Main Awards/USA Awards

Question 1

Invisible Cities

Answer 1

Community Tour

• Invisible Cities offers people affected by homelessness the opportunity to become tour guides in their own city.
• Tours bring a destination and its stories to life through the unique perspectives of locals
• 100% of its profit is reinvested in these initiatives and the ongoing development and education of the tour guides as well.

Question 2

Gabby Beckford

Answer 2

Emerging Voice

• Gabby Beckford has formed the Young Travelers Network and co-founded the Black Travel Alliance to empower Generation Z to see the world and increase Black representation in the travel industry.
• Turned her personal travel blog into an inclusive space where she speaks directly to Gen Z and writes about her experiences as a solo, Black traveler.
• Gabby also started the Young Traveler’s Network on Facebook to encourage travelers aged between 16 and 26 years old to connect directly with one another
• She also co-founded the Black Travel Alliance with 17 other Black content creators to boost representation in travel.

Question 3

Soraya Abdel-Hadi

Answer 3

Sustainable Storyteller

• Soraya’s blog pursues environmentally-friendly ways to travel and promotes low-impact interactions with the natural world.
• From building a bamboo bike and creating net-positive art on her trips to joining an all-female sailing trip exploring plastics and toxics in our ocean
• Soraya’s work is conscientious and thought-provoking and we hope it will inspire others to tread more carefully when they next travel.

Question 4

Virginia Bike Trail

Answer 4

Sustainable Cycling Trail

• This is a cycling route through the Blue Ridge Mountains that gives its users a way of sustainably and carefully interacting with the environment.
• Cycling is a low-impact sport and using this route helps to preserve the natural and cultural heritage of the Southern Appalachians from the threat of encroaching development.
• Cyclists not only maintain the track but each must carry their own equipment as well as food and water.

Question 5

Jeff Jenkins

Answer 5

Inclusive Storyteller

• We were looking for a storyteller who not only amplified the voices of a minority, but someone who shared their own success to create a better world for others too.
• Jeff Jenkins’ Chubby Diaries blog provides inspiration, practical information and product recommendations for plus-sized people and empowers his community to see more of the world through groups, meet-ups and a rich mix of photography, videos and resource lists.
• Jeff’s honest and open reflections of life on the road have had positive results too as some tour operators are now more accommodating to plus-sized travelers.

Question 6

Gullah Islands

Answer 6

Under-explored history

• Thanks largely to their remote location and the enduring people that live there, the Gullah Islands continue to preserve the unique culture where West African traditions, including language, crafts, music and food, were being amplified across the vast Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor.
• Stretching from North Carolina to Florida, locals and historians in this region keep the history and cultural heritage of this underexplored region alive through the maintenance of historic sites and culturally significant places.

Question 7

San Diego

Answer 7

Cultural Diversity

• San Diego’s mix of cultures, traditions and voices make it a unique destination.
• Minority communities make up over 59% of the total population of San Diego
• From the food to the surf culture, or from the 17 different museums in Balboa Park to the burgeoning arts districts of Barrio Logan and La Jolla, San Diego really is a multitude of cultures