2019 AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE WINNERS AND FINALISTS
1) ASTW TRAVEL WRITER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by VISIT USA AUSTRALIA
WINNER
LOUISE SOUTHERDEN
High hopes in the Himalayas – Traveller – Sydney Morning Herald/Age
The call of the high – Traveller – Sydney Morning Herald/Age
Kyushu’s sacred mountain hike – Traveller – Sydney Morning Herald/Age
Other finalists:
Andrew Bain
River runs for a raft of reasons – Traveller – Sydney Morning Herald/Age
The full Monte Rosa – Traveller – Sydney Morning Herald/Age
Top-end Tassie – Outback magazine
Catherine Marshall
On another planet with the apes – Traveller – Sydney Morning Herald/Age
Colour by numbers – Weekend Australian
You want to be transformed – Qantas Travel Insider
2) ASTW PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by ABERCROMBIE & KENT
WINNER
DAN AVILA
Winter is coming – Signature Luxury Travel and Style magazine
In the belly of the glacier – Signature Luxury Travel and Style magazine
Greenland warmth – Vacations & Travel magazine
The lights are on – Vacations & Travel magazine
Beautiful Lech – Vacations & Travel magazine
Other finalists:
Jocelyn Pride
Moose in the mist – Wellbeing
A grand view – The Finer Things in Travel
White thunder – The Road Ahead
Penguin party – Fodor’s Travel
Hidden beauty – Wellbeing
Fiona Harper
Humans of Amritsar, India - KarryOn
Amritsar - KarryOn
Wagah border ceremonial parade – KarryOn
Street scene in Amritsar – KarryOn
The Golden Temple in Amritsar – KarryOn
3) COMMUNICATOR OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by TRAVMEDIA
WINNER
SHELLEY WINKEL – Tourism and Events Queensland
Other finalists:
Laura Speirs – Glasgow
Jodi Clark – TFE Hotels/NT Tourism
Kate Parker – Intrepid Travel
4) BEST STORY ABOUT AGM HOST DESTINATION 2018 – BANGKOK, THAILAND
Sponsored by TOURISM AUTHORITY OF THAILAND
WINNER
MARY O’BRIEN – Smooth operator – Australian Financial Review
Other finalists:
Danielle Lancaster – Shades of Thailand – Vacations & Travel magazine
Flip Byrnes – The Sanctuary – Fernwood magazine
5) BEST FAMILY TRAVEL STORY
Sponsored by JANEECE KELLER
WINNER
FLIP BYRNES – Finding Aladdin – Holidays with Kids magazine
Other finalists:
Aleney de Winter – Sugar & spice and all things nice – Holidays with Kids magazine
Dani Wright – Snowshoe to fondue – Escape/News Ltd
6) BEST AUSTRALIAN STORY UNDER 1000 WORDS
Sponsored by TOURISM AUSTRALIA
WINNER
SARAH REID – What’s it like to swim into the world’s weirdest underwater orgy? – Adventure.com
Other finalists:
John Borthwick – Iron Horse Trek Is One Helluva Ride – The West Australian
Michelle Hespe – All Shook Up – True Blue magazine
7) BEST AUSTRALIAN STORY OVER 1000 WORDS
Sponsored by TOURISM AUSTRALIA
WINNER
JOHN BORTHWICK – The Indian Pacific: An epic train journey across Australia, from Perth to Sydney – Traveller – Sydney Morning Herald/Age
Other finalists:
Andrew Bain – Top-End Tassie – Outback magazine
Celeste Mitchell – Walking the Larapinta Trail, NT – Escape/News
Catherine Best – Walk on the dark side – Mahubay (Philippine Airlines)
8) BEST FOOD TRAVEL STORY
Sponsored by TOURISM NEW ZEALAND
WINNERS
PENNY WATSON – Sweet-toothed London – Traveller – Sydney Morning Herald/Age
CATHERINE MARSHALL – Palate of Persia – MiNDFOOD magazine
Other finalists:
Aleney de Winter – A taste of Cambodia – Escape
Mark Daffey – Flavour of the Month – Traveller – Sydney Morning Herald/Age
9) BEST INSTAGRAM PHOTO
Sponsored by BLUE MOUNTAINS BOTANIC GARDEN
WINNER
LYNN GAIL – Monkey face
Other finalists:
Dan Avila – Sunset Polar Bear
Laura Waters – Mt Taranaki
10) BEST RESPONSIBLE TOURISM STORY
Sponsored by INTREPID TRAVEL
WINNER
CAROLYN BEASLEY – Into the wild – Luxury Escapes magazine
Other finalists:
Catherine Marshall – A naturally kinder future – The Australian
Kerry van der Jagt – Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe safari: Seeing cheetahs in the wild – Traveller – Sydney Morning Herald/Age
11) BEST ADVENTURE STORY
Sponsored by G ADVENTURES
WINNER
CRAIG TANSLEY – Zimbabwe, Mana Pools: A game park where guests can walk among the wildlife – Traveller – Sydney Morning Herald/Age
Other finalists:
Steve Madgwick – The things I learned taking public transport the entire length of Africa – Adventure.com
Tracey Croke – There’s no war in the Wakhan – Adventure.com
12) BEST TOURISM ORGANISATION OR TRAVEL PRODUCT
Sponsored by ASTW
WINNER
TOURISM NEW ZEALAND
Other finalists:
Brand USA
Intrepid Travel
13) BEST CRUISE STORY
Sponsored by CRUISE LINES INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION (CLIA)
WINNER
CATHERINE MARSHALL – Troubled waters – Traveller – Sydney Morning Herald/Age
Other finalists:
Kate Armstrong – Natural Selections – The Weekend Australian
Maggy Oehlbeck – Sea Dreaming – World Magazine
Susan Gough Henly – La Belle France – International Traveller magazine
14) BEST INTERNATIONAL STORY OVER 1000 WORDS
Sponsored by ACCORHOTELS
WINNER
CATHERINE MARSHALL – On another planet with the apes – Traveller – Sydney Morning Herald/Age
Other finalists:
Craig Tansley – Ladakh, India Himalayas hiking: Sublime loneliness – Traveller – Sydney Morning Herald/Age
Roderick Eime – Find your rhythm in Cuba – Vacations & Travel magazine
15) BEST INTERNATIONAL STORY UNDER 1000 WORDS
Sponsored by INSURANCE COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA
WINNER
CATHERINE MARSHALL – Sound of silence – Australian Financial Review
Other finalists:
Dan Avila – Going to extremes – Signature Luxury Travel and Lifestyle
John Borthwick – Five pleasures of Patagonia – My Discoveries
Rob McFarland – The chorus from the canopy – Traveller – Sydney Morning Herald/Age
16) PR CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by SIGNATURE MEDIA
WINNER
INTREPID TRAVEL – Adventure Travel Index Campaign
Other finalists:
DC&A Worldwide – Destination Canada PR Content Campaign
Tourism New Zealand – #GETNZONTHEMAP campaign
PEPR – Hilton Destination Marketing Campaign – Australia and NZ
17) BEST TRADE AND TOURISM NEWS STORY
Sponsored by SCENIC
WINNER
HELEN HAYES – The rise of the family safari in Africa – Holidays with Kids magazine
Other finalists:
Christine Retschlag – Beautiful one day, bitcoin the next – Queensland Uncovered
Julie Miller – Hawaii’s Volcanoes National Park – Traveller – Sydney Morning Herald/Age
Kerry van der Jagt – Zimbabwe wildlife safari: Post-Mugabe Zimbabwe signals a new era of wildlife tourism – Traveller – Sydney Morning Herald/Age
18) BEST TRAVEL BLOG
Sponsored by TRAVEL WITHOUT LIMITS
WINNER
Aleney de Winter – BOYEATSWORLD
Other finalists:
Christine Retschlag – The Global Goddess
Fiona Harper – Travel Boating Lifestyle
19) BEST TRAVEL BLOG POST
Sponsored by TFE HOTELS
WINNER
HELEN HAYES – Aspen guide: Everything you need to know about Colorado’s glitziest ski town – 9Honey
Other finalists:
Aleney de Winter – Minneriya National Park – Ethical Elephant Attractions in Sri Lanka
Carrie Hutchinson – What it’s like spending the night in a Qashqai homestay on a women’s expedition in Iran – Intrepid Travel blog
20) BEST TRAVEL PHOTO
Sponsored by THAI AIRWAYS
WINNERS
MARK DAFFEY – Dolphin Delight – Australian Wooden Boat Festival
DAN AVILA – Greenland Warmth – Vacations & Travel
Other finalist:
Tracey Croke – The Afghanistan You Never See: Game of “Buzkashi” – Adventure.com
21) BEST TRAVEL BOOK
SPONSORED BY SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS
WINNER
BEN GROUNDWATER – Go Your Own Way: Hacks, Tips and Tricks to Travel the World Solo
Other finalists:
Lee Atkinson – Australia’s Best Nature Escapes
Melanie Ball – Top Walks in Tasmania
22) THE AWARD FOR RESPONSIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL PRACTICES
SPONSORED BY ‘TRAVEL TO CHANGE THE WORLD’
WINNER
THE TRAVEL CORPORATION
Other finalists:
Intrepid Travel
World Expeditions
