2024 ASTW Awards for Excellence

Here are the finalists and winners in the 2024 ASTW Awards for Excellence. Finalists are listed in alphabetical order.

Winners were announced during a glittering gala dinner at Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort in Australia's Hunter Valley on October 31, 2024. We thank all our sponsors for their generous support.

Thank you to our fabulous judges, who are an integral part of the awards process. To view the list of judges for 2024, please click here.

 

1. Travel Writer of the Year - sponsored by Virgin Australia

Dianne Bortoletto

• History of tiramisu: Tracing the origins of Italy’s famed dessert for Gourmet Traveller
• How to avoid the crowds in Venice: A simple trick that no one knows about for New Zealand Herald
• Family-free holidays in Italy: Solo travel without the kids for New Zealand Herald

Steve Madgwick

• How the light gets in for International Traveller
• Australia’s most far-flung and freakishly scenic archipelago for Traveller
• This notorious country now deserves to be on your travel radar for Traveller

Dan Slater - WINNER

• There and Back Again for Australian Geographic Adventure
• River Deep, Mountain High for Australian Geographic Adventure
• How I Dealt with My Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosis: First, Hike 500 Miles for Outside

 

2. Travel Photographer of the Year - sponsored by Coral Expeditons

• Lynn Gail - WINNER
• Rachelle Mackintosh
• Kirk Owers

 

3. Travel Communicator of the Year - sponsored by TravMedia

• Jacinta Bonus | Accessed That: Queensland’s Year of Accessible Tourism
• Jodi Clark and Jessica Wood | Prison Break: The Transformation of HM Prison Pentridge and opening of The Interlude - WINNER
• Shelley Winkel | North Queensland Recovery

 

4. Best Accommodation Story - sponsored by ASTW

• Lindy Alexander | Spring Reign for Travel & Luxury
• Catherine Best | Staying at The Interlude Hotel: Melbourne’s Pentridge Prison’s transformation for New Zealand Herald - WINNER
• Kristie Kellahan | Stay in the rock star way for Explore Magazine

 

5. Best Aussie Road Trip Story - sponsored by ASTW

• Julia D’Orazio | The best of Litchfield National Park, Northern Territory for Caravan World Magazine
• Celeste Mitchell | Are we there yet? For Escape
• Jessica Palmer | Only in Outback Queensland: Tales of mating echidnas, green-ant jam and a ride in a Model-T with no brakes for The Wanderer - WINNER

 

6. Best Australian Travel Story Under 1000 Words - sponsored by Tourism Australia

• Catherine Best | Monsoon Magic for Escape
• John Borthwick | No Rules in a Great Nowhere for Explore Magazine - WINNER
• Anabel Dean | Red Desert, Blue Sea for Traveller

 

7. Best Australian Story Over 1000 Words - sponsored by Tourism Australia

• Carolyn Beasley | Paddling with petroglyphs: Kayaking in Murujuga National Park for Australian Geographic Adventure
• Anabel Dean | World’s End for Traveller
• Belinda Jackson | High Country’s hottest new stays linked by tasty cycling trail for Traveller
• Justin Meneguzzi | In Melbourne, local innovators are breathing new life into forgotten spaces for National Geographic Traveller (UK) - WINNER

 

8. Best Cruise Travel Story - sponsored by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)

• Catherine Best | A wild awakening for Escape
• Sarah Reid | What it’s like to cross Antarctica’s Weddell Sea for National Geographic Travel - WINNER
• Craig Tansley | See ‘the most beautiful place on Earth’ while you still can for Traveller

 

9. Best Destination Guide - sponsored by Samsonite

• Ivy Carruth | The new Oklahoma will surprise you for Escape - WINNER
• Kate Hennessy | The top 5 remote stays in Tasmania for Australian Traveller
• Kerry van der Jagt | Explore Sydney’s most fascinating Indigenous experiences for BBC Travel

 

10. Best Family Story - sponsored by NRMA Parks and Resorts

• Carolyn Beasley | One for the girls for Escape
• Rebecca Foreman | What happens when you let teenagers plan your family holiday? for New Zealand Herald
• Angela Saurine | The road trips I will always remember for Escape - WINNER

 

11. Best Food and Beverage Travel Story - sponsored by Celestyal Cruises

• Jessica Lockhart | The Next Superfoods May Come from Australia for Smithsonian Magazine
• Steve Madgwick | Jungle twists for Signature Luxury Travel & Style - WINNER
• Justin Meneguzzi | Meet the Thai women reviving ancient recipes for food-lovers in Bangkok for National Geographic Traveller (UK)
• Tara Wells | I ate Tom Cruise’s favourite coconut white chocolate cake, and it left me speechless for Escape

 

12. Best Instagram Travel Photo - sponsored by ASTW

• Marie Barbieri | Telling tails in Alaska
• Lynn Gail | Follow the light - WINNER
• Tess Moone | Mt Fuji in Spring

 

13. Best International Story Under 1000 Words - sponsored by Walk Japan

• Julia D’Orazio | On an island where many live to 100, I embraced their lifestyle for Traveller
• Susan Elliott | Stranger Things for MiNDFOOD - WINNER
• Kerry van der Jagt | Yes, You Read it Right for Traveller

 

14. Best International Story Over 1000 Words - sponsored by CroisiEurope

• Marie Barbieri | On a road trip to Ireland with my Irish mother for Escape
• Kerry van der Jagt | To explore the less predictable side of Europe, this is how to do it for Traveller
• Penny Watson | South-East Asia’s version of the Orient Express is back, better than ever for Traveller - WINNER

 

15. Best Nature/Wildlife Travel Story - sponsored by ASTW

• Susan Elliott | Stranger Things for MiNDFOOD
• Craig Tansley | See ‘the most beautiful place on Earth’ while you still can for Traveller - WINNER
• Kerry van der Jagt | This thrilling jungle paradise is leading the way in eco-tourism for Traveller

 

16. Best Sustainable Tourism Story - sponsored by Norfolk Island Tourism

• Carolyn Beasley | Paddling with petroglyphs: Kayaking in Murujuga National Park for Australian Geographic Adventure - WINNER
• Justin Meneguzzi | How can you tell if a souvenir is the real thing? Here’s how to spot a fake for National Geographic
• Kerry van der Jagt | “Just doing their jobs?” Here’s why I always tip the hotel cleaner for Traveller

 

17. Best Trade and Tourism News Story - sponsored by Newcastle Airport

• Chris Chamberlin | Keen to avoid detours, Qantas begins charting Project Sunrise flight paths for Point Hacks
• Chris Chamberlin | Will long-range, single-aisle jets overtake aviation megahubs? Tim Clark & Willie Walsh say no for Point Hacks
• Aleney de Winter | Overbooked vs overlooked for Holidays With Kids - WINNER
• Kate Hennessy | A two-hour walking tour with ChatGPT: ‘I’d not suggest that to my worst enemy’ for Guardian Australia

 

18. Best Travel Photo - sponsored by Intrepid

• Lynn Gail | Morning Puff for Explore Magazine
• Rachelle Mackintosh | Just Chillin’ for Signature Luxury Travel & Style
• Kirk Owers | Riel Dancers, Under African Skies for Escape - WINNER

 

19. Best Travel Video - sponsored by Bunnik Tours

• Jeremy Drake | I Drove America’s Most Dangerous Highway for Escape - WINNER
• Jeremy Drake | Always pick Seattle over San Francisco for Escape
• Tobias Venus | How to spend 3 days on Hamilton Island for Point Hacks

 

20. Best Travel Website/Blog - sponsored by ASTW

• Aleney de Winter | BoyEatsWorld - WINNER
• Julie Jones | Have Wheelchair Will Travel
• Tess Moone | Tessomewhere

 

21. Best Travel Blog Post - sponsored by ASTW

• Shandos Cleaver | Best Dog Friendly Days Out and About London for Travelnuity: Dog-Friendly Travel
• Aleney de Winter | Unravelling the Secrets of Seaweed along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way for BoyEatsWorld - WINNER
• Jessica Palmer | A Love Letter to My Shoes for Family Holiday Destinations

 

22. Best Travel Book - sponsored by ASTW

• Kate Armstrong | Beyond the Monuments in Washington DC, published by Hardie Grant Explore
• Flip Byrnes | Ultimate Skiing and Snowboarding, published by Hardie Grant Explore - WINNER
• Laura Waters | Ultimate Walks and Hikes Australia, published by Hardie Grant Explore