Awards are now closed for 2025 submissions.
The National Awards celebrate our media members, who submit their own work for consideration. This year, there are 15 categories covering the wide spectrum of media, such as Best Food/Drink Story (Written) or Best Photo Series (Photography).
Key Dates:
Awards Website Portal Closed (ALL AWARDS): January 9, 2026, 3 PM EST
Top Finalists in Each Category Announced: April 8, 2026
2025 National Award Submission Pricing
Media will be able to submit up to two award entries at no cost. Each additional submission will incur a fee of $30. This change is being introduced in response to the high volume of submissions to review, our judges’ feedback, and to align with industry standards.
Note: The cap is 6 award entries per person.
National Award Sponsorship Opportunities
Your support is appreciated as we prepare for our exciting Gala event! If you are interested in sponsoring an Award and receiving additional exposure at the Conference, please review the Sponsorship Kit and contact Jerry Grymek at jerry@lma.ca.
🏆 2025 National Awards Categories 🏆
Written Word Categories - 2025
Best Cultural & Historical Story
This category celebrates stories that highlight a journey, providing information and insight into a specific place. Submissions may focus on art forms, events, local customs, or travel experiences that share historical perspectives or shed light on a specific culture. Topics might range from Indigenous traditions to a funeral ceremony in Bali, a profile of a historical figure, or a feature on the Klondike gold rush. If your story inspires readers to learn, discover, and engage with the tangible and intangible cultural and historical aspects of a destination, this is the place for it. Individual blog entries and traditional media stories are welcome.
(Click here for Judges’ Scoring criteria.)
Best Food/Drink Story
This category focuses on the diverse world of culinary travel. Submissions should educate readers about food tourism and explore how gastronomy is deeply rooted in communities and cultures. Topics might include city walking or dining tours, local food production, foraging adventures, regenerative farm-to-table experiences, or profiles of chefs or distilleries making a difference. If you channel the spirit of Anthony Bourdain in your travel storytelling, this is your category. Individual blog entries and traditional media stories are welcome.
(Click here for Judges’ Scoring criteria.)
Best Tourism for Positive Change Story
As our understanding of the broad types of damage that tourism can inflict on communities, cultures and the environment has evolved, so has this category. This category recognizes stories about travel as a force for good. Submissions can explore sustainability, accessibility, inclusion, regenerative travel, or innovative approaches to responsible tourism. Whether about businesses, groups, ideas, or experiences, entries should tell compelling stories that open our eyes to the positive possibilities of travel. Individual blog entries and traditional media stories are welcome.
(Click here for Judges’ Scoring criteria.)
Best Adventure Story
This category celebrates stories where the activity itself takes centre stage. From soft or hard adventures to sporting events, stories should immerse readers and bring the experience to life. Topics might include canoe trips, hiking, skydiving, biking, snorkelling, or other outdoor pursuits that inspire and excite. Individual blog entries and traditional media stories are welcome.
(Click here for Judges’ Scoring criteria.)
Best Travel Resource Content (Updated)
This award covers a wide range of non-narrative, information-focused, or service-style travel writing, including how-to guides, top 10 lists, travel tips and advice, destination guides, itineraries, packing lists, and reviews. The key characteristic of the Travel Resource Content Category is that submissions must provide actionable, practical information to help readers plan and execute their trips. Individual blog entries and traditional media stories are welcome. This category does not accept family-focused or themed stories. For entries that are family-related, see the Best Family Travel Story category.
(Click here for Judges’ Scoring criteria.)
Best Magazine or Newspaper Article (New)
This category celebrates outstanding travel writing published in print or digital editions of magazines and newspapers. Submissions (800 words or under) should demonstrate strong storytelling, journalistic integrity, and a compelling sense of place, culture, or experience.
(Click here for Judges’ Scoring criteria.)
Photography Categories - 2025
Best Sense of Place Photo
This category celebrates photographs that evoke a strong sense of place, from serene deserts to vibrant sunsets, bustling cityscapes, or dynamic wildlife captures. Images should tell a compelling story of their environment.
(Click here for the Judges’ Scoring criteria.)
Best People Photo
Photographs in this category should depict an aspect of culture, life, or society through an individual or group. The subject must clearly relate to a travel destination, with a background that enhances, rather than overwhelms, the human aspect. If this is a photo of yourself, it must have been taken by you.
(Click here for Judges’ Scoring criteria.)
Best Photo Series
This category recognizes photo series that captivate and tell a cohesive story. Submissions must include a collection of four (4) photos accompanying a single article (print or digital). The submitting photographer must have taken the photos, but need not have authored the article.
(Click here for Judges’ Scoring criteria.)
All Media Forms - 2025
Best Canadian Story
First introduced as an award by our much loved and missed colleague Jim (Jimmy) Kemshead, best known as “Yukon Jim” or “Yukon Jimmy”, this award celebrates Canada’s diverse landscapes, cultures, and people with stories that showcase a destination, theme, or a personal connection to a place. If you’ve written or produced a piece that shares your love or passion for some part of Canada – this is the place for it. If your story focuses on an Indigenous Experience in Canada you may want to enter it in that category.
(Click here for Judges’ Scoring criteria.)
Best Indigenous Tourism Experience in Canada Story
“We have a story to tell.” Indigenous Peoples in Canada have been here for millennia, and the authenticity, uniqueness and diversity of stories and experiences offered are being celebrated through a vibrant and growing Indigenous tourism industry. Closely guided by community values of respect, honour and integrity, Indigenous Peoples have been sharing their culture with visitors to their traditional territories since time immemorial. Building on these values as sustainable building blocks, businesses are created and welcome guests to learn about and engage with Indigenous Peoples through quality, authentic and transformative Indigenous cultural tourism experiences. Note: This award category invites submissions that share and celebrate engaging, authentic and transformative, Canadian-based, Indigenous experiences, amplifying and giving voice to the stories from our Indigenous communities that can and should be heard, and experienced.
(Click here for Judges’ Scoring criteria.)
Best Family Travel Story (New)
This new category recognizes outstanding storytelling that highlights the joys, challenges, and discoveries of family travel. Submissions should showcase travel experiences through the lens of families—whether with children, multi-generational groups, or chosen families—capturing meaningful moments, practical insights, and the unique perspectives that make family journeys memorable. Entries will be judged on creativity, authenticity, and the ability to inspire and inform readers, viewers, or listeners planning their own family adventures.
(Click here for Judges’ Scoring criteria.)
Multi Media Categories - 2025
Best Self-Published Travel Website
This category is for those who publish a travel website (including blogs). Whether it’s sharing things to see, do and eat in a destination, crafting itineraries, or telling stories, the writing should reflect the author’s experience of a place and travel and aim to better the reader’s experience.
(Click here for Judges’ Scoring criteria.)
Best Audio & Video Travel Production (Updated)
This category celebrates digital and broadcast travel storytelling. Eligible submissions include podcasts, films, videos, audio guides, apps and radio. Individual episodes from a series are welcome. This category excludes vertical submission. Only submissions 3 minutes and over will be considered. Note that for lengthy submissions, judges will only be expected to listen/watch the first 10 minutes of your audio/video piece.
(Click here for Judges’ Scoring criteria.)
Social Media Category - 2025
Best Short Form Video (New)
This category recognizes outstanding travel storytelling created specifically for vertical video platforms. Eligible submissions include TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. Entries should demonstrate creativity, clarity, and impact within the short-form, vertical format, engaging viewers while showcasing a destination, experience, or story in a compelling way. This category excludes the Instagram Story feature.
(Click here for Judges’ Scoring criteria.)
Not sure whether your project qualifies? Send us an email and ask.
National and Recognition Awards Submission Guidelines can be viewed here.