BGTW reveals top international tourism projects for 2019 and announces the best travel writers, photographers, bloggers and broadcasters

Walthamstow Wetlands in north London, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Experience in northern France, and a Black Lemur Camp in Madagascar have all been voted best tourism projects for 2019 by members of the British Guild of Travel Writers (BGTW).

The three projects came top in this year's BGTW International Tourism Awards, a scheme that recognises the best tourism projects in three categories: UK and Ireland, Europe, and the Wider World. 

The BGTW has also announced the winners of its 2019 Members' Excellence Awards, recognising excellence among travel writers, photographers, bloggers and broadcasters. 

The BGTW Writer of the Year, the top award given by the Guild, was won by Emma Thomson for travel features that have appeared in The Sunday Telegraph and National Geographic Traveller. 

Entries for the Members' Excellence Awards were judged by a panel of international travel professionals representing all areas of travel journalism.

Simon Willmore, Chairman of the BGTW, says: “The BGTW International Tourism Awards provide the opportunity for members to nominate the most innovave and important tourism projects they have visited over the last year that they believe deserve wider recognion. Our three winning tourism projects have a positive impact on the community and the environment. And in winning the award for BGTW Writer of the Year, Emma Thomson has demonstrated why travel writing plays an important role in telling a story, clearly, succinctly and with passion. This year's shortlists were testament to the breadth of the knowledge and experience offered by Guild members who produce the best of travel coverage featuring independence, insight and expertise.”

The winners were announced at the BGTW Annual Gala Awards Dinner held at The Savoy in central London on 3 November 2019. Headline sponsor for the event was Rocky Mountaineer.

A charity raffle in aid of the LATA Foundation, the Latin American Travel Association's charitable arm that works to support social and environmental projects throughout Latin America, raised £4590.00.

Full details of all the winners can be seen at bgtw.org/awards.

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Notes to editors:

Formed in 1960, and celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2020, the British Guild of Travel Writers is a community of accredited writers, photographers, and broadcasters; the trusted body for independent editorial comment and expert content on worldwide travel.

For more press information, contact Stuart Render, BGTW PR Director, on 07760 172773.

The 2019 winners are:

BGTW International Tourism Awards 2019

Best UK and Ireland Tourism Project

Winner: Walthamstow Wetlands

Highly Commended: Britain's Muslim Heritage Trails

V&A Dundee, Scotland's first design museum

Best Europe (non UK) Tourism Project

Winner: The CWGC Experience – Commonwealth War Graves Commission – Beaurains, Arras, France

Highly Commended: Bauhaus Museum Weimar – Weimar, Thuringia, Germany

Oodi – Helsinki Library, Finland

Best Wider World Tourism Project

Winner: Black Lemur Camp, Madagascar

Highly Commended: The Route of Parks of Patagonia, Chile

Zeitz MOCAA – Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa – Cape Town, Republic of South Africa

BGTW Members' Excellence Awards 2019

BGTW Writer of the Year - Emma Thomson

BGTW Photographer of the Year - James Rushforth

BGTW Broadcaster of the Year - Adrian Phillips

BGTW Blogger of the Year - Kirstie Pelling

Best Travel Guidebook – The Adele Evans Award - Hilary Bradt MBE 

Best Transport Feature – The Kenneth Westcott-Jones Award - Emma Thomson

Best Short-Read Travel Feature - Mike Unwin

Best Wider World Travel Feature - Jon Holmes

Best Europe (non-UK) Travel Feature - Adrian Phillips

Best UK and Ireland Travel Feature - James Stewart