November 2024 – Choosing among 1,371 entries, the 27 judges at the University of Missouri School of Journalism conferred 120 awards on editors, writers, photographers, podcasters, social media experts and videographers in the 2024 Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition. The awards were announced today at the SATW annual convention in Istanbul, Turkey.
Professor Jennifer Rowe and Carol J. Loomis, faculty fellow, along with Professor Heather Isherwood and newsroom coordinator Ellie Newberry-Wortham, of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, oversaw the judging. “The work produced by travel writers this year reverberated with the joy and surprise of traveling,” she said, “while remaining grounded in current times. Entries were, in turn, ‘playful’ or ‘captivating,’ yet also reflective of the demands of socially conscious travelers.”
Human connection was a theme throughout the entries. One judge noted that the stories are a “ “reminder of why we travel.” In helping audiences meet people, explore places and learn history, travel writers explain people live in and perceive our world.
The Gold Award for the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalist of the Year went to Natalie Compton from The Washington Post. “This entry is a tribute to the power of imagination in finding unique stories around the globe and in our own backyard,” the judges said. “First-person point of view is used in advancing the story, not showing off….This is an entry that offers a lot of lessons for terrific storytelling.”
Amanda Finnegan, editor of By the Way and the travel editorial team at The Washington Post won gold for Newspaper Travel Coverage. The judges said: “The Post finds pockets of inventive story ideas and takes them in unexpected directions. The stories are stylish as well as original, taking travel writing up a notch by surprising the audience and then adding layers of research and detail to put together refreshing and satisfying reads.”
AFAR Magazine, led by editor-in-chief, Julia Cosgrove, won Gold for Travel Magazines for a second year in a row. “AFAR goes the distance through storytelling that toggles between practical and transcendent, whether guiding readers along the Rhine River or coaxing them into ‘Travel that Changes You,’ the judges said. “A blend of lush photography, stunning design and intelligent reportage makes AFAR a one-stop shop for modern – and socially conscious – travelers.”
Outside Magazine with Mary Turner, director of travel coverage, won the Gold for Travel Coverage in General Magazines. And writers for the magazine picked up nine more awards in various categories, including Silver Awards in the Robert Haru Fisher Award for Travel Health/Safety Coverage and in the Adventure Travel categories, as well as a Gold in Coverage of Diverse Communities.
SATW members this year showed their writing muscles, receiving 30 prizes, including Silver Awards in Short Narrative, Service-Oriented Consumer Work and Instagram Storytelling and Gold in Travel Video of Less than Two Minutes, Travel Blog and Guidebook categories. The Silver and Honorable Mention awards for the Travel Journalist of the Year went to SATW members Jill Robinson and Larry Bleiberg, respectively.
The first Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition celebrated travel works completed in 1984. Since then, the Foundation has awarded more than $630,000 to winners in the contest, the most vaunted honor in North American travel journalism.
“The Lowell Thomas Awards have no agenda except to support, celebrate and sustain excellence in travel journalism,” said Catharine Hamm, president of the SATW Foundation. It does not promote any particular destination or travel product; it does not have any membership requirements for journalists to enter; and it is judged independently by the faculty at a top U.S. school of journalism. We are also grateful to the support from our Board of Directors and to the donations that help fund these awards.”
The awards are named for Lowell Thomas, acclaimed broadcast journalist, prolific author and world explorer during five decades in travel journalism.
The sustainability of the annual competition is made possible by a generous contribution from Gold Supporter Carnival Corp., the world’s largest cruise company with a portfolio of brands. Its contribution helps make the prizes possible and supports the future of high-quality travel media.
Please go to our website for a full list of this year’s winners:
Satwf.com
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