PASADENA, CALIF. – The North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) announced the winners of the 33rd Annual NATJA Travel Media Awards Competition. Awards were made to publications, travel journalists and photographers, and destination marketing organizations. NATJA awards special recognition for the publication, destination, journalist, and photographer who excelled across various categories in the competition. For a second year in a row, Travel + Leisure earned the title of Magazine of the Year. The special recognitions were awarded Indiana Destination Development Corporation for Destination of the Year, Morgan Tilton for Journalist of the Year, and Brad A. Johnson for Photographer of the Year. A complete list of the winners and honorable mentions is attached below.
“Our independent panel of judges remarked on the difficulty they had selecting winners,” stated NATJA CEO, Helen Hernandez. “This year’s Magazine of the Year was extremely competitive between Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler. Both are highly regarded publications with stellar content, but Travel + Leisure had just the slightest edge over Condé Nast Traveler.”
Hernandez continued, “We are proud of the winners of this year’s competition, many of whom are members of NATJA, which speaks to the caliber of talent and professionalism in our organization. Congratulations to all!”
Judges for the competition included award-winning newspaper and magazine editors as well as educators from across journalism disciplines. One first place (Gold) winner is chosen in each of the categories along with 2nd place (Silver), 3rd place (Bronze), and Honorable Mentions. To qualify for an award or honor, work had to be published from October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2024.
Founded in 1991, NATJA is a travel journalism industry leader that fosters high-quality journalism by supporting the professional development of its members, providing exceptional program benefits and valuable resources, honoring the excellence of journalism throughout the world, and promoting travel and leisure to the general public.
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SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS
- Magazine of the Year: Travel + Leisure
- Destination of the Year: Indiana Destination Development Corporation
- Journalist of the Year: Morgan Tilton
- Photographer of the Year: Brad A. Johnson
PUBLICATIONS
Travel Magazine – Print or Online
- Gold Award: Condé Nast Traveler
- Silver Award: Travel + Leisure
- Bronze Award: Virtuoso, The Magazine
- Honorable Mention: AAA Traveler Worldwise
DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATIONS
Visitors’ Guide (Printed or Digital) or Website
- Gold Award: 2024 Kansas Official Travel Guide, Kansas Tourism
- Silver Award: Indiana State Travel Guide, Indiana Destination Development Corporation
- Bronze Award: Explore Gwinnett Visitor Magazine, Explore Gwinnett
- Honorable Mention: Unmistakably Lawrence Visitors Guide, eXplore Lawrence
- Honorable Mention: 2025 Visitor Magazine, Visit Jacksonville and the Beaches
Destination Video
- Gold Award: 2023 Explore Fairbanks Destination Video, Explore Fairbanks
- Silver Award: This Is South County, Rhode Island, South County Tourism Council
- Bronze Award: Destination Video, Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor & Convention Bureau
Creative Marketing Campaign
- Gold Award – TIE: “Must-Do Experiences”, St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau
- Gold Award – TIE: “Total Eclipse IN Indiana 2024”, Indiana Destination Development Corporation
- Silver Award: “Pure Florida Advertising Campaign”, Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor & Convention Bureau
- Bronze Award: “Lawrence Kansas Summer of Fun Campaign”, eXplore Lawrence
MEDIA
Independent Travel Blog
- Gold Award: David DeVoss, East-West News Service
- Silver Award: Brad A. Johnson, Brad A Johnson Food & Travel
- Bronze Award: KyAnn Lewis, JL Watkins, Eliza Watkins, and Shellie Bailey-Shah, KidTripster
- Honorable Mention: Beth Reiber, TRAVELREIBER
Destination Travel
- Gold Award: John Sizemore, “Where To Go In Southeast Louisiana (That Isn’t New Orleans) Part Two: Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou”, Paste Magazine
- Silver Award – TIE: Jayme Moye, “Grand Canyon Fatalities Are Occurring in “Clusters.” What’s Going On?”, Outside
- Silver Award – TIE: Hillary Richard, “What a Trip to See Grizzly Bears Taught Me About Patience”, Vogue
- Bronze Award: Autumn Phillips, “Putting into words the wordless wonder of 9 days rafting in the Grand Canyon”, The Post and Courier
- Honorable Mention: Jennifer Bain, “Reflections On Time Spent Exploring Jordan’s Protected Places”, National Parks Traveler
- Honorable Mention: Dominique Lamberton, “Travel Like the Swiss”, Range
Illustrated Story
- Gold Award: Brad A. Johnson, “America’s Next Great Restaurant”, OLTRE
- Silver Award: Arnie Weissmann, “Cold Comfort”, Travel Weekly
- Bronze Award: Kari Bodnarchuk, “There are many bright spots along the Sunshine Coast Trail. Watching my kids conquer its 112 miles is one of them.”, The Boston Globe
- Honorable Mention: Korena Bolding, “Coastal Elite”, Virtuoso, The Magazine
- Honorable Mention: Crai Bower, “Connecting with Temagami”, Explore
- Honorable Mention: Brad A. Johnson, “Season to Taste”, OLTRE
Long-Form Narrative/Personal Essay
- Gold Award: Autumn Phillips, “Putting into words the wordless wonder of 9 days rafting in the Grand Canyon”, The Post and Courier
- Silver Award: Amanda McCracken, “What Travel Running Means to Me”, Women’s Running/Outside
- Bronze Award: Ryan Moser, “After Prison, I Went to Miami to Reacquaint Myself With Freedom”, Condé Nast Traveler
- Honorable Mention: Jon Gorey, “Spring Broke”, The Boston Globe
- Honorable Mention: Tim Leffel, “Hiking Between the Mancomunadas Villages of the Sierra Norte, Oaxaca”, Perceptive Travel
- Honorable Mention: Jenn Smith Nelson, “How Nature Nurtures in the Amazon”, Vacay
Luxury & Resort Travel
- Gold Award: Devin Friedman, “Flow State”, Travel + Leisure
- Silver Award: Hannah Elliott, “Saudi Arabia’s Tourism Potential—and Roadblocks—Revealed in a Posh Desert Hotel”, Bloomberg Pursuits
- Bronze Award: David Hochman, “The BVI Are Back”, Virtuoso, The Magazine
- Honorable Mention: Tykesha Burton, “A Train Ride Through Canada Gave me a Glimpse of the Luxury Travel Experience I Deserve”, Essence
- Honorable Mention: Mark Ellwood, “Experience Is Not Expertise: Why Rich, First-Time Hoteliers Are Failing So Spectacularly”, Robb Report
Sports, Recreation, and Adventure
- Gold Award: Nicolas Brulliard, “Four Walks in the Park”, National Parks
- Silver Award: Hilary Brueck, Mia de Graaf Stella Kalinina, “Long-lived Loma Linda”, Business Insider
- Bronze Award: Morgan Tilton, “Bikepacking Dinétah”, Trails Magazine
- Honorable Mention: Jim Benning, “Viva La Ciclovia!”, Westways
- Honorable Mention: Paul Brady, “High & Mighty”, Travel + Leisure
- Honorable Mention: Anna Fiorentino, “The US state where you could ski under the eclipse”, BBC Travel
- Honorable Mention: Tim Leffel, “Switzerland Skiing on a Budget? Hostel Life in the Alps”, Perceptive Travel
- Honorable Mention: Jayme Moye, “Traveling Through Time on the Nahanni River in Canada”, Condé Nast Traveler
- Honorable Mention: Jayme Moye, “Should Yosemite Close the Half Dome Cables? We Asked Alex Honnold”, Outside
Cruises
- Gold Award: Eliza Watkins, “KidTripster Teen: My Favorite Thrills & Chills on Icon of the Seas”, KidTripster
- Silver Award: Jacqueline Gifford, “Sea Change”, Travel + Leisure
- Bronze Award: Jennifer Bain, “Celebrating The Unique Biodiversity Of Channel Islands National Park”, National Parks Traveler
- Honorable Mention: Kari Bodnarchuk, “We wanted northern lights and glacial fjords. We got so much more,” The Boston Globe
- Honorable Mention: Janice Wald Henderson, “Will Climate Change Impact Cruising? Travel Experts and Scientists Weigh In”, Travel + Leisure
Historical Travel
- Gold Award – TIE: Ken Budd, “The Never-Ending War”, The Saturday Evening Post
- Gold Award – TIE: Morgan Tilton, “Bikepacking Dinétah”, Trails Magazine
- Silver Award: Blane Bachelor, “A culture of commemoration is still thriving in this Dutch town 80 years after its liberation”, CNN
- Bronze Award: Liz Beatty, “The untold story of the “Canadian Mayflower”, Canadian Geographic Magazine
- Honorable Mention: Mark Orwoll, “Save the Rails: America’s oldest narrow-gauge railroad is back from the brink of doom — for a second time”, The Saturday Evening Post
Culinary Travel
- Gold Award: Kayla Stewart, “A Taste of Freedom”, SAVEUR
- Silver Award: Emily Bingham, “Still Life”, Travel + Leisure
- Bronze Award: Adam Erace, “Crushing It”, Virtuoso, The Magazine
- Honorable Mention: Adam Erace, “Salad Days”, Virtuoso, The Magazine
- Honorable Mention: Brad A. Johnson, “A Never-Ending Feast”, OLTRE
- Honorable Mention: Steve Larese, “From Pueblo to Table”, AAA Explorer New Mexico
Multigenerational Travel
- Gold Award: Julia Busiek, “Peak Parenting”, National Parks
- Silver Award: Flora Stubbs, “I Dream of India”, Travel + Leisure
- Bronze Award: Heather Mundt, “How to Ruin a Multigenerational Trip in 5 Steps — and How to Fix It”, AARP.com
- Honorable Mention: Sandy Bornstein, “The Magic of Skiing While Grieving”, Wander With Wonder
- Honorable Mention: Jessamine Chan, “Our Portuguese Adventure”, Travel + Leisure
- Honorable Mention: Melissa Klurman, “I booked a family trip to Japan with a tour operator; here’s why I would do it again”, The Points Guy
Cultural Travel
- Gold Award: Julie Orringer, “Note Perfect”, Travel + Leisure
- Silver Award: Tracey Teo, “Demystifying Mardi Gras”, AAA Explorer
- Bronze Award: Timothy Moore, Abby Richardson, “Pixie Dust, Dibbles, and Sphagnum Moss”, WDW Magazine
- Honorable Mention: Jennifer Bain, “In a National Park Devoted to Jazz, the Rangers are Musicians”, National Parks Traveler
- Honorable Mention: Rob Goss, “These Japanese cities may inspire your next haiku”, National Geographic
- Honorable Mention: Rose Palmer, “Indulging My Obsession With Japanese Temari Balls”, Quiltripping.com
Sustainable Travel
- Gold Award: John Wogan, “One Year After Maui’s Wildfires, Meet the Locals Ensuring Travel Helps the Island Heal”, Condé Nast Traveler
- Silver Award: Anna Fiorentino, “A tsunami could wipe this Norwegian town off the map. Why isn’t everyone leaving?”, National Geographic
- Bronze Award: Rebecca Rhoades, “Where Every Feather Counts”, Reasons to be Cheerful
- Honorable Mention: Hudson Lindenberger, “Bottled-Up Bottlenoses: The Ugly Truth Behind Our Love of Dolphins”, Inside Hook
- Honorable Mention: Stanley Stewart, “Nature’s Keepers”, Travel + Leisure
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in Travel
- Gold Award: Rosalind Cummings-Yeates, “A Journey to Discover an African Homeland”, The Smithsonian
- Silver Award: Morgan Tilton, “Bikepacking Dinétah”, Trails Magazine
- Bronze Award: Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, “The Best Lesbian Bars Around the World”, Condé Nast Traveler
- Honorable Mention: Kinsey Gidick, “Mindful of aging diners’ needs”, The Food Section
- Honorable Mention Award: Lebawit Lily Girma, “Brazil’s Afrotourism Push Is Better Late Than Never”, Bloomberg Pursuits
Travel Video – Independent
- Gold Award: Alice Ford, “The Beauty of Antarctica – A Cruise to the End of the World”, YouTube
- Silver Award: Juliana Broste, “Adventures in Lafayette, Louisiana”, TravelingJules
- Bronze Award: Karen LeBlanc, Ryan Hamilton, Videographer & Director, “Iceland: Explore the Paths Less Traveled”, The Design Tourist
Travel Video – Commercial
- Gold Award: Rob Holmes, “Discover the Pantanal: A Journey Through Brazil’s Biodiversity and Culture”, GLP Films
- Silver Award: Enxhi Dylgjeri, Clancy Morgan, Prakhar Deep Jain, Pramin Manandhar, Anders Kapur, Kiran Chitanvis, A. C. Fowler, Kristen Griffin, and Erica Berenstein, “Why Some Sherpas Say There Won’t Be Any Guides On Everest In 10 Years”, Business Insider
- Bronze Award: Juliana Broste, Joshua White, Sasha Andreev, MC Genova, Lauren Alexander, and Dave Drage, “Planning a Trip to Denver with the Help of AI”, TravelingJules and VISIT DENVER
- Honorable Mention: Troy Petenbrink, Steve Chenevey, Alena Oakes, and Madison Mills, “Royal Caribbean’s new Icon of the Seas live preview”, WTTG-TV FOX 5 DC
Travel Shorts
- Gold Award: KyAnn Lewis, JL Watkins and Eliza Watkins, “Teen POV: Sailing SE Alaska”, @KidTripster Instagram
- Silver Award: KyAnn Lewis, JL Watkins and Griffin Watkins, “Bushwhacking in Alaska”, @KidTripster Instagram
- Bronze Award: Angie Orth, “What You Need to Know Before Meeting the Famous Swimming Pigs in The Bahamas”, @AngieAway TikTok
- Honorable Mention: Juliana Broste, “Exploring National Parks in Kazakhstan”, TravelingJules
- Honorable Mention: Megan Spurrell, Erik Kollasch, Vara Reese, and Mercedes Bleth, “Best Places to Go 2024: Colca Canyon, Peru”, Condé Nast Traveler
Travel Podcast
- Gold Award: Lia Grainger and Liz Beatty, “Anne of Green Gables – a Japanese sensation?”, Canadian Geographic Travel’s Here & There Podcast
- Silver Award: Jennifer Errick, “Before the Gate”, The Secret Lives of Parks
- Bronze Award: Liz Beatty and Lia Grainger, “How Alberta Aurora Borealis Chasers Changed the Science of the Northern Lights”, Canadian Geographic
- Honorable Mention: Todd Christopher, “A Brief Shining Moment”, The Secret Lives of Parks
Cover or Feature Photo, Illustration
- Gold Award: Gabriele Cracolici, Pallavi Kumar, Andrea Edelman, Matthew Buck, “Lede Illo: What It Means to Travel as a Gazan”, Condé Nast Traveler
- Silver Award: Michael Hodgson, “Soaring Spirits”, HI Travel Tales
- Bronze Award: Emli Bendixen, “High and Mighty”, Travel + Leisure
- Honorable Mention: Dennis Garrels, “Busy Uganda Street”, TravelWorld International
Landscape and Nature Photography
- Gold Award: Cori Solomon, “Akadi Lumina Forest of Time”, Wander With Wonder
- Silver Award: Jordan Campbell, “Rust and River: Alaverdi’s Wild Embrace”, @GlobalDebauchery on Instagram
- Bronze Award: Heather Trimm, “Take a Picture, It Lasts Longer”, Trimm Travels
- Honorable Mention: Arial Evans, “Kelso Dunes”, America From The Road
Architecture and Cityscape Photography
- Gold Award: Melissa Adams, “Sluishuis: IJburg’s New Architectural Icon”, DUTCH the magazine
- Silver Award: Dennis Garrels, “Chicago Architecture”, iStock
- Bronze Award: Brad A. Johnson, “Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons”, OLTRE
- Honorable Mention: Michael Hodgson, “Baroque Beauty: The Timeless Charm of Modica”, HI Travel Tales
- Honorable Mention: Cristóbal Palma, “Perfectly Panama”, Travel + Leisure
Portrait Photography
- Gold Award: Brad A. Johnson, “Tre Dita bartender”, OLTRE
- Silver Award: Dennis Garrels, “Mexican Man at Market”, iStock
- Bronze Award: Arnie Weissmann, “Countdown”, Travel Weekly
- Honorable Mention: Dennis Garrels, “Young Girl and Mother”, Travel World International
Action and Adventure Photography
- Gold Award: Therese Iknoian, “Let it go”, HITravelTales.com
- Silver Award: Michael Hodgson, “A Kiss With Danger”, Michael Hodgson Photography Facebook
- Bronze Award: Kari Bodnarchuk, “Bright spots abound on the Sunshine Coast Trail”, The Boston Globe
- Honorable Mention: Dennis Garrels, “Headstand Surfing”, Facebook
Cultural Photography
- Gold Award: Sherry Spitsnaugle, “Experiencing Spain’s Olive Oil Culture, Grove to Table”, Go World Travel Magazine
- Silver Award: David DeVoss, “To Lhasa and Beyond on the Road to Shangri-La”, East-West News Service
- Bronze Award: Sabina Lohr, “Reflection of Woman Creating Mosaic”, Connect the Cultures
Photo Essay
- Gold Award: Dennis Garrels, “Photo Essay – Rural Uganda”, TravelWorld International
- Silver Award: Julia Nimke, “Time Out in Vietnam”, Range
- Bronze Award: Brad A. Johnson, “Closer Look: The Brando, French Polynesia”, Brad A Johnson Food & Travel
- Honorable Mention: Cindy Baker, “This might be the best place to see big cats in Africa: Photos”, Travel Bliss Now
- Honorable Mention: Michael Hodgson, “Fabulous flamingos of Argentina’s Laguna Grande and Carachi Pampa”, HI Travel Tales
- Honorable Mention: Therese Iknoian, “Explore industrial history at Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham”, HITravelTales.com
Travel Book
- Gold Award – TIE: Jen Ruiz, 12 Trips in 12 Months: Make Your Own Solo Travel Magic, Blackstone Publishing
- Gold Award – TIE: Beth Santos, Wander Woman: How to Reclaim Your Space, Find Your Voice, and Travel the World, Solo
- Silver Award: Martin Gray, Secret Sacred Sites, Jonglez Publishing
- Bronze Award: Angie Orth, Flirting with Disaster: True Travel Tales of Fear, Failure, and Faith
- Honorable Mention: Ruksana Hussain, Around the World in Los Angeles, Reedy Press
- Honorable Mention: Lucy Tobias, Floating in Florida, Sea Aster Press
Travel Tips & Advice
- Gold Award: Kari Bodnarchuk, “Steps you can take to make hiking with kids fun for all”, The Boston Globe
- Silver Award: Daliah Singer, “What You Should Know About Traveling While Pregnant”, Afar
- Bronze Award: Dave Parfitt, “Disney World with a wheelchair? Here’s how DVC made our trip easier and more fun”, Family Vacationist
- Honorable Mention: Betsy Andrews, “Is Travel Actually Bad for Your Gut?”, SAVEUR
- Honorable Mention: Arati Menon, “37 Unforgettable Airport Meals Around the World”, Condé Nast Traveler
Business of Travel
- Gold Award: Mark Ellwood, “Buckle Up!”, Air Mail
- Silver Award: Lebawit Lily Girma, “In Asheville, a Black Heritage Trail Ushers In a Whole New Economy”, Bloomberg Pursuits
- Bronze Award: Dan Schlossberg, “Father’s Day brings record crowds to big-league ballparks”, Forbes.com
- Honorable Mention: Ian Fitzpatrick, “Growing the Next Generation of Hospitality Leaders”, The Lens
Travel Newsletter
- Gold Award: Tim Leffel, “Nomadico Newsletter”
- Silver Award: Nikki Ekstein, “The $ecret $auce to Getting on the World’s 50 Best Hotels”, Bloomberg Pursuits
- Bronze Award: Jen Ruiz, “Jet Plane Crew”, Jen on a Jet Plane
