The Travel Media Awards Step Up scheme, a programme driving diversity and inclusion in travel media for young people, is excited to reveal this year’s partners, including six new companies participating in the programme.  

Step Up launched in late 2023, with the first intake in summer 2024. This year’s winners, Kira Richards and Sasha Wiltshire, undertook two, month-long placements at each of the partner companies, APL Media, FINN Partners, Intrepid Travel and TTG Media.  

Following the success of Step Up, including Kira’s return to APL Media as an assistant project editor in September, there’s now a total of 9 partner companies involved in Step Up for 2025, including award-winning national newspapers, travel brands and airlines. These brands will join last year’s companies to offer five winners the opportunity to launch their careers in the travel media industry.  

Maria Pieri, editorial director and chief operating officer at APL Media, says: “We’re honoured to support a scheme that recognises emerging talent and promotes inclusion and diversity in our industry. We’re excited about the Step Up scheme’s success and grateful to our new and existing partners. Working with talented individuals in travel media has been an invaluable experience, and we aim to continue developing this programme year on year.”  

Meet the 2025 Step Up partners:   

The Sun  
The Sun is the UK’s biggest news brand, reaching over 38 million people every month. Its award-winning travel section was crowned National Tabloid Print & Digital Section of the Year (for the second year running) at the Travel Media Awards 2024.  

easyJet Holidays  
One of the UK’s fastest-growing tour operators, easyJet holidays offers great-value beach, city and lake holidays in over 100 destinations across Europe. Step Up winners will work with the brand’s PR and marketing department.  

Ink Global  
Founded in 1994, Ink spearheads multimedia publishing, including renowned inflight magazines Vera (Virgin) and Selamta for Ethiopian Airlines, with the opportunity to gain experience across its departments.  

Kuoni  
Kuoni creates holidays around the world and is one of the most trusted brands in travel, recognised as a recommended provider for family holidays by Which?.  

Virgin Atlantic  
Known for redefining air travel, Virgin Atlantic maintains innovation and amazing customer service at its core, employing over 8,500 people worldwide and flying passengers to 30 destinations across four continents. The internship involves working with its communications department on the latest destination news.  

Founding partners (staying on for 2025)  
The six new partners will join the existing companies — APL Media, FINN Partners, Intrepid Travel and TTG Media — to welcome five winners across their companies.  

APL Media  
APL Media is an award-winning content agency leading conversations in the travel and lifestyle sectors across trade and consumer media. It produces National Geographic Traveller (UK), guides for national newspapers and much more.  

FINN Partners  
FINN Partners is one of the fastest-growing global, independent agencies across the travel and lifestyle sector. FINN serves clients through a powerful combination of hands-on partnership, highly specialised expertise, and a values-driven culture that champions integrity, collaboration and innovation.  

Intrepid Travel  
Intrepid Travel is a B-Corp certified small group adventure travel company offering more than 1,150 trips on every continent, which are designed so people can truly experience local culture. The company’s mission is to create positive change through the joy of travel.  

TTG Media  
TTG Media is an independent B2B media business that’s sprung out of the Travel Trade Gazette newspaper, which celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2023. The purpose-led business of 30+ professionals is underpinned by its modern-day mission: to promote smarter, better, fairer travel.  

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Notes for editors  
Step Up was created by the Travel Media Awards in 2023, with the first intake of winners in 2024.  

The founding partners were APL Media, FINN Partners, Intrepid Travel and TTG Media.  

The 2025 programme is comprised of 9 partner companies (including the above founding four partners) plus easyJet Holidays, Ink Global, Kuoni, The Sun and Virgin Atlantic.  

Applications for Step Up 2025 will open in December 2024, with placements to be undertaken in summer 2025.  

For more information about our partners and how to apply, visit our website: travelmediaawards.com/2024/en/page/step-up-application or contact us via email: [email protected]. 

 About APL Media    

An award-winning publisher and content marketing agency founded in 1997, APL Media Limited has been changing the narrative, and the way clients communicate with their audiences, for over 27 years. In addition to publishing the award-winning magazines National Geographic Traveller (UK) and Food by National Geographic Traveller (UK) and organising related events under the National Geographic brand umbrella, APL Media produces print, digital and live media across the travel and lifestyle sector. aplmedia.co.uk