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2024 TMAC Awards Submission Guidelines | Travel Media Association of Canada

2024 TMAC Award Submission Guidelines

The 2024 TMAC Awards celebrate excellence in Canadian travel media, offering over $16,000 in prizes.

 


 

Submission Timeline for Judged Awards

  • Submissions Open: January TBD
  • Information Session: January 15, 2025, at 2:30 PM (Eastern) – RSVP
  • Submission Deadline: February 20, 2025, at 11:59 PM (Eastern)
  • Finalists Announced: May 2025
  • Winners Announced: June 2025, at the TMAC Awards Gala in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

 


 

Award Categories

TMAC Award categories are updated yearly to reflect member feedback and changes in travel media.

  • View the 13 Award Categories for 2024 HERE, including details on new and changed categories.

 


 

Key Preparation Notes

  • Review the guidelines thoroughly before submission.
  • Complete your submission using the TMAC 2025 Awards Entry Form.
  • Be prepared to provide:
    • Title of the submission
    • Publication name or location
    • Date of publication
    • Relevant URLs or uploadable files (e.g., PDFs, images)

Important: Failure to follow guidelines will result in disqualification.

 


 

Eligibility and Rules

  1. Work Eligibility:
    Submissions must have been created and published between January 1 and December 31, 2024.
    • Exception: Books published between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2024, are eligible.
  2. Member Eligibility:
    • Only current TMAC members may submit entries.
    • Renew your 2025 membership before submitting. Renew HERE.
  3. National Awards:
    • Open to Media Members in good standing.
    • Submissions must meet TMAC’s content and circulation requirements. View the points table HERE.
  4. Chapter and Member-Voted Awards:
    • Open to both Media and Industry Members, as outlined in category descriptions.
    • Submissions for these categories open in March 2025.
  5. Submission Limits:
    • Maximum: Six submissions per member across all National Award categories.
    • Per Category: Up to two entries.
    • Restrictions: The same story or photo cannot be submitted to more than one category, except that photos in written submissions may also be entered into photo-specific categories.
  6. Submission Fees:
    • First three submissions are free.
    • Additional submissions (up to six total) cost $25 each. Payment must be completed before finalists are announced in May.
  7. Prizes:
    • First Place: $650
    • Second Place: $400
    • Third Place: $200
    • Winners and Honourable Mentions receive certificates.
  8. Judging:
    • Independent judges, bilingual where applicable, will evaluate submissions using a scoring matrix.
    • Judges work in pairs or teams and are external to TMAC. Meet the judges HERE (Coming Soon).

 


 

Category-Specific Submission Details

1. Written Word Entries

  • Upload a single PDF with the title, publication name, and date clearly visible. 
  • Maximum file size: 56 MB

2. Self-Published Travel Website (Blog) Entries

  • Provide URLs for three blog/story entries.
  • Judges will also consider the overall quality of the site.

3. Visual Entries (Photos)

  • Submit images as PDF, JPEG, JPG, or PNG.
  • Include a 25–50 word description for context.
  • Social media photos (e.g., Facebook, Instagram) are not eligible.

4. Best Photo Series

  • Upload four images from the same story.
  • All images must be part of a single story, not from multiple pieces.

5. All Media Forms (e.g., Articles, Social Media, Video)

  • For articles, upload one PDF.
  • For social media or video submissions, provide a URL.

6. Books

  • Submit two physical copies or PDFs for judging (TMAC PO Box 332, Brighton, ON, K0K 1H0).
  • If more than two Media Members are listed as authors, contact Christine before submitting.

 


 

Technical Requirements

  1. File Formats and Size for Photos:
    • Accepted formats: PDF, JPEG, JPG, PNG
    • Maximum file size: 56MB
    • Ensure all submissions are high resolution.
  2. File Labelling:
    • Label files with your name and submission title (e.g., FirstName_LastName_Title).
    • Avoid emojis in file names to prevent submission errors.
  3. Submission Process:
    • All files must be uploaded through the form. Third-party platforms (e.g., WeTransfer) are not accepted.
  4. URLs for Multimedia or Blog Entries:
    • Limit URLs to 128 characters. Use link shorteners like Bitly if needed.

 


 

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there minimum criteria for submissions?
Yes. Submissions must meet TMAC’s content and circulation requirements (see points table HERE). Sponsored content is eligible (view submission guidelines HERE)

Can an award category be cancelled?
Yes. Categories with fewer than 10 entries will be removed from the program.

Can TMAC volunteers submit entries?
Yes. Volunteers, including Awards Committee and Board members, are eligible. Judging is conducted independently to ensure fairness.

Can I submit in French?
Yes. TMAC is a national, bilingual organisation with French-speaking judges.

 


 

We look forward to celebrating your achievements in Saskatoon!

Have Additional Questions?
Contact Christine at christine.painter@travelmedia.ca


 

 

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