2025 Visit USA UK Media Awards
Winners Announced!
THE VISIT USA UK MEDIA AWARDS CELEBRATES THE UK’S CHAMPIONS OF US TRAVEL JOURNALISM
[London, 2 July 2025]
The Visit USA Association UK has celebrated another year of inspirational travel journalism about the USA at its annual media awards ceremony. The Awards, held on 1st July at The Honourable Society of Grays Inn Fields, recognised a total of 14 travel writers, broadcasters and content creators who have explored the USA from coast to coast over the last twelve months. These included three special awards that highlighted outstanding contributions to promoting tourism to the USA.
Credit: Chalky White
The winners were selected by a panel of judges from over 300 entries across eleven categories, in addition to the three special Awards. For 2025, a new judging criterium was introduced noting entries that showcased stories with a ‘tourism for good’ element.
The winners are as follows:
Broadcast Audio including Podcasts
Winner: Aaron Miller - Utah: Life elevated (podcast)
Consumer Magazine Feature
Winner: Zoey Goto – Making a racket in LA (Vera by Virgin Atlantic)
Consumer Travel Magazine Feature
Winner: Jacqui Agate – The call to mãlana ‘ãina (Wanderlust)
Content Creator Campaign
Winner: Eileen Aldis – Detroit (YouTube.com/EileenAldis)
Digital Feature
Winner – Felicity Cloake- An unsung sleeper train is the most romantic way to explore the US (The Sunday Times)
National Broadsheet Feature
Winner: Mike MacEacheran – I’ve found the most beautiful train ride in America (The Times)
National Tabloid Feature
Winner: Barry Cooper – Come feel the ‘Nois (Reach PLC / Daily Mirror)
Photographic Feature
Winner: Mark Parren Taylor - Photo story: The people behind New Jersey’s iconic diners (National Geographic Traveller)
Regional Press Feature
Winner: Domhnall O’Donoghue – Livin’ la vida loca (Belfast Telegraph)
Rising Star
Winner: Yvette Cook - The sleeper train on which you wake up to breakfast tacos – and Texas (The i Paper)
Travel Trade Press Feature
Winner: Laura French - Way out West (Travel Weekly)
The recipients of the three Awards for outstanding contribution are:
Travel Oregon Travel Writer of the Year
Winner – Lauren Jarvis - Following last year’s press trip, Lauren produced four stunning features for JRNY Magazine, The Independent, and Breathe Magazine—three of which were finalists at the awards.
Visit USA UK Travel Writer of the Year
Winner: Rashmi Narayan - Rashmi’s published work about the USA over the last year has covered a wide range of destinations across both consumer and trade titles. The Association commends her ability to bring such a variety of compelling stories to life for these varying audiences.
Visit USA UK Travel Publication of the Year
Winner: JRNY & Kav Dadfar – JRNY America launched in 2024 as the first publication dedicated to travel to the USA in over a decade. Visit USA UK applauds the JRNY team’s ongoing commitment to showcasing the kaleidoscope of US experience.
The Association gratefully acknowledges its member sponsors for this year’s Awards:
Travel Oregon, Travel Texas, Deep South USA, Visit Central Florida, Brand USA and TravMedia.
For further information visit www.visitusa.org.uk
-ENDS-
Finalists
Broadcast Audio – Including Podcasts
Aaron Millar: Podcast. Utah: Life Elevated
Holly Rubenstein: The Travel Diaries with Holly Rubenstein. Orlando Uncovered – Destination Special
Portia Jones: The Travel Goals Podcast. Beyond the Freedom Trail: Inside Boston's Distinctive Neighbourhoods
Consumer Magazine Feature
Christine Faughlin: Sainsburys Magazine. Travel Review: More to explore in Orlando
Lauren Jarvis: Breathe Magazine. California Dreaming
Mike MacEacheran: Food by National Geographic Traveller. How Nanobreweries are Shaking Up Portland's Beer Scene
Zoey Goto: Vera by Virgin Atlantic. Making A Racket in LA
Consumer Travel Magazine Feature
Alli Patton: JRNY magazine. The Things You Find in the Dark
Jacqui Agate: Wanderlust. 52 Travel Secrets of the USA
Jacqui Agate: Wanderlust. The Call to mālama ‘āina
Lauren Jarvis: JRNY America. River Deep, Mountain High
Nick Savage: Escapism. Turn the Page
Robyn Wilson: JRNY America. Growing for resistance: Puerto Rico’s Army of Farmers
Zoey Goto: National Geographic Traveller. Rock the Boat
Content Creator Campaign
Bella Falk: Passport & Pixels – Viking Cruise on the Mississippi
Eileen Aldis: youtube.com/EileenAldis - Detroit
Jessica Gibson: The Travelista – Deep South USA
Scott Tisson: Intrepid Escape – Bradenton
Digital Feature
Felicity Cloake: The Sunday Times. An Unsung Sleeper Train is the Most Romantic Way to Explore The US
Harriet Mallinson: Family Traveller. It’s Bright Lights and Thrills in Tennessee, With or Without the Kids
Lauren Jarvis: The Independent. A Seaweed Foraging Adventure Along the Oregon Coastline
Mike MacEacheran: BBC Travel. Yamashiro: Los Angeles' Secret Mountain Palace
Portia Jones: Sunday Mirror. I think this US city is better than New York …
Stuart Forster: Wanderlust. Explore Birmingham, the Cultural Heart of Alabama
Tayla Gentle: Adventure.com. The Indigenous Leaders and Songkeepers putting California’s ancestral wisdom in the Spotlight
National Broadsheet Feature
Adrian Bridge: The Times. Ski and the City: Why NYC and Vermont are the Perfect Pair
Chris Leadbeater: The Telegraph. Detroit is back – and this time, it means it
Jacqui Agate: The Telegraph. The best way to understand America? It’s still Route 66
Mike MacEacheran: The Times. I’ve found the most beautiful train ride in America
Rashmi Narayan: The Independent. Move over New Orleans, Lake Charles is our new favourite destination for Mardi Gras
Zoey Goto: The Independent. The revival of California’s vintage motels
National Tabloid Feature
Andy Harries: Mail on Sunday. Grills & Thrills
Barry Cooper: Reach PLC / Daily Mirror. Come Feel the ‘Nois
Graham Boynton: Mail on Sunday. Rockin’ and Rollin’ in the Beautiful South
Jerry Lawton: Reach PLC / Sunday Express. Washington (AC) DC
Sam Love: Scottish Sun. Keys to our Heart
Photographic Feature
Kav Dadfar: JRNY America. Solitude Among Splendour
Mark Parren Taylor: National Geographic Traveller. Photo Story: the people behind New Jersey’s Iconic Diners
Peter Ellegard: Planet Golf Review. Impressions from Louisiana
Regional Press Feature
Domhnall O'Donoghue: Belfast Telegraph. Livin’ La Vida Loca
Marion McMullen: Manchester Evening News. Snake, Rattle & Roll
Ruth Brindle: Yorkshire Evening Post and others. Theme Dreams Come True in Kissimmee
Rising Star
Kassondra Cloos: Adventure.com. I used to hate my Rhode Island hometown. Then I tried this
Shelby Little: Origin Magazine. Always Something New: Your Florida Family Vacation Guide
Yvette Cook: iNews. The sleeper train on which you wake up to breakfast tacos - and Texas
Travel Trade Press Feature
Alice Barnes-Brown: Travel Weekly. Back to The Sun
Laura French: Travel Weekly. Way Out West
Lynn Houghton : Travel Weekly. Steel the Show
Rashmi Narayan: TTG. Eclectic Tastes
Our Judges
Kirsty Dillury, Visit Mississippi (PR Committee)
Margaret Henriksson, Daytona Beach Area CVB (PR Committee)
Surinder Manku, Alabama Bureau of Tourism (PR Committee)
Hannah Mulvey, Visit Florida (PR Committee)
Jo White, Travel Oregon (PR Committee)
Michael Ball, Traverse
James Brooke, Visit St Pete-Clearwater
Stephen Brown, U.S. Commercial Service, U.S Embassy, London
Nadia Clinton
David Ezra, New York State Tourism
Debbie Hindle, International Centre for Responsible Tourism Global
Barry Johnston, Illinois Office of Tourism
Cath Pusey, America As You Like It
Laura Rendell-Dunn, Journeyscapes
Maddy Simpson, See Monterey
Howard Salinger, Travel Connection Group
Jonathan Sloan
Emma Westman, Visit California
2024 Visit USA UK Media Awards
Media Awards 2024 Nominations & Winners List
2023 Visit USA UK Media Awards
Media Awards 2023 Nominations & Winners List
Video of the day courtesy of Steve Dunlop HERE