edwardstanfordawards.com
- Submission Deadline: December/January
- Shortlist Announcement: February
- Winner Announcement: March
- Eligibility Window: Works published from mid-November to mid-November of the previous year (If the submission deadline is January 2022, then the publication window is November 2020 to November 2021)
- Fees: No
- Categories: Books primarily
SATW Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition
In the United States, the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Awards are among the most prestigious. The award categories are vast and typically include consumer-oriented travel writing and media. Entrants need not be SATW members.
- Website: http://www.satwf.com
- Submission Deadline: April
- Winner Announcement: October
- Eligibility Window: Works published from April of the previous year through March of the current year
- Fee: Yes
- Categories: Consumer-focused journalism, various media, and books
AITO Travel Writer of the Year Awards
AITO, the Specialist Travel Association, have a long-running travel writing awards competitions in five categories: Travel Writer of the year (<1500 Words), Travel Writer of the Year (>1500 words), Young Travel Writer of the Year (Under 30), Blogger of the Year, and Travel Trade Writer of the Year.
- Website: https://www.aito.com/media-area/awards
- Submission Deadline: August
- Winner Announcement: October
- Eligibility Window: August of the previous year through July of the current year
- Fees: No
- Categories: Consumer-focused journalism, featured stories, and blogging
North American Travel Journalist Awards
The NATJA awards also honors a wide variety of award categories and generally involve consumer-oriented travel media. Entrants need to be NATJA members in good standing. See our NATJA posts.
- Website: https://www.natja.org
- Submission Deadline: November
- Winner Announcement: March
- Eligibility Window: September of the previous year through September of the current year
- Fees: Yes, membership also necessary
- Categories: Consumer-focused journalism, various media, and books
Solas Travel Writing Awards
Sponsored by the publisher Travelers’ Tales, the Solas Awards focus on feature stories. Winners may also see their work published in Travelers’ Tales books.
- Website: https://besttravelwriting.com
- Submission Deadline: September
- Winner Announcement: March
- Eligibility Window: Unclear
- Fee: Yes
- Categories: Features only, from 750 to 5,500 words
LATA Media Awards
The Latin American Travel Association (LATA) focuses excellence in British travel media that focus on Latin America. LATA reveals the winners of their LATA Media Awards in May.
- Website: https://www.lata.travel/media/media-awards/
- Submission Deadline: March
- Winner Announcement: May
- Eligibility Window: Works published during the previous calendar year
- Fee: No
- Categories: Consumer National Newspaper Feature of the Year Award (print), Consumer Magazine Feature of the Year Award (print), Online Consumer Feature of the Year Award (national magazine or newspaper), Best Regional Feature of the Year Awards (print a/o online), Best Latin American Round-up, Trade Publication Feature of the Year Award (print or online), Blog, Vlog or Podcast of the Year Award, Best Self – Published Award (i.e. Company Blog/Website), Top published Latin America photo, Social media campaign of the year
GTMA Awards
The Global Travel Media Alliance (GTMA) pulls together the three major English-speaking travel writing associations: the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), the British Guild of Travel Writers (BGTW), and the Australian Society of Travel Writers (ASTW).
- Website: http://gtmalliance.com
- Submission Deadline: March
- Winner Announcement: May
- Eligibility Window: Works mostly published during the previous calendar year
- Fee: Yes, $25
- Categories: Global Travel Writer, Global Travel Photographer, Global Travel Communicator
BGTW Members’ Excellence Awards (MEA)
The British Guild of Travel Writers (BGTW) holds their Members’ Excellence Awards (MEA) yearly.
- Website: https://bgtw.org/awards/members-awards/
- Submission Deadline: See members’ section
- Winner Announcement: At the Gala dinner in November
- Eligibility Window: See members’ section
- Fee: Membership dues
- Categories: Travel Feature of the Year – UK, Travel Feature of the Year – non UK, NEW for 2020 – Travel Feature of the Year – Regional and Specialist Media, NEW for 2020 – Specialist Travel Feature of the Year – the Bryn Frank Award, Transport Feature of the Year – The Kenneth Westcott-Jones Award, Travel Book of the Year – The Adele Evans Award, NEW for 2020 – Travel Photo Feature of the Year, NEW for 2020 – Travel Blog Post of the Year, NEW for 2020 – Travel Broadcast of the Year, BGTW Travel Blogger of the Year, BGTW Travel Broadcaster of the Year, BGTW Photographer of the Year, BGTW Travel Writer of the Year
The list above is obviously not exhaustive. Please leave a comment below if there are other active travel writing competitions we need to include in this list.
Last Updated on 22 June 2021 by Travel Writing World
