The annual British Guild of Travel Writers (BGTW) Annual Gala Awards Dinner (AGAD) took place on Sunday, 5 November at the Middle Temple Hall in London. A spectacular event it proved that the quality of travel writing, broadcasting, blogging and photography within the Guild is at an all-time high.

The traditional gala event on the eve of the World Travel Market was sponsored by Explore Charleston and Discover South Carolina. Guests enjoyed a Champagne reception sponsored by New Orleans & Company and three-course sit down dinner with excellent wines sponsored by Essential Costa Rica in lavish surroundings. With music and surprise entertainment in the form of singing waiters as well as the annual BGTW awards, the AGAD was undoubtedly a resounding success.

Commenting on the event, Stuart Render, BGTW Joint Chair, said: “The BGTW Annual Gala Awards Dinner has long been regarded as one of the most important events in the travel media calendar. This year, with more than 200 guests coming together in the spectacular surroundings of Middle Temple Hall in the City of London, we provided a much-needed opportunity for networking, great food and great entertainment. I would like to thank everyone who supported the event and congratulate the winners of our prestigious BGTW International Tourism Awards and Members' Excellence Awards. It truly was a night to remember!"

Fellow BGTW Joint-Chair Sarah Siese added, “We just couldn't have held such a spectacular event without the support of our all amazing partners, including headline sponsors Explore Charleston and Discover South Carolina. I would also like to thank all the members of our wonderful board who helped realise this dream.”

Doug Warner, Executive Vice President of Explore Charleston, said “We are honoured to have partnered with the BGTW to recognise the many achievements of their members. Travel brings us together, and opens our hearts and our minds to the world.”

Some £3,570 was raised for the BGTW official charity, Charitable Travel Fund.

The AGAD was not just about members and Guild guests having a good time. There was also the serious business of handing out the BGTW's auspicious awards.

Sponsored by Sri Lanka Tourism, the BGTW International Tourism Awards (ITA), recognises excellence in tourism projects. The BGTW Members' Excellence Awards, sponsored by Visit San Antonio, recognises the excellence of the Guild's more than 200 members, in a series of categories.

Big winners on the night were the Dundreggan Rewilding Centre, Glenmoriston, in Inverness which scooped the Best UK and Ireland Tourism Project; FLUGT – Refugee Museum of Denmark, Oksbøl, Denmark, which won the Best Europe Tourism Project; and The Pekoe Trail, Sri Lanka, which carried off the Best Wider World Tourism Project

As for the BGTW Members' Excellence Awards, Adrian Phillips took off possibly the most prestigious award of the night, the BGTW Travel Writer of the Year partnered by Visit Scotland; Bella Falk was acclaimed as the BGTW Travel Blogger of the Year, partnered with Tootbus; Aaron Millar was announced as the BGTW Travel Broadcaster of the Year, partnered with Visit Isle of Wight; and James Rushforth was the BGTW Photographer of the Year, partnered with Visit Isle of Man. (For a full list of winners on the night see below).

However, the real winners of the night were the travel and tourism industry in general and the British Guild of Travel Writers specifically for what was a most wonderful night.

As Surinder Manku 5F Marketing for Visit Houston said, “The BGTW Annual Awards – what a great event and fabulous venue! Thank you.”

BGTW Members' Excellence Awards Winners

The winners of the MEAs were:

Simon Parker: Travel Feature of the Year (UK), partnered with Essential Costa Rica.

Adrian Phillips: Travel Feature of the Year – Europe, partnered with Gran Canaria, while Nigel Tisdall was highly commended (HC).

Jessica Vincent: Travel Feature of the Year – Wider World, partnered with Visit Alabama.

Ben Lerwill: Travel Feature of the Year – regional, specialist and trade media, partnered with Gran Canaria, Kerry Walker (HC).

Penny Watson: Sustainability Feature of the Year, which was a new category partnered with Sustainable Journeys.

Ben Lerwill: Specialist Travel Feature of the Year – the Bryn Frank Award, partnered with Tourism Nova Scotia. Anna Richards (HC).

Simon Urwin: Transport Feature of the Year – The Kenneth Westcott-Jones Award, partnered with DFDS.

Caroline Mills: Travel Guide Book of the Year, partnered with Explore Charleston.

Mary Novakovich: Travel Narrative Book of the Year – The Adele Evans Award, partnered with ANTOR.

Rudolf Abraham: Travel Photo Feature of the Year, partnered with Meet Boston.

Bella Falk: Travel Blog Post of the Year, partnered with Tourism Seychelles.

Jonathan Thompson: Travel Broadcast of the Year, partnered with Visit Houston.

Bella Falk: BGTW Travel Blogger of the Year, partnered with Tootbus.

Aaron Millar: BGTW Travel Broadcaster of the Year, partnered with Visit Isle of Wight.

James Rushforth: BGTW Photographer of the Year, partnered with Visit Isle of Man.

Adrian Phillips: BGTW Travel Writer of the Year, partnered with Visit Scotland, with Jessica Vincent (HC).

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For further information on the BGTW Annual Gala Awards Dinner, including access to photographs of the event, or to arrange interviews with any of the projects or BGTW members nominated for the awards, please email the BGTW Director of Communications, Mark Bibby Jackson at mark.jackson@bgtw.org.

For social media enquiries please contact the BGTW Deputy Chair Sarah Lee at sarah.lee@bgtw.org.

Sarah Siese and Stuart Render (Joint Chair of BGTW) are available for interview at sarah.seise@bgtw.org and stuart.render@bgtw.org respectively.

The British Guild of Travel Writers (BGTW) is a community of accredited writers, photographers, bloggers and broadcasters; the trusted body for independent editorial comment and expert content on worldwide travel. For further information email: charlotte.copeman@bgtw.org.

Photo: Receiving the award for 'BGTW Travel Writer of the Year' is Adrian Phillips with Erin Hickey (left) and Rachel Holloway (third from left) from award partner Visit Scotland, and Sarah Siese, BGTW Joint Chair.