AITO: The Association of Independent Tour Operators
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AITO Awards

AITO hold two prestigious awards events each year including the AITO Travel Awards, honouring our most supportive and successful members, and the prestigious Travel Writer of the Year (TWOTY) Awards.


Tour Operator of the Year+-


The prestigious AITO Tour Operator of the Year awards are awarded annually to those tour operators with the highest ratings on aito.com, judged from AITO Reviews.

The prestigious awards are unveiled exclusively at the AITO Annual General Meeting each year. View the honour roll of recipients splanning from 2015 to the present year below.

2023

Tour Operator of the Year

Platinum  Absolute Escapes and On Foot Holidays
Gold  Bushbaby Travel, Mickledore Travel and McKinlay Kidd
Silver  Peter Sommer Travels, Fleewinter and Experience Travel Group
Bronze  Naturetrek and Wilderness Scotland

 

2022

Gold  Absolute Escapes and Peter Sommer Travels
Bronze  On Foot Holidays


2019

Gold  Inside Travel Group
Silver  Peter Sommer Travels and On Foot Holidays
Bronze  McKinlay Kidd


2018

Gold  The Mountain Company
Silver  Peter Sommer Travels
Bronze  McKinlay Kidd

2017

Gold  Peter Sommer Travels
Silver  Expert Africa
Bronze  Absolute Escapes


2016

Gold  McKinlay Kidd
Silver  Peter Sommer Travels
Bronze  Casas Cantabricas


2015

Gold  Peter Sommer Travels
Silver  CICERONI Travel
Bronze  The Mountain Company

 


Chair's Award+-


2023

Chair's Award

 Heather McKinlay, McKinlay Kidd

Business Partner of the Year+-


2023

Business Partner of the Year

Gold  James Hallam Insurance Brokers
Silver  White Hart Associates
Bronze  The Firebird Partnership

 


Tourist Board of the Year+-


2023

Tourist Board of the Year

Gold  Greek National Tourism Organisation
Silver  Turespaña
Bronze  Visit Portugal

Travel Writer of the Year (TWOTY) Awards+-


Held every Autumn at our 'Meet the Media' event, the prestigious Travel Writer of the Year (TWOTY) Awards are always hotly contested. Over the past 27 years, some of the most respected travel journalists in the industry have featured on the roll of honour.

The awards recognise excellence in the huge field of travel writing and offer a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the incredible talent we enjoy across the sector. The awards ceremony is attended by a remarkable collection of travel journalists, tour operators, and tourist boards.

Expert judges from the across the travel industry select the winners based on four key tenets, ensuring the winners articles were inspirational, informative, interesting, and well-written. 

Applications for the next AITO Travel Writer of the Year Awards open early summer 2025 for articles written during the previous 12-month period.

2024

AITO Travel Writer of the Year Long (Over 1,500 words):

Gold - Ellie Fazan - Single, pregnant and travelling, Adventure.com
Silver - Mark Stratton - Living with nature in Fiji, Wanderlust 
Bronze - Sarah Gillespie - The beautiful island, JRNY

AITO Travel Writer of the Year - Short (Under 1,500 words):

Gold - Jacqui Agate - The best way to see America's ultimate wilderness is by train, The Telegraph
Silver - Jessica Vincent - The new Sri Lankan hiking trail that leads to the heart of hill country, National Geographic Traveller
Bronze - Holly Budge - World-female ranger interviews: five women you need to know, Adventure.com

AITO Young Travel Writer of the Year:

Gold - Leyla Rose - Have Hong Kong's iconic Dai Pai Dong seen their last supper?, Adventure.com 
Silver - Erica Rich - Island of opportunity, Aspire
Bronze - Alice Barnes-Brown - A slow boat through the Cyclades, JRNY

AITO Travel Trade Writer of the Year:

Gold - Rashmi Narayan - I found coastal bliss on the west coast of America, TTG
Silver - Erica Rich - Nature's gift, Aspire
Bronze - Laura French - Rest and regenerate, Aspire

AITO Travel Blogger of the Year:

Gold - Kate MacLeod - The perfect autumn weekend in Lisbon, Stories my suitcase could tell 
Silver - Abigail King - What you need to know about the Ravenna mosaics in Italy, Inside the Travel Lab
Bronze - Abigail King - Is Graz worth visiting? The truth about Austria's second city, Inside the Travel Lab

Many conngratulations to our winners who have entered the AITO Hall of Fame alongside some of the most respected travel journalists in the industry.