FoodTrekking Awards

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What are the rules?

The following rules apply to applicants for the annual FoodTrekking Awards: - Applications open on March 1 of each year and close on May 31 each year, at the latest by 23:59 (11:59 PM) London time. - Make sure you received a confirmation email. Changes may be made only up until this day and time as well. - We cannot be held responsible for technical glitches, websites or pages that are down, etc. We strongly encourage you not to wait until the last day to submit your application. And yo...

How are the FoodTrekking Awards different from other industry awards?

There are plenty of awards programs around the world. You've probably seen dozens of categories and competitions for best food and beverage products, recognition for best destination marketing campaigns, acknowledgement of guest satisfaction, etc. The FoodTrekking Awards are different from general food/beverage/travel and hospitality awards in the following ways: - We focus specifically on food and beverage tourism. By this, we mean how food and beverage are woven into the travel experience...

What do the winners get?

Winners of the Awards (one per category) will receive the following benefits: - Complimentary admission to the next FoodTreX London | Food Travel Innovation Summit (up to £400+VAT value) - Attendance on stage at Awards Ceremony (end of day at the Innovation Summit) - Use of the FoodTrekking Awards winners logo in your own promotional materials & communications (no extra cost or license fee) - Mention of your business/destination name in all our social media properties (Facebook, Twitt...

How do we apply?

When the Awards are open, click on Apply Now on the FoodTrekking Awards page or our website. Please read the additional instructions below: - The application period for the next FoodTrekking Awards round is always posted on the Awards web page on our website. The FoodTrekking Awards are open to both members and non-members. Members are entitled to receive a discount on the application fee (consult the membership benefits comparison document for details). - We are able to process entries w...

What is the fee to apply for the FoodTrekking Awards and how do we pay?

We are a small non-profit organization and our operating income comes 100% from program revenue. Therefore we need to charge a fee. For 2020, the application fee is US$195 per application. That said, there are no additional fees, no credit card fees, no processing fees, no winner's fees and no licensing fees. Payment is made online securely at the time you submit your application. All major credit and debit cards are accepted. Now we are also able to accept payments via Transferwise (rather th...

Why is there a fee to apply for the FoodTrekking Awards?

We are a small, non-profit organization. Our funding comes 100% from our program revenue. There are no sponsors for the FoodTrekking Awards program and as such, we must charge an application fee to help offset the costs of producing the Awards. Your application fee covers the following expenses related to hosting the Awards: - Small stipend for each judge that reviews your individual application (this can be 1, 2 or 3 judges, depending on complexity of your application and other issues that...

How do judges rate/score the applications?

Judges are provided with a set of criteria on a checklist that they must evaluate for every application (the checklist and criteria are not published to the public). They read your answers and compare what you write with the criteria on the checklist. Judges also draw on their own experience and knowledge of your business category to determine how well you satisfy the criteria. It is up to you to convince the judges why your application is the best in the given category. You can and should submi...

Who are the past winners of the FoodTrekking Awards?

You can peruse past winners of the Awards on this page.

Can we see the application questions before we submit ours online?

We don't publish a list of actual questions asked but you can preview all the questions by beginning the application. Just choose to save and resume your work at a later time. You won't have to pay at this stage, and the system will remember your responses. As for the types of questions that are asked, please check the Categories page, where we explain what we are looking for and the criteria by which your entry will be judged. There are opportunities to submit up to 3 URLs (best for links to ...

When do the FoodTrekking Awards open again?

The Awards open every March and close on the last day of May, every year. Short list winners will be notified by September 1 of each year. The Awards Ceremony will take place every year as part of the FoodTreX London | Food Travel Innovation Summit.

Who produces the FoodTrekking Awards?

The FoodTrekking Awards are produced by the non-profit World Food Travel Association (http://www.worldfoodtravel.org), the world's leading authority on food and beverage tourism.

Can our business apply in multiple categories?

If you think the experience you offer could match more than one category, we encourage you to apply in all the relevant categories. Each category that you apply for requires payment of a separate application fee because it must be reviewed by our judges separately for each category being reviewed. If you only choose one category, be sure to choose the one that is the most logical match and for which you have the most convincing evidence.

What if our business type doesn't match a category? Can we still apply?

Possibly - your business or destination should have a reason for applying for one of the categories listed. If you don't see a good fit for a specific category, then you should probably wait to apply for the Awards until your application would match a specific category better.

How are the judges selected?

Judges are selected from a pool of industry experts. Each judge is an expert in at least one of the included categories and typically already known in their industry. We also look at past judging experience, and research the judge’s track record of integrity and ethics. If a judge is presented an application that may represent a conflict of interest, he/she is required to withdraw from judging that specific application. All judges are sworn to secrecy regarding specific applicants and their appl...

Can we edit or add to our application after submitting it?

You’ll be able to edit your application for 14 calendar days after you submit your entry or the application deadline, whichever is sooner. After that time, no alterations can be made.

Can we apply ourselves or must someone nominate us?

You may certainly apply yourself! No one needs to nominate you. We realize that many of your contacts aren't always thinking about ways to promote you and your business. As a business owner or manager, you understand the importance of ongoing marketing and publicity. Therefore, we encourage you to apply yourself. No permission or invitation required!

When did the FoodTrekking Awards first start?

The World Food Travel Association introduced the Awards in 2016 as the food tourism industry's first awards for excellence and innovation, another first for our industry