GetWiki

{{Short description|Annual literary awards}}

factoids

The Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Awards are administered by the U.S.-based Society of American Travel Writers Foundation (SATW Foundation), a nonprofit organization founded in the early 1980s to recognize excellence in travel journalism. The first awards were given in 1985 for work done in 1984. The competition is named after Lowell Thomas, the celebrated 20th century travel journalist and broadcaster. It is open to journalists from around the world and is considered one of the premier professional awards programs for travel journalists and communicators.WEB, SATW Foundation Announces 2021 Winners of Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition,eturbonews.com/3004822/satw-foundation-announces-2021-winners-of-lowell-thomas-travel-journalism-competition/, eTurbo News, 5 October 2021, 2022-01-30, 2022-01-30,web.archive.org/web/20220130233523/https://eturbonews.com/3004822/satw-foundation-announces-2021-winners-of-lowell-thomas-travel-journalism-competition/, live, WEB, Travel Writing Awards Competitions,www.travelwritingworld.com/travel-writing-awards/, Travel Writing World, 14 June 2021, 2022-01-31, 2022-01-31,web.archive.org/web/20220131162517/https://www.travelwritingworld.com/travel-writing-awards/, live, Entrants (in the early 2020s, more than 1200 annually)WEB, Nov 1, 2013, Missouri Journalism Alumnus Wins a Gold in the 2013 Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition,journalism.missouri.edu/2013/11/missouri-journalism-alumnus-wins-a-gold-in-the-2013-lowell-thomas-travel-journalism-competition/, University of Missouri, January 31, 2022, January 31, 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220131025409/https://journalism.missouri.edu/2013/11/missouri-journalism-alumnus-wins-a-gold-in-the-2013-lowell-thomas-travel-journalism-competition/, live, include major media outlets, staff writers and editors, freelancers, book authors, digital communicators, and journalism fellows from such institutions as the Pulitzer Center.WEB, Jason Motlagh Wins Gold in 2018 Travel Journalism Competition,pulitzercenter.org/blog/jason-motlagh-wins-gold-2018-travel-journalism-competition, Pulitzer Center, 2022-01-30, 2022-01-31,web.archive.org/web/20220131000518/https://pulitzercenter.org/blog/jason-motlagh-wins-gold-2018-travel-journalism-competition, live, The competition honors works in more than two dozen categories, including print, digital, audio, video and photography. Winners are announced at the SATW (Society of America Travel Writers) annual convention and receive cash prizes.The competition attracts entries from, and is covered by, major media,WEB, Oct 20, 2006, Miami Herald,’ ‘Boston Globe’ Among Winners of SATW Awards,www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/miami-herald-boston-globe-among-winners-of-satw-awards,119564, Editor & Publisher, January 31, 2022, January 31, 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220131025409/https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/miami-herald-boston-globe-among-winners-of-satw-awards,119564, live, including the New York Times,NEWS, Virshup, Amy, Oct 7, 2021, The Times Wins Eight Lowell Thomas Awards for Travel Journalism, The New York Times,www.nytco.com/press/the-times-wins-eight-lowell-thomas-awards-for-travel-journalism/, January 30, 2022, January 30, 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220130233514/https://www.nytco.com/press/the-times-wins-eight-lowell-thomas-awards-for-travel-journalism/, live, Chicago Tribune,NEWS, May 26, 1985, Tribune’s Travel Section Wins Thomas Award, Chicago Tribune,www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1985-05-26-8502020844-story.html, 2022-01-30, 2022-01-30,web.archive.org/web/20220130233512/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1985-05-26-8502020844-story.html, live, Los Angeles Times,NEWS, L.A. Times Wins Top Lowell Thomas Award for ‘Fun, Informative, and Quirky’ Travel Coverage, Los Angeles Times,www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-lowell-thomas-award-20180925-story.html, 2022-01-30, 2022-01-30,web.archive.org/web/20220130233512/https://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-lowell-thomas-award-20180925-story.html, live, Orange County Register,NEWS, Register Wins Prestigious Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Award, Orange County Register,www.ocregister.com/2010/10/11/register-wins-prestigious-lowell-thomas-travel-journalism-award/, 2022-01-30, 2022-01-30,web.archive.org/web/20220130233514/https://www.ocregister.com/2010/10/11/register-wins-prestigious-lowell-thomas-travel-journalism-award/, live, Washington Post,NEWS, Oct 23, 2019, Washington Post Travel Section Wins the Gold Award for Best Newspaper Travel Coverage in the 2019 Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition, Washington Post,www.washingtonpost.com/pr/2019/10/23/washington-post-travel-section-wins-gold-award-best-newspaper-travel-coverage-lowell-thomas-travel-journalism-competition, January 30, 2022, March 5, 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210305103817/https://www.washingtonpost.com/pr/2019/10/23/washington-post-travel-section-wins-gold-award-best-newspaper-travel-coverage-lowell-thomas-travel-journalism-competition/, live, Cleveland Plain Dealer,NEWS, Nickoloff, Anne, Oct 22, 2020, The Plain Dealer’s travel section wins award in prestigious Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition, Oct 22, 2020, Cleveland Plain Dealer,www.cleveland.com/news/2020/10/the-plain-dealers-travel-section-wins-award-in-prestigious-lowell-thomas-travel-journalism-competition.html, January 30, 2022, January 30, 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220130233512/https://www.cleveland.com/news/2020/10/the-plain-dealers-travel-section-wins-award-in-prestigious-lowell-thomas-travel-journalism-competition.html, live, Oregonian,NEWS, Bottomly, Therese, Nov 10, 2011, Travel section wins silver award in Lowell Thomas competition, The Oregonian,www.oregonlive.com/oregonianeditors/2011/11/travel_section_wins_silver_awa.html, January 30, 2022, January 30, 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220130233513/https://www.oregonlive.com/oregonianeditors/2011/11/travel_section_wins_silver_awa.html, live, Outside magazine,WEB, Sep 13, 2012, Lowell Thomas Awards Announced for the Best Travel Journalism of the Year,www.outsideonline.com/culture/books-media/lowell-thomas-awards-announced-best-travel-journalism-year/, Outside (magazine), Outside Online, January 30, 2022, January 30, 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220130233514/https://www.outsideonline.com/culture/books-media/lowell-thomas-awards-announced-best-travel-journalism-year/, live, and Globe and Mail.NEWS, Nov 1, 2008, Lowell Thomas Awards: Another Gold for the Globe, Globe and Mail,www.theglobeandmail.com/life/lowell-thomas-awards-another-gold-for-the-globe/article662349/, January 30, 2022, January 30, 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220130233512/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/lowell-thomas-awards-another-gold-for-the-globe/article662349/, live,

Categories

The Grand Award (Travel Journalist of the Year) is given to an editor or writer whose work excels in at least five of the awards categories. In 1985 (the first year awards were given), there were 15 categories. In the intervening years, new categories, including blogging, websites, video, and multi-media, were added to reflect the changing journalism landscape. For the awards announced in 2021, a new category travel for health and safety was added, and the list had expanded to 27 categories:WEB, 2020-2021 List of Winners,www.satwf.com/2020-2021-satwf-lowell-thomas-travel-journalism-aw/2020-2021-list-of-winners, SATW Foundation,www.satwf.com/2020-2021-satwf-lowell-thomas-travel-journalism-aw/2020-2021-list-of-winners," title="web.archive.org/web/20211215201937www.satwf.com/2020-2021-satwf-lowell-thomas-travel-journalism-aw/2020-2021-list-of-winners,">web.archive.org/web/20211215201937www.satwf.com/2020-2021-satwf-lowell-thomas-travel-journalism-aw/2020-2021-list-of-winners, 15 December 2021, dead, Grand Award, Travel Health/Safety Coverage, Newspaper Travel Coverage, Travel Magazines, Travel Coverage in General Magazines, U.S./Canada Travel, Foreign Travel, Photo Illustration of Travel, Special Packages/Series, Cruise Travel, Adventure Travel, Travel News/Investigative Reporting, Service-Oriented Consumer Work, Environmental and Sustainable Tourism, Cultural Tourism, Personal Comment, Special-Purpose Travel, Short Work on Travel, Culinary-Related Travel, Travel Book, Guidebook, Travel Journalism Websites, Travel Audio, Travel Audio (Podcasts and Guides), Travel Video, Travel Blogs, Multimedia Single Work.

Judging

Entries are judged by members of the journalism faculty of an accredited U.S. university, each of which takes on the project for five or six years. Previous judges have included members of the faculties of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill School of Journalism and Mass Communication, the Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism, and the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. In 2015, judging returned to the University of Missouri, which had judged the competition for two previous terms.

Grand Award Winners

{| class=“wikitable“|+ Caption text! Year !! Journalist !! Outlet

		| The New York Times

		| Afar

		| freelance

		| freelance

		| freelance

		| The Los Angeles Times

		| freelance

		| freelance

|2014|John Rowe|freelance

		| The Record (New Jersey)

		Mary Jo McConahay>| freelance

		| The Record (North Jersey)

		| Rick Steves Europe

		| freelance

		| freelance

		| freelance

		| The Boston Globe

		| The Miami Herald

		| The Boston Globe

		| The Los Angeles Times

		| The Boston Globe

		| freelance

		| The Houston Chronicle

		| freelance

		| The Record (North Jersey)

		| The Chicago Tribune

		| The Los Angeles Times

		| freelance

		| The Los Angeles Times

		| The Chicago Sun-Times

		| The Seattle Times

		| The Seattle Times

		| The Seattle Times

		| The Star Tribune (Minneapolis)

		| The Orange County Register

		| freelance

		| freelance

Multiple Lowell Thomas Award Winners

The SATW Foundation maintains a list of all winners by year; the following publications and individuals have garnered the most awards as of 2021:WEB, Lowell Thomas Award Past Winners,www.satwf.com/past-winners-satw-foundation-lowell-thomas-competi/more-for-past-winners, SATW Foundation,www.satwf.com/past-winners-satw-foundation-lowell-thomas-competi/more-for-past-winners," title="web.archive.org/web/20220130233517www.satwf.com/past-winners-satw-foundation-lowell-thomas-competi/more-for-past-winners,">web.archive.org/web/20220130233517www.satwf.com/past-winners-satw-foundation-lowell-thomas-competi/more-for-past-winners, 30 January 2022, dead,

Publications

National Geographic Traveler: 122Seattle Times: 86Minneapolis Star Tribune: 62Chicago Tribune: 59Islands magazine: 59Los Angeles Times: 52(Outside (magazine)|Outside magazine:) 47San Francisco Chronicle: 40 (20 as Examiner-Chronicle)Boston Globe: 39Record (NJ): 39Travel + Leisure: 38National Geographic Adventure: 37Oregonian: 36Frommer’s: 36 (varying media)Washington Post: 35Orange County Register: 35USA Today :28New York Times: 27Miami Herald: 22Dallas Morning News: 21Lonely Planet: 19Chicago Sun-Times: 18Afar: 17 (since 2010)New Orleans Times-Picayune: 16Southern Living magazine: 16

Individuals

Catherine Watson: Minneapolis Star Tribune 29.Jill Schensul: (The Record/North Jersey Media Group) 29Alan Solomon: 25 (Chicago Tribune) 25Chris Welsch: (Minneapolis Star Tribune) 19Gary Stoller: (Conde Nast Traveler and USA Today) 12Christopher Reynolds: (Los Angeles Times) 11Don George: (various media) 10

References

External links

• SATW Foundation official website