Stuart Forster reacts to being shortlisted as a 2017 Travel Media Awards finalist in the Travel Blogger of the Year category for work published here on Go Eat Do.
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It’s always an honour to be shortlisted for a major award. At the recent 2017 Travel Media Awards I was named a finalist in two categories.
That’s of relevance here because I was one of five bloggers shortlisted for the Travel Blogger of the Year award. It’s one of the most fiercely contested across the Travel Media Awards’ categories.
Travel Blogger of the Year
More than 700 entries were received this year, so simply being named a finalist is a significant achievement. (I keep telling myself that, in solace, as I didn’t get called to the stage to be presented with a winner’s trophy.)
Over the past year, I think that Go Eat Do has made great strides forward. Relaunching, late last year, with a new design, improved the aesthetics and searchability of the site markedly. I’d like to thank Design by Anthony and Moon Digital for their work on that project.
I guess I need to step up my game if I want to win the award next year. Hopefully, you can look forward to content of an even higher quality when you return to this website over the months ahead. I have material from Canada and The Maldives that I look forward to sharing soon.
Trade Writer of the Year
Trade Writer of the Year was the other category in which I was named a finalist.
It’s always a pleasure to work with editors who provide clear briefs when commissioning features. I’m pleased to work for some of the best in the business.
I appreciate having a degree of freedom while writing. Writing for the travel trade is different to blogging, and has a different set of challenges and rewards, but it’s also a type of journalism that I enjoy.
Attending the awards evening
Though I didn’t win either of my categories it was rewarding to attend an event attended by many of the country’s leading travel writers, photographers, filmmakers and editors.
Rick Stein was in attendance, to collect a Special Contribution Award. The celebrity chef has featured in more than 30 cookery programmes and written several books about cuisines around the world.
The ME London Hotel
The Travel Media Awards were presented on 18 October at an event in the five-star ME London hotel. Prior to the awards ceremony finalists were invited into the hotel’s penthouse suite for canapes and drinks with views along The Strand and over neighbouring rooftops.
Even on an overcast autumn evening, the views drew wows of appreciation from well-travelled journalists.
Congratulations to all of the winners of the finalists at the Travel Media Awards.
