The Travel Media Association of Canada is proud of the professionalism, talent, and dedication of its almost 400 members. TMAC exists to foster excellence across the diverse spectrum of travel media. It creates networking opportunities between its media and travel industry members; it offers frequent professional development opportunities for all members; and annually, TMAC celebrates the work of its media members through the Travel Media Association of Canada National Awards program.
TMAC’s annual awards program celebrates excellence in travel journalism, shining a spotlight on the outstanding work of its accredited Canadian members across 13 National Categories and six Membership and Chapter categories. Award winners will be announced at the annual TMAC Conference, in Saskatoon, on June 7th, 2025.
TMAC President Paul Knowles says, “It seems to have become the norm that there are always challenges facing the travel industry. Right now, political tensions have become a focus. But travellers continue to travel, recognizing the human value in connecting across cultures. And TMAC’s media members continue to share those stories, bringing the world to their audience – and encouraging their audience to connect to the wider world. The hundreds of entries from our members highlight the talent, expertise and commitment to diversity and inclusivity TMAC media members bring to their work.”
This year has seen over 436 submissions in the National Categories alone; The Membership and Chapter categories also received a significant number of submissions.
The results of the 13 National ‘judged’ categories below reflect the rigorous evaluation by our panel of eleven judges. This distinguished panel, including April Liu, Marc Williams, Jantine Van Kregten, Rebecca Bollwitt, Arjun Basu, Carolyne Parent, Marie-Eve Vallieres, Danie Béliveau, Deneen Perrin, Marie-Andrée Boucher and Timothy Taylor, meticulously reviewed submissions against a comprehensive scoring matrix. It was a common theme in comments from the judges, that many more than the finalists deserve recognition and commendation for excellent work.
Our thanks and appreciation to the judges for participating in the awards program.
NATIONAL AWARD FINALISTS
(for work completed in 2024)
Arlene Karpan and Robin Karpan: Saskatchewan’s Best Scenic Drives
Jonny Bierman, Debbie Olsen and Bianca Bujan: Lonely Planet guidebook: British Columbia & The Canadian Rockies
Marie-Eve Blanchard: Tested and approved 2: Quebec in over 100 extraordinary experiences
Marie-Julie Gagnon: Traveling better: is it really possible?
Taryn Eyton: Backpacking on Vancouver Island: The Essential Guide to the Best Multi-Day Trips and Day Hikes
Erin Hynes: Barang Village Community Homestay near Pokhara, Nepal
Lynn Elmhirst: Helitour in Search of Emperor Penguins in Antarctica on Scenic Eclipse
Solmaz Khosrowshahian: 7 Things You Need To Do In New Brunswick
Stephanie Wallcraft: Let’s fill a Niagara Parks Passport together!
William Tang: Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 – An Elemental Wonder
Ashlyn George: 4 Indigenous Experiences to Have as a Tourist in Nova Scotia
Jami Savage: Role Reversal
Jenn Smith Nelson: At Calgary’s Nupo, Executive Chef Mitsuru Hara crafts an intimate omakase experience
Julia Weber: Living on the Water: An Uros Man and His Reed Boat on Lake Titicaca
Justin Max St John: Guardian of the Land
Debbie Olsen: “Wonder is Real and it Lives Here” The Most Wintery Place in North America – Unpacked by AFAR
Izabela Jaroszynski: Tales from the Dark
Linda Barnard: In the Great Bear Rainforest, a Wild Visit That’s Gentle on the Land
Jennifer Bain: The Island That Time Forgot
Nancy Bordeleau: Une cocotte dans les bois
Cinda Chavich: Understanding West Coast Indigenous Culture Begins at the Table
Claire Sibonney: A Taste of the Sacred Valley
Claudia Laroye: Wild Island Kitchen
Paul Knowles: OH, THE PLACES WE’LL GO: Bootlegging, moonshine, and other liquid reasons to enjoy New Brunswick
Robin Esrock: Canada’s non-alcoholic revolution
Amy Rosen: Strength in Sap
Claudia Laroye: Flying high: Meet the Métis woman behind Canada’s first Indigenous, woman-owned airline
Diane Selkirk: Tse’K’wa National Historic Site
Erica Hargreave: Discovering Indigenous Newfoundland & Labrador while Following in the Footsteps of the Beothuk People
Tamara Elliott: Call of the wild resonates throughout Greenland and Labrador
Jane Canapini: Grown Up Travels
Kateryna Topol: Paths To Travel
Mary Charleson: Carry On Queen
Matthew Bailey: Must Do Canada
Michele Peterson: A Taste For Travel
Bri Mitchell: Honouring Those Who Left Little Trace: Learning About The Northern Plains Indigenous Cultures at Wanuskewin Heritage Park
Diane Selkirk: Tapping Tourists to Help Save the Peruvian Jungle
Erica Hargreave: Connecting with the Heart of South Africa with Uthando
Jonny Bierman: How to Visit Fiji and Leave Its Islands Better Than You Found Them
Marie-Julie Gagnon: Panama beyond the canal
Gemma Taylor: Bear tracks at Nels Bight
Julia Weber: A Sunset Journey Through Paracas, Peru
Oksana St John: A Dreamy Reflection
William Tang: Budda Snowed In
Wing Sze Tang: Splendor in the Sand
Diane Selkirk: Jasper National Park Drove Indigenous People From Their Land. Now They’re Coming Home
Jody Robbins: Newfoundland and St. Pierre share prohibition-era bootlegging past
Mark Stevens: A Canada Day of Remembrance
Suzanne Morphet: The Old Man and the River
Zack Metcalfe: The Long Way Home
Carol Patterson: Politics and Puffin People
Henk Geurts: After the Rain in Orvieto
Justin Max St John: Fire & Ice: Sunsets Over Antarctica’s Frozen Giants
Justin Max St John: Life On The Ice: Penguins of Antarctica
Oksana St John: Grasslands: The Untamed Frontier
Ashlyn George: Rock Climbing Along the Foster River
Jayme Moye: “The Magnificent Mother of Sea Country”
Jane Finn: Bird on a Wire
Tamara Elliott: Vineyard Hopping on the Half Corked Marathon
Zack Metcalfe: Sleeping in the Trunk
Amy Rosen: The Perfect 4 Days in Toronto, According to Locals
Carolyn Heller: This Canadian Hotel Has a Unique Confessional for Guests — Here’s What It’s Like
Carol Perehudoff: 5 Amazing Impressionist Museums in Paris
Claudia Laroye: How Women-Led Travel B Corps Are Balancing Profit With Purpose
Lisa Kadane: Channel Your Inner Jane Goodall at This New Primate Lodge in Uganda
MEMBERSHIP AND CHAPTER AWARDS
Henk Geurts: Joshua Trees under the Stars
Julia Weber: A Sunset Journey Through Paracas, Peru
Nadine Robinson: Rwandan Boy with Gifted Soccer Ball
Robin Karpan: Embrace the Night
Skylar Anderson: Skye’s Shepherds of the Setting Sun, Isle of Skye, Scotland
Diane Selkirk, Past Awards Committee Chair
Katie Conklin, 2025 Conference Chair
Jerry Grymek, Vice-President
Ange Chew, Discover Surrey
Jodi Holliday, Tourism Saskatchewan
Katie Conklin, Discover Halifax
NEW: Best Itinerary of the Year – Celebrating thoughtfully planned press trips that help media craft meaningful stories.
Andrew Hiscock, Legendary Coasts of Eastern Newfoundland: St. Pierre et Miquelon and Eastern Newfoundland Culinary Fam Tour
Aviva Kohen, Tourism Calgary: Where’s the Beef? And Shaft Cocktail
Kristy Hoddinott, Go Western Newfoundland: Gros Morne Bucket List
Highlighting stories that celebrate the contributions of Canadians of Asian descent.
Amy Rosen: ‘Toronto diners are curious’
Bianca Bujan: From Jeju to Tofino: Korean chef adds new flavours to Vancouver Island — with a little help from his mother
Cinda Chavich: Taste your way through Chinatown
Jacqueline Louie: The Paper Trail Project
Wendy Nordvik-Carr: Michelin-worthy Baan Lao escalates its culinary magic in Richmond (with video)
Host Destination Award – For media who attended the 2024 St. John’s conference and created great Newfoundland & Labrador content.
Jody Robbins: Newfoundland and St. Pierre share prohibition-era bootlegging past
Maryam Siddiqi: The Tiny Canadian Town That Only Hosts One Traveler at a Time
Shelley Cameron-McCarron: Getting stogged in St. John’s: I travelled to Newfoundland and found one of Canada’s most unique food cultures
The winner of the Past Host Destination Award will be revealed, along with all other winners, at the TMAC Awards Gala Dinner on June 7th in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.