The Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO) has announced the short list for its prestigious annual AITO Travel Writer of the Year awards. The five award categories – Travel Writer of the Year (Over 1,500 words), Travel Writer of the Year (Under 1,500 words), Young Travel Writer of the Year, Travel Trade Writer of the Year and the Travel Blogger of the Year – were shortlisted from a total of 240 entries, which is the highest number received since the awards started in 1997.

To find out who has been shortlisted, please click here.

The winners will be announced, and the awards presented, at this year's AITO Meets the Media event, held between 3pm and 6pm on Tuesday 18 October at Central Hall, Westminster. If you would like to attend, please RSVP to events@travelpr.co.uk by 6pm on Friday 7 October 2016.  

Bona fide journalists who have not yet received an invitation to attend AITO's Meet the Media event are welcome to apply for an invitation, quoting their usual outlets and interests, by emailing events@travelpr.co.uk.

Thank you to everyone who entered the AITO Travel Writer of the Year awards.  Entries were of an extremely high standard, and the competition for places on the short list was more intense than ever. Good luck to those shortlisted!

For further information, visit www.aito.com.

For Twitter, please use the hashtag #AITOAwards16.

Ends/ 16 September 2016

Press:  For further information on AITO, please contact Travel PR on 020 8891 4440 or email Rebecca Milne (r.milne@travelpr.co.uk) or Sue Ockwell (s.ockwell@travelpr.co.uk).