The World Is Travelling Again and the Global Travel Awards are back, bigger and better
By early 2026, the question is no longer whether global travel has recovered, but what it has become.
In the years following disruption and distance, travel has reasserted itself with a quieter confidence. Experience has replaced excess. Meaning now matters as much as movement. And influence, once concentrated in institutions, has widened to include individuals whose reach spans continents.
It is in this context that the Global Travel Awards 2026 has unveiled its full list of nominees, offering a clear and timely portrait of a sector in transition. The ceremony will take place on 25 March 2026 at the Crown London Hotel, bringing together destinations, airlines, hospitality leaders, tourism authorities and digital creators whose work continues to shape how the world travels.
Public voting is now open and will close on 20 March 2026, with millions of travellers worldwide expected to participate, reinforcing the Awards’ role as a reflection of public trust as much as industry recognition.
The nominations themselves read like a map of modern travel. Established destinations such as the Maldives, Mauritius, Paris, Dubai, Tokyo, Bali and New York City continue to command global attention through familiarity, infrastructure and cultural weight. Alongside them, emerging destinations including Rwanda, Namibia, Zanzibar, Georgia and Saudi Arabia point to a shift in global curiosity. Their inclusion reflects travellers seeking depth, context and long-term vision rather than novelty alone.
Cities remain central to the global imagination. London, Paris, Cape Town, Tokyo and Dubai lead the Best City for Tourists category, underscoring the enduring appeal of urban centres as cultural and economic crossroads even as nature-led and remote travel grows in prominence.
Hospitality, too, tells a more nuanced story. Iconic properties such as The Savoy, Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, Marina Bay Sands and Taj Lake Palace sit alongside boutique hotels, safari lodges and design-led resorts. Luxury, as reflected in the nominations, is no longer defined purely by scale or spectacle. It is shaped by intentionality, a sense of place and the ability to create lasting memory.
Aviation remains one of the most visible expressions of global connectivity. Airlines including Emirates, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, British Airways and Turkish Airlines are recognised not only for network reach but for consistency and experience. Airports such as Singapore Changi, Hamad International and Tokyo Haneda appear as destinations in their own right, reflecting how the journey itself has regained significance.
Perhaps the most telling evolution appears in the Best Travel Influencer category. Storytellers such as Wode Maya, Drew Binsky, Mark Wiens, Nas Daily, Kara and Nate, Eva Zu Beck and Sam Chui command audiences that rival traditional media outlets. Their presence among the nominees reflects a decentralisation of authority in travel storytelling, where trust is built through authenticity and sustained engagement rather than institutional voice alone.
What distinguishes the Global Travel Awards is its reliance on public participation. Voting transforms the ceremony into a collective assessment of relevance and resonance, offering insight into how travellers perceive brands, destinations and experiences in real time.
As London prepares to host the ceremony this March, the Global Travel Awards 2026 offers less a verdict than a snapshot. It captures a world travelling again with greater discernment, shaped by experience, influence and a renewed understanding of what movement across borders can mean.
Global Travel Awards 2026
25 March 2026
Crown London Hotel, London
Public voting closes 20 March 2026
www.globaltravelawards.co
