The 2026 Dutch Travel Media Awards were presented for the best travel stories and social media content

At a well-attended awards ceremony at TravelPRESSentation, five inspiring Dutch travel publications were honoured with a Dutch Travel Media Award 2026. The winners of the awards for the best travel stories and social media content are: Lisette van Beek from Travellust.nl, Marco Barneveld from WideOyster.com, Sabrina Gaudio from Columbus Magazine, Kees Lucassen for OpPad.nl and Eliane Roest from @benerwegvan.

The independent jury assessed over 165 entries across five categories: Print, Online Europe, Online City, Online Outside Europe and Open Category. The jury members were Hanita van der Meer (Communications, ANVR), Sara van Geloven (Polarsteps, former editor-in-chief of Lonely Planet), Ron Peereboom Voller (Ron Reizen, former editor of Telegraaf Reiskrant) and Kirsten Jassies (social media expert, trainer and author) assessed aspects such as storytelling and creativity. However, aspects such as practical applicability, inspirational potential, an eye for sustainability and ‘the overall picture’ were also taken into account in the judging. . www.dutchtravelmediaawards.nl  

Winners by category

Print

Sabrina Gaudio with ‘Island in the Mountains’, a wonderful story about northern Italy in Columbus Magazine. The jury: ‘The winner in this category has succeeded in portraying a destination in a truly unique way. The locals tell the story, which forms the central theme. Aspects such as the region’s language and culture are also beautifully incorporated into the article. What’s particularly noteworthy is that the winner is responsible for both the text and the photography.’

Online city

Lisette van Beek – Lisette van Beek – ‘Things to do in Kathmandu’ – Travellust.nl

The jury: ‘The winning article stands out for its honest account, which incorporates personal experiences effectively. It’s not a destination you can get to easily, so good information is extremely valuable. The article provides plenty of it. The tips are honest. It’s vividly written, comprehensive and practical – it’s genuinely useful.’

Online Outside Europe

Marco Barneveld/photography by Frits Meyst – ‘The tribes of the Omo Valley, Ethiopia’ – WideOyster.com

In this category, the jury saw plenty of adventure and places you don’t just happen to come across.

The Jury: ‘The winning entry takes you to a destination that is not easy to reach. It is a very good travel story about a traditional way of life that is changing rapidly. The writer conveys this beautifully. Stunning imagery rounds the piece off perfectly.‘

Online Europe

Kees Lucassen – ‘In the footsteps of El Cid by bike’ – OpPad.nl The jury: ‘The winner’s writing is youthful and adventurous. The story has a strong central theme, a distinctive voice and stands out for its original approach. Locals also play an important role in this story. It takes you on a journey through both the familiar and the unfamiliar sides of Spain – a surprising way to experience the country.’

Social Media Content

Eliane Roest from *Ben Er Weg Van* with ‘De Hoekse Lijn’ The jury: ‘All three nominees understand how to structure a story for social media. Each one does this for a different target audience and their own channel. The winning creator and production are creative, offer a unique perspective, are authentic and practical, provide useful tips, and turn something ordinary into something extraordinary.’

About Travel PRESSentation and Dutch Travel Media Awards

Travel PRESSentation and the Dutch Travel Media Awards are an initiative of Baltus Communications and CommuniGate Marketing & PR, two PR agencies specialising in the tourism sector. Travel PRESSentation 2026 attracted 28 participating organisations and once again demonstrated the value of face-to-face meetings at a time when travel journalism is rapidly moving online and the media landscape is in flux. Driven by the belief that the authentic travel story has lasting value, the Dutch Travel Media Awards were launched last year to provide a visible platform for craftsmanship, inspiration and quality within the Dutch-language travel media. 

The Dutch Travel Media Awards are made possible in part by Red Online, PR-Dashboard, Media Info Group and Thule. TravelPRESSentation has been a leading media event in the tourism sector since 2002. Every year, the event brings together dozens of national and international destinations, tourism boards and travel brands with travel media, journalists, bloggers and content creators from the Netherlands and Belgium. In addition to the Dutch edition, a Belgian edition has also been running for a number of years.