Travel Play Live is thrilled to announce the worthy winners in the inaugural Travel Play Live Readers' Choice Awards 2021. Readers voted for their favourite travel, lifestyle, wellness and adventure operators and destinations across Australia and around the globe. During a time when the travel and tourism industry is challenged globally by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Travel Play Live continues to support the industry as these Awards showcase the best of the best.

“The women's travel, adventure and lifestyle market is an increasingly significant segment showing exponential growth, despite the pandemic,” publisher Elisa Elwin says. “Travel Play Live aims to build, empower and inspire a healthy, active community of women. Our inaugural Readers' Choice Awards provide an invaluable opportunity for readers to have their say about interests that are close to their hearts. It's also our way of highlighting and showcasing those destinations and tourism operators who excel in their respective fields.”

“It's particularly important, during these challenging times for the travel and tourism industry, that we gain an insight into emerging trends in the women's soft adventure, lifestyle, wellness and travel market. The Readers' Choice Awards enable us to discover important information about our readers' interests along with emerging trends in this influential market,” says Ms Elwin.

Votes have been tallied across a substantial female-centric audience in 27 travel, lifestyle, wellness and adventure categories and we are excited to announce the winners!

It came as no surprise that Hiking was voted as readers' Favourite Adventure Activity, while the Blue Mountains emerged as the Best Day Hike – Australia and the Larapinta Trail came up trumps as the Best Multi-Day Hike – Australia. Other Australian winners were Paperbark Camp, Jervis Bay for Best Lodge, Hotel or Glamping, Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat for Best Day Spa or Wellness Retreat and Gay'Wu – The Dilly Bag Tour for Women by Lirrwi Tourism claimed the podium for Best Indigenous Travel Experience – Australia. Queensland featured when it came to outdoor activities with Fraser Island voted the Best Camping Spot – Australia and snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef was named the Best Water Activity. Life's an Adventure claimed top spot for Best Adventure, Walking or Women's Tour – Australia.

New Zealand was a clear favourite for international hiking categories with Tongariro Crossing as the Best Day Hike - International and Abel Tasman National Park for Best Multi-Day Hike - International. Japan was voted Best Destination for Cultural Immersion – International, Italy claimed top spot for Dream Escape Destination and Kamalaya Koh Samui Thailand took out Best Day Spa or Wellness Retreat – International.

Wild Women on Top, Intrepid, World Expeditions and BIG4 Holiday Parks proved popular with active, outdoorsy women readers, with each company taking top spot in their respective categories.

Read the full list of winners in the Travel Play Live Readers' Choice Awards 2021 below and on the website travelplaylive.com.au

BEST DAY SPA OR WELLNESS RETREAT – AUSTRALIA
Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat, Tallebudgera Valley QLD

BEST DAY SPA OR WELLNESS RETREAT – INTERNATIONAL
Kamalaya Koh Samui, Thailand

BEST LODGE, HOTEL OR GLAMPING – AUSTRALIA
Paperbark Camp, Jervis Bay NSW

BEST LODGE, HOTEL OR GLAMPING – INTERNATIONAL
Huka Lodge, New Zealand

BEST FOOD & WINE REGION – AUSTRALIA
Hunter Valley, NSW

BEST ADVENTURE, WALKING OR WOMEN'S TOUR – AUSTRALIA

Life's an Adventure

BEST ADVENTURE, WALKING OR WOMEN'S TOUR OPERATOR – INTERNATIONAL
Wild Women on Top

BEST VOLUNTOURISM EXPERIENCE
Coastrek by Wild Women on Top

BEST SUSTAINABLE ADVENTURE OR TOURISM COMPANY
Intrepid

MOST INSPIRING WOMAN WORKING IN ADVENTURE OR TOURISM
Di Westaway from Wild Women on Top

BEST INDIGENOUS TRAVEL EXPERIENCE – AUSTRALIA
Gay'Wu – The Dilly Bag Tour for Women – Lirriwi Tourism

BEST DESTINATION FOR CULTURAL IMMERSION – INTERNATIONAL
Japan

BEST DESTINATION FOR ADVENTURE TRAVEL – INTERNATIONAL
New Zealand

BEST DAY HIKE – AUSTRALIA
Blue Mountains, NSW

BEST DAY HIKE – INTERNATIONAL
Tongariro Crossing, New Zealand

BEST MULTI-DAY HIKE AUSTRALIA
Larapinta Trail, NT

BEST MULTI-DAY HIKE – INTERNATIONAL
Abel Taman National Park, New Zealand

BEST CAMPING SPOT – AUSTRALIA
Fraser Island, QLD

BEST HOLIDAY PARK – AUSTRALIA
BIG4 Holiday Parks

BEST OUTDOORS OR WILDERNESS ADVENTURE – AUSTRALIA
Cradle Mountain Overland Track, Tasmania

BEST ADVENTURE TRAVEL PRODUCT OR SUPPLIER
World Expeditions

BEST EXPEDITION CRUISE LINE
Silversea Cruises

BEST WATER ACTIVITY
Snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef, QLD

BEST DESTINATION FOR GIRLS GETAWAY
Dual winners: Noosa and Melbourne

DREAM ESCAPE DESTINATION
Italy

FAVOURITE ADVENTURE ACTIVITY
Hiking

BEST DESTINATION OR COMPANY FOR SOLO TRAVELLERS
Intrepid

Media contact:

Elisa Elwin

Elwin Media Pty. Ltd.

Publisher | Travel Play Live

W: travelplaylive.com.au

M: +61 413 770 550

E: elisa@travelplaylive.com.au 

Travel Play Live is the only Australian travel and lifestyle magazine written entirely by women for women. Travel Play Live is built upon a community of active women interested in adventure travel, sustainable tourism, luxury lodges, glamping, wellness and expedition cruising. The biannual magazine, website and social media inspire readers with personal, meaningful stories about active, intrepid women, experiential travel and soft adventure. Additionally, readers are kept informed about new and sustainable tours, expeditions cruises, high-end accommodation offerings, wellness and outdoor experiences of interest to like-minded women.