Dublin, Ireland – 19th January 2026 – TravelMedia.ie has announced the return of the Travel Media Awards, which will take place following Meet the Media 2026 on Monday, February 9th at the Clayton Hotel Burlington Road, Dublin. The awards will be presented by Director of Visit Portugal Ireland, Carlos Oliveira.
Now firmly established as a key fixture of Meet the Media, the Travel Media Awards recognise excellence across Irish travel journalism, broadcasting, photography, video, and digital content creation, while also celebrating strong professional collaboration between media and the travel trade.
The 2026 awards will once again take place immediately after Meet the Media, providing an opportunity to recognise outstanding work and contribution in a concise, peer-led format at the close of the day’s networking.
Updated Award Categories for 2026
Reflecting the continued evolution and specialisation within travel media, several award categories have been expanded for 2026. The confirmed categories are:
- Travel Writer of the Year
- TV Broadcaster of the Year*
- Radio Broadcaster of the Year*
- Photographer of the Year*
- Videographer of the Year*
- Content Creator of the Year
- Rising Star
- A Pleasure to Work With – Media
- A Pleasure to Work With – Trade*
- Portuguese Travel Story of the Year
The separation of broadcasting and visual media categories aims to better recognise the distinct skills and outputs within each discipline, while the introduction of A Pleasure to Work With – Trade acknowledges the role of industry partners in fostering positive, professional collaboration.
*new award for 2026
Nominations Process
As with 2025, the Travel Media Awards will be determined through a peer-nomination process, ensuring the awards reflect the views and experiences of those working within the Irish travel media and travel trade sectors. Nominations can only be made by those registered to attend Meet the Media 2026.
Disclaimer: the purpose of the nominations is to bring to the attention of the TravelMedia.ie team those that should be considered for each award. The awards will ultimately be decided upon by the TravelMedia.ie team and Carlos Oliveira, Director of Visit Portugal Ireland.
You can nominate your peers for the awards using the following link: https://forms.gle/2y61Zgpgbpe8MJxq6
Event Details
The awards presentation will take place at the Clayton Hotel Burlington Road, following the conclusion of Meet the Media 2026, and will be accompanied by a short drinks reception.
Speaking about the announcement, Michael Collins, MD of TravelMedia.ie, said the awards continue to be “a way to recognise quality, professionalism and consistency in Irish travel media, while keeping the focus on genuine industry respect rather than commercial influence.”
About TravelMedia.ie
TravelMedia.ie is a Dublin-based travel PR and communications specialist, connecting travel brands with Irish media, broadcasters and content creators through events, strategic consultancy and media engagement, including the annual Meet the Media showcase.