(Tue 12 May 2020) The GTMA is an alliance, formed in 2018, of the world's leading English-language professional travel media associations - The SATW in North America, the ASTW in Australia, and the BGTW in the UK.

These are the inaugural GTMA awards, open to professional travel writers, photographers and PRs who are members of the three organisations.  

There were eight* Finalists for the Travel Writer category, five Finalists for the Travel Photographer category and four Finalists for the Travel Communicator (PR) category - NB. The BGTW does not have PR members.

The nine independent judges, three for each award from each region, gave their highest scores to the following Winners.

2020 GTMA Global Travel Writer – sponsored by Accor Hotels

Winner

Jessica Vincent - BGTW

Judges praised Jessica for going “below the surface.”  with a portfolio that included “three rather different and unusual topics – ahuautle, the Mexican insect egg dish; Mayan writing and books; and a Belizean Garifuna drum maker.”

Jessica wins a 5-night stay for two at the newly refurbished Raffles Hotel in Singapore, one of the world's most famous hotels! The prize includes dinner for two at Le Dame de Pic, lunch for two at BBR By Alain Ducasse, high tea in the Grand Lobby and dinner at Yi by Jereme Leung, also spa treatment at the new Raffles Spa and breakfasts daily. Valued at up to US$15,000.  PLUS US $1,000 cash to help with travel expenses!

    2020 GTMA Global Travel Photographer – sponsored by Abercrombie & Kent

Winner

James Rushforth - BGTW

Our judges commended James' winning portfolio for representing “A high level of technical expertise, coupled with amazing vistas captured at the perfect time.”  And, “This portfolio best met the brief in terms of creating a sense of wanderlust.  The photographer used natural lighting and clouds to frame subjects and create a lovely sense of majesty in the scenery.”

James wins a 15-day Arctic cruise for two aboard the luxurious, all-balcony 'Le Boreal', sponsored by Abercrombie & Kent. The winner & partner will journey in search of the polar bear — from Oslo, Norway to the Svalbard Islands, and from the remote east coast of Greenland on to the West Fjords of Iceland — in the company of A&K's award-winning Expedition Team.  Valued at up to US$33,000... PLUS US $1,000 expenses!

    2020 GTMA Global Travel Communicator – Sponsored by TravMedia

Winner

Gaynor Reid  - ASTW

Our judges said the Wintervention campaign was “a creative idea with strong execution, and the 66 percent year-on-year increase in bookings represents a great result!  It was a fun and highly effective campaign by the Accor communications team that achieved its objectives on a modest budget.”

Gaynor wins an extremely useful US $5,000 Apple Gift Card given by Travmedia.com.

The GTMA offers its huge congratulations to our three winners!

For more details check the GTMA website or contact:

Alastair McKenzie

a@alastairmckenzie.com

Barbara Ramsay Orr

barbara.orr@gmail.com

Danielle Lancaster

info@blue-dog.com.au

* Finalists are chosen from the six highest scores awarded by judges for the Photography & Writer categories and four highest for the Communicator category. In the photography category one entrant had two of the six highest entries. In the Writer category, three entrants shared the same score.

Image - One of James Rushforth's winning photographs, of mountain peaks in the Dolomites. Credited use for editorial purposes only.