National Geographic Traveller (UK) Reader Awards 2019, in association with Audley Travel shortlist announced Submitted by: APL Media (Absolute Publishing) Wednesday, 6 November 2019 LONDON (6 November 2019) — The shortlist has been announced for the fifth annual National Geographic Traveller Reader Awards 2019, in association with Audley Travel. The 2019 awards have seen exciting new categories added to create the definitive word on the best destinations, experiences, hotels, operators, travel personalities and more. Readers voted for their favourites, with the winners set to be announced during a ceremony at The Montcalm London Marble Arch on 4 December and in the Jan/Feb 2020 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK). Pat Riddell, editor of National Geographic Traveller, said: “We’ve tweaked and amended the awards this year to include new food categories as well as highlight the best additions to the world of travel and those ever-present favourites. Our readers, as ever, have voted in their thousands and selected the destinations, attractions, travel experts, airlines and TV shows, among others, that make a difference and ultimately inspire and fulfil their travels.” Voters were automatically entered into a prize draw. Up for grabs were a seven-night trip for two to the Dominican Republic, staying at the Grand Bahia Principe Aquamarine, in Punta Cana, with flights from Air Europa; a two-night luxury stay in Another Place, The Lake, on the shores of Ullswater in the Lake District; five £50 vouchers, courtesy of historic bookshop Stanfords; and 20 National Geographic Traveller (UK) subscriptions. 2019 READER AWARDS SHORTLIST: ONE TO WATCH (CITY/REGION) Antarctica Marrakech Patagonia FIRM FAVOURITE (COUNTRY) Greece Italy Spain NEW NATIONAL TREASURE (UK ATTRACTION) Alexandra Palace Theatre, London Hebridean Whale Trail National Maritime Museum, London FAR & AWAY (OVERSEAS ATTRACTION) Skywalk at Fuxi Mountain, China Page 1 Statue of Liberty Museum, New York Street Art Museum, Amsterdam ONE FOR THE KIDS (FAMILY EXPERIENCE) Adventure Parc Snowdonia, Conwy Bear Grylls Adventure, Birmingham Tiger lodges, Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve, Kent RIGHT TRACK (RAIL) Glacier Express’s new Excellence Class, Switzerland Interrail Europe’s programme offering free tickets for 18-year-old Europeans New Caledonian Sleeper trains ACROSS THE WAVES (CRUISE & EXPEDITION) Celebrity Cruises’ Xpedition, Galápagos Islands Hurtigruten’s MS Roald Amundsen Norwegian Cruise Line’s Alaskan itineraries DOMESTIC BLISS (UK HOTEL) The Black Bull, Sedbergh, Cumbria The Pig at Bridge Place, Kent Titanic Belfast THE DESTINATION HOTEL (OVERSEAS HOTEL) Capella Ubud, Bali The Retreat at Blue Lagoon, Iceland The Rooms of Rome, Italy UNIQUE STAYS (ACCOMMODATION WORLDWIDE) Panorama Glass Lodge, Iceland Shipwreck Lodge, Namibia Wild Coast Tented Lodge, Sri Lanka HIGH-FLYER (AIRLINE) British Airways Emirates Virgin Atlantic THE BIG OPERATOR (TOUR OPERATORS & TRAVEL AGENTS) Expedia Kuoni Trailfinders THE SMALL-MEDIUM OPERATOR (TOUR OPERATORS & TRAVEL AGENTS) Exodus Travels Page 2 G Adventures Intrepid Travel THE INNOVATOR (INDUSTRY MOVERS AND SHAKERS) Aberdeen Airport’s therapy dogs Eurostar’s virtual guide to aid travellers with autism Visit Faroe Islands’ volunteer beach clean-up initiative BOOK WORM (TRAVEL BOOKS) Around the World in 80 Trains, Monisha Rajesh The Kindness of Strangers, Fearghal O'Nuallain Lands of Lost Borders: A Journey on the Silk Road, Kate Harris SOUND & VISION (TV & RADIO) Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby (BBC Two) The Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan (BBC Two) Travel Man (Channel 4) BEYOND THE RECIPE BOOK (FOOD & TRAVEL) Around the World in 80 Food Trucks, Lonely Planet Copenhagen Food: Stories, Traditions and Recipes, Trine Hahnemann The Life of Tea, Michael Freeman and Timothy d’Offay TASTIEST FOOD & TRAVEL SHOW (TV, RADIO, PODCASTS) The Hairy Bikers' Mediterranean Adventure (BBC Two) Nadiya's Asian Odyssey (BBC One) Rick Stein's Road to Mexico (BBC Two) FOODIE HOTSPOT (DESTINATION) Cape Town Lisbon San Sebastián THE WISH LIST (DESTINATION) Canada Japan New Zealand SPECIAL CONTRIBUTION TO TRAVEL To be announced Sponsors of the National Geographic Traveller Reader Awards 2019 are: HEADLINE SPONSOR Page 3 Audley Travel SPONSOR Flight Centre Guatemala VENUE PARTNER The Montcalm London Marble Arch For more information, please visit nationalgeographic.co.uk/reader-awards (https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/reader-awards) Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/NatGeoTravelUK (http://facebook.com/NatGeoTravelUK) Twitter: twitter.com/NatGeoTravelUK (https://twitter.com/NatGeoTravelUK) Tumblr: NatGeoTravelUK.tumblr.com (https://natgeotraveluk.tumblr.com/) Pinterest: pinterest.com/NatGeoTravelUK (https://www.pinterest.co.uk/NatGeoTravelUK/) Instagram: instagram.com/NatGeoTravelUK (https://www.instagram.com/NatGeoTravelUK/) The National Geographic Traveller (UK) digital edition is available for Apple, Android and Kindle devices: ngtr.uk/NGTdigital (https://pocketmags.com/national-geographic-traveller-magazine) Notes National Geographic Traveller (UK) is published under licence by APL Media Limited, from National Geographic Partners LLC in Washington, D.C. The 180-page travel and lifestyle magazine launched in December 2010, and is packed full of you-are-there photography, authentic travel experiences and inspiring narratives. nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel (https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel) National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society, is committed to bringing the world premium science, adventure and exploration content across an unrivalled portfolio of media assets. NGP combines the global National Geographic television channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Nat Geo PEOPLE) with National Geographic’s media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children’s media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, licensing and e-commerce businesses. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 131 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers … and reaching millions of people around the world in 172 countries and 43 languages every month as we do it. NGP returns 27% of our proceeds to the nonprofit National Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education. nationalgeographic.com (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/) National Geographic Society is a leading non-profit that invests in bold people and transformative ideas in the fields of exploration, scientific research, storytelling and education. It supports educators to Page 4 ensure that the next generation is armed with geographic knowledge and global understanding. 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Its goal is measurable impact: furthering exploration and educating people around the world to inspire solutions for the greater good. nationalgeographic.org (https://www.nationalgeographic.org/) For editorial enquiries: Tel: +44 (0)20 7253 9906 [email protected] Pat Riddell, Editor Tel: +44 (0) 20 7253 9906 [email protected] Maria Pieri, Editorial Director Tel: +44 (0) 20 7253 9906 [email protected] Matthew Jackson, Managing Director Tel: +44 (0) 20 7253 9009 [email protected] Anthony Leyens, CEO Tel: +44 (0) 20 7253 9009 [email protected] Page 5 Distributed via Press Release Wire (https://pressreleases.responsesource.com/) on behalf of APL Media (Absolute Publishing) Copyright © 1999-2021 ResponseSource, The Johnson Building, 79 Hatton Garden, London, EC1N 8AW, UK e: [email protected] t: 020 3426 4051 f: 0345 370 7776 w: https://www.responsesource.com.