Before the start of our autumn calendar of events, we take a look back at the digital events, online discussions and webinars our team worked on during the first half of the year.

Travel Media Awards 2020
On 25 January, the Travel Media Awards held an online event, attended by representatives of the UK’s top travel media, to announce its 2020 winners. In addition to 22 category prizes, awarded to publications, broadcasters, journalists and photographers, the annual Special Contribution Award was handed to adventurer Levison Wood in recognition of his exceptional work in the world of travel. The event also acknowledged three Travel Media Champions, who raised awareness of the challenges faced by the industry throughout the Covid-19 crisis.

Head here for more information on the 2020 winners, or visit travelmediaawards.com to learn more about the annual event. As the Travel Media Awards judges deliberate on the 2021 entries, we’ve been sharing a Q&A series with past winners on the news section of our website.

Travel Geeks — mountains, moonshine and barbecue
On 9 March, National Geographic Traveller (UK) and Visit North Carolina hosted an event about the south-eastern US state. An expert panel joined National Geographic Traveller contributing editor Jo Fletcher-Cross to talk about subjects as diverse as bluegrass music, wild horses, family adventures, farm-to-table eating and craft beer.

Head here to watch the full discussion, or click here to read five takeaways.

Travel Geeks — exploring rural Japan
For another event in its Travel Geeks series, National Geographic Traveller teamed up with the Japan National Tourism Organization. On 23 March, assistant editor Farida Zeynalova moderated a discussion on the adventures to be had beyond the country’s classic ‘golden route’, especially in the remote Tohoku region.

Head here for the whole event, or here for seven highlights.

National Geographic Traveller The Masterclasses online
National Geographic Traveller brought back its annual Masterclasses — in-depth lectures and workshops to illuminate the art of travel writing and photography — from 19-21 April, with a series of online courses. A total of six sessions brought together industry figures, including the magazine’s senior editors, art directors, contributors and photographers, as well as brand ambassadors to share tips. 

Click here, here and here to discover some of the tips shared by the experts. 

Travel Geeks — cities, culture and cuisine of Italy
On 27 April, National Geographic Traveller hosted another Travel Geeks event with Citalia to help the audience discover lesser-known sides to the much-loved country. National Geographic Traveller commissioning editor Connor McGovern moderated a discussion with a panel of experts, touching on Italy’s foods, wines, festivals and more.

Watch the full discussion on the National Geographic Traveller Facebook page or click here for some takeaways.

Travel Geeks — adventure, cities and natural icons in Australia’s Northern Territories
On May 11, another digital National Geographic Traveller Travel Geeks event, this time sponsored by Tourism NT, saw a panel of experts come together to discuss how best to explore this Australian region, from its landscapes and cities to its culture and food.

Here‘s the full discussion, while here are seven key takeaways.

National Geographic Traveller event on South Australian wines
On 1 June, during an event sponsored by the South Australian Tourism Commission, wine expert Olly Smith and a wine-loving panel discussed the people, food, drink and landscapes that make Adelaide an inspirational destination. Since the event included wine tasting, a list of detailed tasting notes was sent to viewers in advance. A limited number of VIP tickets, which included a tasting box with six wines and gave exclusive access to a 30-minute Q&A with the panel, was also available.

Here you can watch the first, free section of the event, while here you’ll find seven takeaways.

Head here to take a look ahead at our upcoming events.

If your destination or company is interested in partnering on a future online event, we’d love to discuss any ideas you might have, or help you come up with the best way we can work together. Contact [email protected] or call 020 7253 9909.