goalkeeping hope: Travel Blogger Of The Year Announced

On Wednesday night the best in travel writing, photography and broadcasting were celebrated at the 4^th?British Travel Press Awards, held at RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) in London.

The event also marked the announcement of the new Travel Blogger of the year, which means that we have to say goodbye to the previous reigning blogger queen, Jayne Gorman (blog 40 before 30) and hello to Emily Chappell (That Emily Chappell) Britain?s new travel blogger of the year.

The audience included over 250 travel writers, journalists, broadcasters, photographers, editors and senior members of the UK travel industry.

Creators of the awards, Kingley Event Management recruited the services of a group of senior travel industry executives and senior travel editors to judge an overwhelming 500+ nominations and entries, ranging from national newspapers, consumer and trade titles, online travel titles, travel guide books and both television and radio programmes. Kingley?s Michael East said:

The media are hugely important to the travel industry, but until now not enough recognition has been given by the industry to the many exceptional writers and broadcasters who specialise in the sector.

Winners of the British Travel Press Awards 2012

The Outstanding Contribution Award: This award recognises two individuals who have achieved the utmost excellence in their contributions as travel writers, photographers or broadcasters judged by the leading figures in the world of PR and travel.

Simon Calder & Lyn Hughes

Travel Trade Writer of the Year: Katherine Lawrey, TTG

Consumer Travel Writer of the Year: ?Chris Leadbeater, freelance travel writer

Travel Blogger of the Year:?Emily Chappell, thatemilychappell.com

Young Travel Writer of the Year: Helen Warwick, National Geographic Traveller UK

Travel Trade Publication: TTG Luxury

Consumer Travel Publication: Sunday Times Travel Magazine

National Newspaper Travel Section of the Year: The Independent Traveller

Consumer Magazine Travel Section of the Year: Joint Winners ? Marie Claire & Stylist

Online Travel Trade Publication of the Year: Tnooz.com?

Online Consumer Travel Publication: Telegraph.co.uk/travel

Travel Broadcaster of the Year: Karen Bowerman

Guide Book of the Year: DK Family Guide to Washington, DC

Narrative Travel Book of the Year: The Voyages of the Princess Matilda by Shane Spall published by Ebury Press

Travel & Tourism Photography Award: Justin Foulkes, freelance travel photographer

Broadcast Travel Programme of the Year: 48hrs in Bermuda with Simon Calder on Independent.co.uk/travel

Travel Trade Feature of the Year: Mark Nicholls for Time Travel?published in HRG Journal On Business

National Consumer Travel Feature of the Year: Matt Bolton for The Tallinn Cables published in Lonely Planet

Regional Consumer Travel Feature of the Year:?Karen Bowerman for Winter Delights published in Cambridgeshire Agenda Magazine

Travel Editors Green Award of the Year: Explore Worldwide

The British Travel Press Awards (BTPA) reflect the travel industry?s view of travel writing, broadcasting and photography, each category being judged by three senior personnel from some of the leading travel businesses in the UK including: Carol Marlow, P&O Cruises; Ted Wake, Kirker Holidays; Matthew Crummack, lastminute.com; Simon Johnson, P&O Ferries; Julia Kemp, Avis; Allan Lambert, Bourne Leisure; Hugh Morgan, Monarch Travel Group; Peter Shanks, Cunard Line; John Bevan, VoyagePrive; Tony Seaman, Attraction World; Maria Whiteman, Directline Holidays; Diane Bouzebiba, Amadeus; Alison Copus, TripAdvisor; Rob Grover, Expedia; John McEwan, Advantage Travel Centres; Richard Tams, British Airways; John Wimbleton, TUI; Derek Jones, Kuoni; Paul Simmons, easyJet; Lol Nichols, Fred Olsen Cruise Line; Steve Byrne, Travel Counsellors; Steve Odell, Silversea Cruises; Denis Wormwell, Shearings Group; Roger Allard, All Leisure; Geoff Cowley, Hoseasons Group; Peter Traynor, Collette Worldwide Holidays.

In the case of the Travel Blogger Award this category was judged by Jeremy Ellis, Marketing Director of TUI, Susan Hooper, CEO of Acromas, (owners of Saga and the AA) and Darren Neylon Sales Director, Superbreak.

Each category has 5 finalists. For the travel bloggers category, they were: Victoria Brewood, Emily Chappell, Gavin Haines, Chris Leadbeter and Iain Mallory.

Emily Chappell won for her blog relating to her cycling around the world with the judges commenting that they ?greatly admired the fantastic writing of Emily?s deeply personal travelogue of cycling around the world. Hugely inspiring, insightful and highly entertaining? were just some of the words used by the judges in describing this blog.

The BTPA?s are open to entry from any travel writer, no need to be a member of a Guild or Association; in the case of the blogging category the only criteria was that the blogger must have had a minimum of 12 months regular travel writing to be considered for the award.

Giles Harper, Commercial Director for the BTPA, doesn?t see any category changes in the pipeline:

We review all categories annually but at the moment have no plans to add any additional blogging awards to the event.

Principal sponsors for the awards were:?Canadian Tourism Commission, Affordable Car Hire and Attraction World. Award category sponsors were LAX Tourism & Los Angeles World Airports, World Travel Market, Peregrine Adventures and Palladium Hotel Group.

Image: Bigstock/mandygodbehear