LONDON (11 November) — The shortlist has been announced for the inaugural National Geographic Traveller Reader Awards 2015, in association with Qatar Tourism Authority. Readers of one of the UK’s best-loved travel magazines voted for their favourite destination, airline, tour operator and more, with the winners announced during a ceremony in London this November and in the Jan/Feb issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).

Pat Riddell, editor of National Geographic Traveller (UK), said: “These inaugural awards were the ideal platform for readers to air their views, have their say and let us know what they relish about travel the most. We’re excited to see the results and look forward to celebrating with the category winners this month. A big thanks to all those who put forward their views and also to all our sponsors who have made this happen in our first event of this kind.”

Those who entered were rewarded with the opportunity to win a number of fabulous prizes including a seven-night escape to Morocco, courtesy of Rickshaw Travel; a week’s winter luxury trip to France, courtesy of AliKats Mountain Holidays; and a long UK weekend, courtesy of Natural Retreats. Twenty National Geographic Traveller (UK) subscriptions and four Amazon Kindles were also up for grabs.

2015 Reader Awards shortlist:

SHORT-HAUL CITY
Barcelona
Paris
Rome

SHORT-HAUL COUNTRY
France
Italy
Spain

SHORT-HAUL AIRLINE
British Airways
easyJet
Ryanair

LONG-HAUL CITY
San Francisco
Sydney
New York

LONG-HAUL COUNTRY
Australia
USA
New Zealand

LONG-HAUL AIRLINE
Virgin Atlantic
British Airways
Emirates

OVERSEAS HOTEL GROUP
Mandarin Oriental
Hilton
Marriott International

UK HOTEL GROUP
Hilton
Premier Inn
Radisson Blu

OVERSEAS ATTRACTION
Grand Canyon
Great Barrier Reef
Machu Picchu

UK ATTRACTION
Edinburgh Castle
Stonehenge
Tower of London

TOUR OPERATOR
Thomas Cook
Thomson
Virgin Holidays

TV PROGRAMME
Caribbean with Simon Reeve
Italy Unpacked
The Mekong River with Sue Perkins

BOOK
Humans of New York
National Geographic: Around the World in 125 Years
National Geographic: World’s Best Cities

DIGITAL
Airbnb
Skyscanner
TripAdvisor

GREEN
High Line
See Turtles
The Eden Project

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO TRAVEL
To be announced

Sponsors of the National Geographic Traveller Reader Awards 2015 are:

Qatar Tourism Authority
Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) works with stakeholders to promote the development of a sustainable and mature tourism sector, positioning the country as a leading tourism destination. qatartourism.gov.qa

G Adventures
G Adventures’ sustainable approach to small-group travel means the tour operator gives back wherever it goes. With eight travel styles on seven continents, G Adventures has a life-changing experience for everyone. gadventures.co.uk

Philippines Department of Tourism / Philippine Airlines
The tourism promotions board and the flag carrier of the Philippines have teamed up to sponsor the Reader Awards 2015. itsmorefuninthephilippines.com / philippineairlines.com

Feefo
The global feedback engine is an award-winning consumer ratings and reviews platform. Offering a comprehensive solution that harnesses the power of customer reviews, using Feefo can enhance your online visibility, grow sales conversions and provide valuable customer insight. feefo.com

Exodus Travels
For over 40 years, Exodus Travels has been creating the best activity and adventure holidays on the planet, offering more than 450 trips to over 90 countries. exodus.co.uk

Swhype
Swhype is a creative motion agency based in London. They work with their clients to create film, motion graphics and original content for broadcast, digital and tablet. swhype.com

Franciacorta
Franciacorta signifies three things: the undiscovered region in the Northern Italian lakes, the production method and the wine. Franciacorta sparkling wines are arresting yet elegant, reflecting timeless and distinctive Italian style. franciacortawines.com

For more information, please visit natgeotraveller.co.uk/readerawards

 

Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/NatGeoTraveller
Twitter: twitter.com/NatGeoTraveller
Google+: google.com/+NatGeoTraveller
Pinterest: pinterest.com/NatGeoTraveller
Instagram: instagram.com/NatGeoTraveller

 

---

NOTES

National Geographic Traveller (UK) is published under license by APL Media, from the National Geographic Society in Washington, D.C. It became the 15^th local-language edition when it was launched in December 2010. The magazine is also available in China, Spain, Russia, the Netherlands, Israel, Poland, Latin America, Armenia, Czech Republic, Croatia, Indonesia, Romania and South Africa. The 180-page travel and lifestyle magazine is packed full of you-are-there photography, authentic travel experiences and inspiring narratives. natgeotraveller.co.uk

National Geographic Traveler (USA) is the world’s most widely read travel magazine, created in 1984. It championed sustainable travel before it was cool and, eight times annually, celebrates journeys that are about place, experience, culture, authenticity, living like the locals and great photography. It makes a distinction between tourism and travel and stresses inquisitive, not acquisitive, trips. It employs storytelling and outstanding photography to inspire readers to pick up and go, eschewing fashion and fluff in favour of articles that offer a strong sense of place, inspiring narratives that make readers take trips, and solid service information to help them plan those trips.

The National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest non-profit scientific and educational organisations. Founded in 1888 to “increase and diffuse geographic knowledge,” the member-supported Society’s mission is to inspire people to care about the planet. Through its online community members can get closer to explorers and photographers, connect with other members around the world and help make a difference. National Geographic reflects the world through its magazines, television programs, films, books, DVDs, radio, maps, exhibitions, live events, school publishing programs, interactive media and merchandise. National Geographic magazine, the Society’s official journal, published in English and 39 local-language editions, is read by more than 60 million people each month. The National Geographic Channel reaches 440 million households in 171 countries in 48 languages. National Geographic Digital Media receives more than 27 million visitors a month. National Geographic has funded more than 10,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education programme promoting geography literacy. For more information, visit nationalgeographic.com

 

---

CONTACT

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_2″ spacing=”yes” last=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding=”” class=”” id=””]

For Editorial Enquiries:
Tel: +44 (0)20 7253 9906
[email protected]

Pat Riddell, Editor
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7253 9906
[email protected]

Maria Pieri, Editorial Director
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7253 9906
[email protected][/fusion_builder_column] [fusion_builder_column type=”1_2″ spacing=”yes” last=”yes” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding=”” class=”” id=””]

Matthew Jackson, Managing Director
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7253 9009
[email protected]

Anthony Leyens, CEO
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7253 9009
[email protected][/fusion_builder_column]

 [/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]