Each year, the Travel Media Association of Canada (TMAC) Awards recognize outstanding achievements in travel media and industry collaboration, shining a spotlight on the storytellers, photographers, and industry professionals who inspire travel and elevate the Canadian tourism experience. More than $16,000 in prizes is awarded to Media as part of the National Awards.
Although the Awards are presented at the annual TMAC Conference, during the Awards Gala, it is important to note that works submitted by members are from the previous year.
Components of the 2025 TMAC Awards
National Awards:
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).
Fee: Media will be able to submit up to two award entries at no cost. Each additional submission will incur a fee of $30.
Note: The cap is 6 award entries per person.
Recognition Awards:
The Recognition Awards (NEW NAME, previously called Member and Chapter Awards) recognize the outstanding contributions of our industry members, with some categories also open to media (such as the Nathan Fong Memorial Award and Volunteer of the Year Award). In these awards, you can nominate a colleague, submit your own work, or celebrate an industry partner, depending on the category. This year, there are five categories in this section, highlighting the exceptional work being done within the industry—examples include Industry Person of the Year and Volunteer of the Year.
Fee: There is no cost to submit entries for these awards.
People’s Choice Awards:
The only award judged directly by TMAC members, the People’s Choice Awards features the Photo of the Year Award category, which celebrates the most outstanding photo captured during the year.
Judging: Voting is open to all current members and takes place through the Travel Media Association of Canada website.
Fee: There is no cost to submit entries for this award.
TMAC Awards Timeline
This year, all awards (National, Recognition and People’s Choice) will be on the same timeline. Details on the submission platform will be released soon.
NOTE: Work submitted must have been published in 2025 to be eligible.
Awards Website Portal Opens (ALL AWARDS): November 17, 2025, 12 PM EST
Information Session: November 24, 2025, 12 PM EST
Awards Website Portal Closed (ALL AWARDS): January 9, 2026, 3 PM EST
Top Finalists in Each Category Announced: April 8, 2026
Winners Announced: May 2, 2026 (at the 2026 TMAC Conference Awards Gala)
Meet the team: The Award Committee
Katie Conklin, Awards Chair (Katie’s fun fact: She competes in speed jig-saw puzzle competitions)
Vladimir Jean-Gilles, Awards Co-Chair (Vlad’s fun fact: He appeared in a viral “Canada’s got talent” commercial)
Sabrina Pirillo, Committee Member (Sabrina’s fun fact: She once watched hockey legend Darryl Sittler and P.K. Subban practice their slapshot with cinnamon raisin bagels for a segment on ESPN)
Arienne Parzei, Committee Member (Arienne’s fun fact: She once auditioned for the Raptors Dance Pack. These days she’s sticking to travel content 😂)
Christine Painter, CAO (Christine’s fun fact: Her home office companion is Mac, a Spinone, who doggedly makes sure she gets some fresh air every day).
Meet your 2025 TMAC Judges!
We are thrilled to introduce this year’s TMAC Awards Judges for both the National Awards and Recognition Awards categories. We are honoured to have such a talented and dedicated group generously volunteer their time to support this important program and celebrate excellence in travel media.
We are especially proud to welcome five judges from the Australian Society of Travel Writers (ASTW) through a new partnership to help with our National Awards judging.
We invite you to share your best work from 2025. Submissions will be reviewed by the appropriate panel of judges, and the winners will share in more than $18,000 in prizing (and bragging rights).