Australian Society of Travel Writers Announce the Finalists for the 2019 Awards for Excellence
The Australian Society of Travel Writers (ASTW) is proud to announce the finalists for the 2019 Awards of Excellence.
“We had a record-breaking amount of entries this year”, said President of the ASTW, Helen Hayes. “Based on feedback from our members, we have also added a number of new categories to cater for the diversity of our members and the travel media industry.”
In announcing the finalists, Ms Hayes also acknowledged the support of sponsors and judges.
“We would like to thank each and every one of our sponsors – without them, we have no awards. In particular for those sponsors who continue to support us year on year.
“We would also like to thank the judges. We have three independent judges for each category, all of whom are industry leaders hailing from the USA, UK, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Canada, Singapore and Australia”, she said
The winners will be announced at the 2019 Awards for Excellence, to be held at the Tanks Art Centre, Cairns, on 19 October.
The full list of finalists is below.
For media information contact ASTW PR representatives:
Saskia Baker on 0407 752 813 or saskia@smbcommunications.com.au
Mandy Dwyer on 0417 133 374 or Mandy.Dwyer@scenic.com.au
For more information on the ASTW or to become a member visit www.astw.org.au
FULL LIST OF FINALISTS
1) ASTW TRAVEL WRITER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by VISIT USA AUSTRALIA
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
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
2) ASTW PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by ABERCROMBIE & KENT
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
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
Laura Speirs – Glasgow
Jodi Clark – TFE Hotels/Tourism NT
Kate Parker – Intrepid Travel
Shelley Winkel – Tourism and Events Queensland
4) BEST STORY ABOUT AGM HOST DESTINATION 2018 – BANGKOK, THAILAND
Sponsored by TOURISM AUTHORITY OF THAILAND
Mary O’Brien – Smooth operator – Australian Financial Review
Danielle Lancaster – Shades of Thailand – Vacations & Travel magazine
Flip Byrnes – The Sanctuary – Fernwood magazine
5) BEST FAMILY TRAVEL STORY
Sponsored by JANEECE KELLER
Aleney de Winter – Sugar & spice and all things nice – Holidays with Kids magazine
Dani Wright – Snowshoe to fondue – Escape/News Ltd
Flip Byrnes – Finding Aladdin – Holidays with Kids magazine
6) BEST AUSTRALIAN STORY UNDER 1000 WORDS
Sponsored by TOURISM AUSTRALIA
John Borthwick – Iron Horse Trek Is One Helluva Ride – The West Australian
Michelle Hespe – All Shook Up – True Blue magazine
Sarah Reid – What’s it like to swim into the world’s weirdest underwater orgy? – Adventure.com
7) BEST AUSTRALIAN STORY OVER 1000 WORDS
Sponsored by TOURISM AUSTRALIA
Andrew Bain – Top-End Tassie – Outback magazine
John Borthwick – The Indian Pacific: An epic train journey across Australia, from Perth to Sydney – Traveller – Sydney Morning Herald/Age
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
Aleney de Winter – A taste of Cambodia – Escape
Catherine Marshall – Palate of Persia – MiNDFOOD magazine
Mark Daffey – Flavour of the Month – Traveller – Sydney Morning Herald/Age
Penny Watson – Sweet-toothed London – Traveller – Sydney Morning Herald/Age
9) BEST INSTAGRAM PHOTO
Sponsored by BLUE MOUNTAINS BOTANIC GARDEN
Dan Avila – Sunset Polar Bear
Laura Waters – Mt Taranaki
Lynn Gail – Monkey face
10) BEST RESPONSIBLE TOURISM STORY
Sponsored by INTREPID TRAVEL
Carolyn Beasley – Into the wild – Luxury Escapes magazine
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
Craig Tansley – Zimbabwe, Mana Pools: A game park where guests can walk among the wildlife – Traveller – Sydney Morning Herald/Age
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
Brand USA
Intrepid Travel
Tourism New Zealand
13) BEST CRUISE STORY
Sponsored by CRUISE LINES INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION (CLIA)
Catherine Marshall – Troubled waters – Traveller – Sydney Morning Herald/Age
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 CORRECT 2019
Sponsored by ACCORHOTELS
Catherine Marshall – On another planet with the apes – Traveller – Sydney Morning Herald/Age
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
Catherine Marshall – Sound of silence – Australian Financial Review
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
DC&A Worldwide – Destination Canada PR Content Campaign
Intrepid Travel – Adventure Travel Index Campaign
Tourism New Zealand – #GETNZONTHEMAP campaign
PEPR – Hilton Destination Marketing Campaign – Australia and NZ
17) BEST TRADE AND TOURISM NEWS STORY
Sponsored by SCENIC
Christine Retschlag – Beautiful one day, bitcoin the next – Queensland Uncovered
Helen Hayes – The rise of the family safari in Africa – Holidays with Kids magazine
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
Aleney de Winter – BoyEatsWorld
Christine Retschlag – The Global Goddess
Fiona Harper – Travel Boating Lifestyle
19) BEST TRAVEL BLOG POST
Sponsored by TFE HOTELS
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
Helen Hayes – Aspen guide: Everything you need to know about Colorado’s glitziest ski town – 9Honey
20) BEST TRAVEL PHOTO
Sponsored by THAI AIRWAYS
Dan Avila – Greenland warmth – Vacations & Travel
Mark Daffey – Dolphin delight – Australian Wooden Boat Festival
Tracey Croke – The Afghanistan You Never See: Game of “Buzkashi” – Adventure.com
21) BEST TRAVEL BOOK
SPONSORED BY SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS
Lee Atkinson – Australia’s Best Nature Escapes
Melanie Ball – Top Walks in Tasmania
Ben Groundwater – Go Your Own Way: Hacks, Tips and Tricks to Travel the World Solo
22) THE AWARD FOR RESPONSIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL PRACTICES
SPONSORED BY KARRYON & ‘TRAVEL TO CHANGE THE WORLD’
Travel Corporation
Intrepid Travel
World Expeditions
