Following a highly competitive application and interview process, the five successful candidates for the Travel Media Awards Step Up 2026 internship have now been selected. 

Each candidate stood out for their passionate interest, smart ideas and clear potential for building a career in the travel media industry. 

Let’s meet this year’s interns: 

Ayşe Avan will intern at Food and Travel and Kuoni 

Ayse is a recent English and film graduate with a strong passion for storytelling, adventure and travel content. While studying abroad in Seoul, she developed a deeper interest in travel media and digital marketing, becoming fascinated by how content shapes the way we experience new places. Alongside her studies, Ayse worked on the editorial team at Tenter Hook magazine, where she gained hands-on experience in publishing and collaboration.  

Dharshinee Krishna Naidu will intern at The Sun and FINN Partners 

Dharshinee moved to the UK from Malaysia when she was seven years old and is a recent law graduate from the University of Westminster, with an interest in how storytelling can capture authentic experiences while engaging respectfully with different perspectives and cultures. She’s recently been backpacking in Southeast Asia, the Americas and Scandinavia and has always been motivated to explore new places, meet new people and try new foods.   

Kavarna Spence will intern at TTG Media and Virgin Atlantic 

Kavarna is a journalism graduate from the University of the Arts London. Being surrounded by a diverse group of peers exposed her to many different cultures, solidifying her passion for travel. She’s passionate about exploring the intersectionality of popular culture and social issues and has a self-produced podcast called Talkshow, for which she produced an audio feature story on AI integrating into the tarot space.  

Nasreen Gordon will intern at Intrepid Travel and Living360 

Nasreen is an aspiring travel media journalist from South London of Somali and Irish descent. She’s a politics graduate and has since worked for a feminist charity in public affairs and communications. Growing up, Nasreen visited family in Kenya, which shaped her perspective on culture, identity and inequality, and sparked her interest in using travel as a tool for storytelling and understanding. 

Rutalee Buch will intern at APL Media and easyJet holidays 

Graduating this summer with an English and film studies degree from King’s College London, Rutalee has developed a passion for journalism and is currently a staff writer for the wellness section of student magazine, HerCampus. She grew up in England and Oman, spent summers in India and is a regular theatregoer. She’s keen to explore how different cultures and arts can be brought together in the travel industry.   

They will now go on to complete an eight-week paid internship, working across two partner organisations and gaining hands-on experience in editorial, PR and marketing. The programme also includes mentoring, networking opportunities and industry exposure to support their next steps. 

TMA Step Up applications for 2027 open later this year. Information will be posted on the TMA Step Up home page: Travel Media Awards 2026 – Step Up Homepage 

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About APL Media 
APL Media is a multi-award-winning content marketing agency and publisher, creating high-quality print, digital and live media across the travel and lifestyle sectors since 1997. It has published National Geographic Traveller (UK) under licence from National Geographic Partners LLC since 2010, alongside brand extensions including guides, events and digital platforms. Its portfolio includes Living360, a digital lifestyle brand spanning wellness, travel, food, sustainability and culture.  

APL Media delivers custom content, branded campaigns and editorial consultancy, internship schemes including Step Up and produces leading events such as the Travel Media Awards. It is also a leading reseller of advertising for national newspapers. Its trade titles include Postcards and the ASTA Worldwide Destination Guide, with content also created for national newspapers. 

aplmedia.co.uk