Thursday 7 May 2020

The Global Travel Media Alliance is proud to announce the finalists in the inaugural 2020 GTMA Awards.


The GTMA is an alliance, formed in 2018, of the world's leading English-language professional travel media associations - The SATW in North America, the ASTW in Australia, and the BGTW in the UK.

These are the inaugural GTMA awards, open to professional travel writers, photographers and PRs who are members of the three organisations.

There are six Finalists (adjusted) for the Travel Writer & Travel Photographer categories and four Finalists for the Travel Communicator (PR) category - NB. The BGTW does not have PR members.

2020 GTMA Global Travel Writer – sponsored by Accor Hotels
  • Flip Byrnes (ASTW)
  • Rob Goss (BGTW)
  • Heather Greenwood Davis (SATW)
  • Catherine Marshall (ASTW)
  • Dina Mishev (SATW)
  • Craig Tansley (ASTW)
  • Mike Unwin (BGTW)
  • Jessica Vincent (BGTW)
Three writers shared one of the six highest entry scores awarded by the judges. As a result there are eight Travel Writer Finalists.

020 GTMA Global Travel Photographer – sponsored by Abercrombie & Kent
  • Dan Avila (ASTW)
  • Bella Falk (BGTW)
  • Blaine Harrington III (SATW)
  • Susan Portnoy (SATW)
  • James Rushforth (BGTW)
One photographer had two of the six highest entry scores awarded by the judges. As a result there are five Travel Photographer Finalists.

2020 GTMA Global Travel Communicator – Sponsored by TravMedia
  • Gaynor Reid (ASTW)
  • Andy Newman (SATW)
  • Ashley Norman (SATW)
  • Shelley Winkel (ASTW)

The Finalists were selected through a simple points system by nine independent, expert Judges. The Judges, one for each category and from each region, are not members of alliance associations. They reviewed all entries in their category and awarded points accordingly. The total points from the three judges in each category determined the Finalists, and Winners (to be announced).

“Our judges have been absolute stars!” said Alastair McKenzie, a founding GTMA representative from the UK. “I remember one of them saying he had only just started and had already read over 80,000 words!”

Barbara Ramsay-Orr from the USA/Canada and Danielle Lancaster from Australia, also both founding members, said it has been wonderful to read inspiring articles about places we may plan to travel to again one day soon, and to see amazing imagery reminding us what's still out there. Also the Travel Communicator entries remind us how our industry associates work so closely with us – we support each other.

The Winners of the three categories will be announced live as follows:
Tuesday, 12 May 2020 - 2:00pm PDT (Los Angeles)
Tuesday, 12 May 2020 - 5:00pm EDT (New York)
Tuesday, 12 May 2020 - 10:00pm BST (London)
Wednesday, 13 May 2020 - 7:00am AEST (Sydney)

For more details contact:
Alastair McKenzie
a@alastairmckenzie.com
Barbara Ramsay-Orr
barbara.orr@gmail.com
Danielle Lancaster
info@blue-dog.com.au

Awards Sponsors
There are three sponsors, one for each category, supplying prizes and support.

Accor Hotels are sponsoring the Travel Writer award providing a glamorous prize - 5 nights staying at the newly refurbished Raffles Hotel in Singapore, one of the world's most famous hotels! The prize includes dinner for two at Le Dame de Pic, lunch for two at BBR By Alain Ducasse, high tea in the Grand Lobby and dinner at Yi by Jereme Leung, also spa treatment at the new Raffles Spa and breakfasts daily. Valued at up to US$15,000.

Abercrombie & Kent are sponsoring the Travel Photographer award. The prize is a 15-day arctic cruise for two aboard the luxurious, all-balcony 'Le Boreal'. The winner & partner will journey in search of the polar bear — from Oslo, Norway to the Svalbard Islands, and from the remote east coast of Greenland on to the West Fjords of Iceland — in the company of A&K's award-winning Expedition Team. Valued at up to US$33,000

TravMedia are sponsoring the Travel Communicator award. Their prize is an extremely useful US$5,000 Apple Gift Card.

The Covid-19 pandemic has thrown some uncertainty into prize dates, but prizes will be updated on a like-for-like basis.

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