Travel Daily News: World Travel Awards opens call for entries for 2026

The Call for Entries for the World Travel Awards 2026 is now open, inviting travel and tourism organisations worldwide to submit their entries for the opportunity to be recognised within the global industry.

Organisations demonstrating market-leading excellence are encouraged to participate. The full list of available categories spans the breadth of the global travel and tourism sector, including aviation, destinations, hotels and resorts, tourist attractions, car hire, travel agencies, and tour operators. Previous winners have ranged from small companies and boutique hotels to large international hospitality brands.

The application process is described as quick and straightforward, with entries submitted online through the World Travel Awards platform.

Entry deadlines vary by region. Organisations based in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central America, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America must submit their entries by 22 March. Companies operating in the Middle East and the Indian Ocean region have an earlier deadline of 1 February.

Graham Cooke, Founder of World Travel Awards, said: “Each year, we witness the extraordinary commitment and innovation that drives our global travel and tourism industry forward. World Travel Awards exists to recognise those organisations that consistently raise the bar, and we look forward to receiving entries from across the world as we continue our journey towards crowning the very best of 2026.”

Voting will open shortly after the close of the Call for Entries. Votes may be cast by industry professionals, including senior executives, travel buyers, tour operators, and travel agents, as well as by members of the public and the media.

Voting follows a first-past-the-post system, with the organisation receiving the highest number of votes in each category declared the winner.

Each year, the Awards conducts a Grand Tour consisting of regional gala ceremonies across different continents. Winners of the regional categories progress to the Grand Final, where they compete against other regional winners for the World-level awards.