Happy winners, great prizes, wonderful host and fresh format combined to make the 2019 Travel Media Awards a huge success, celebrating the best in travel communications.01/11/19 – With some 80 people guests in attendance representing media, travel industry representatives and sponsors the 2019 Philippine Airlines Travel Media Awards was held last night and the feedback has been fabulous, with many already looking forward to future events and next year’s awards!
In the supreme categories Mike White won the Philippine Airlines Travel Writer of the Year and Mike Langford was named Philippine Airlines Travel Photographer of the Year at last night’s 2019 Philippine Airlines-Travcom Media Awards.
It is the third time White (Pictured left with Israel Fontanilla, NZ Area manager for Philippine Airlines) has claimed the country’s top award for travel journalism, following wins in 2006 and 2014.
The annual awards are organised by Travcom (New Zealand Travel Communicators) to celebrate excellence in travel writing, photography and digital media. This year’s competition attracted a record 400-plus entries.
Travcom President Tracey Bond says: “The last 12 months have been an exciting time of change for Travcom. A year ago we were at a crossroads and asked all of our members what we should focus on. They told us the annual awards were a highlight of the year.
“So, we were thrilled when Philippine Airlines came on board to sponsor this year’s awards and we hope this will be the start of a long and fruitful relationship.”
“Philippine Airlines is honoured to be the naming sponsor of the Travel Media Awards,” Israel Fontanilla, the airline’s NZ Area Manager, said.
“The sponsorship offers a unique opportunity to lift the profile of both Philippine Airlines and the Philippines as a destination, with a very influential group of people, who inspire and motivate New Zealanders to travel overseas through their writing and photography.
“We look forward to seeing and reading about the winners’ experiences when they travel to the Philippines in the next year.”
White won for his feature ‘Roaring Lion, Hidden Valley’, which appeared in North & South magazine. Judge Helen Hayes said: “This story was entertaining from beginning to end and made me look at Queenstown, a place I have been to many times, through different eyes. The story was cleverly constructed, brilliantly written and made me smile.”
Langford’s winning image was ‘Weed Collectors, Dal Lake, Kashmir’. Judge Danielle Lancaster said: “The conversion to black and white suits the emotion in this image. I want to be out there with them. A lovely image worthy of printing.”