“It has given our business a new element of trust”: Experience Oz on winning at last year’s travel awards

“It has given our business a new element of trust”: Experience Oz on winning at last year’s travel awards

With the entry deadline for the The Travel Awards 2019 closing soon, we thought we’d give you a little inspiration in the way of an interview with one of last year’s winners.

Experience Oz was named Online Booking Website of the Year at the Australian Travel Awards in 2018 (which has since been renamed The Travel Awards).

Here, we chat to the company’s head of brand and strategy, Samantha Kamala, about what impact the win has had on the business, as well as advice for those looking to enter this year’s awards:

TW: What did it mean for Experience Oz to win the Online Booking Website of the Year category at last year’s awards? How has it positively impacted the organisation?

SK: As an organisation, we’re pretty humble. Our CEO doesn’t scramble for the limelight and we aren’t the type to apply for awards. We did the submission on a whim and the loose thought that maybe it was time. We definitely feel it has given our business a new element of trust, both within the industry and in the eyes of consumers. Being recognised for our efforts also gave as a sense of pride internally that we didn’t expect.

TW: Apart from winning, what did you/Experience Oz love most about last year’s awards?

SK: The thrill! After taking the time to complete the submission, the anticipation of hearing the results was genuinely nerve-racking but incredibly exciting.

TW: Will Experience Oz be entering/attending this year’s awards?

SK: Most certainly! We’ve already got our submission underway for two award categories.

TW: What tips do you have for those organisations entering this year’s awards?

SK: Don’t underestimate the significance of small everyday tasks that amount to something special.


Organised by Travel Weekly, part of The Misfits Media Company, in association with media partner Better Homes and Gardens and principal partner Crystal, The Travel Awards are designed to celebrate wholesalers, destinations, airlines, tourism boards, cruise lines, retailers and the myriad of other companies that make the travel industry so amazing.

Capitalising on the phenomenal reach of Better Homes and Gardens, these awards will also offer travel brands the chance of winning an incredible advertising package worth $75,000 from which to market themselves.

Judged by more than 50 of Australia’s most experienced travel industry alumni and experts from the marketing sector, 37 categories cover the full gamut of the travel industry.

We also have some new and updated categories this year, so be sure to review the criteria document closely before submitting your entry/entries.

And, of course, the highly coveted Grand Prix Award will shine a light on one company making the biggest, most impressive splash in the industry.

The deadline for entries to this year’s awards is Friday 30 August 2019, meaning you have not long to get your s**t together. Get cracking on your submission now HERE!

We’ve provided a few handy tips on impressing the judges, which you can check out here.

This year, the Travel Awards will be held on Friday 29 November at The Venue Alexandria in Sydney, marking the perfect time to celebrate a year of hard work and to recharge your batteries for another year ahead.

Click HERE to secure your spot at the awards and take advantage of the early bird ticket special! The dress code for the sit-down-dinner affair is black tie.

Below are the key dates for The Travel Awards 2019…

Entry deadline: Friday 30 August 2019 ($99 per entry)

Late entry deadline: Friday 6 September 2019 ($149 per entry)

Early bird ticket sale deadline: Tuesday 24 September 2019

Finalists announced: Tuesday 1 October 2019

Full price tickets on sale: Wednesday 25 September 2019 until sold out

Awards night: Friday 29 November 2019 at The Venue Alexandria, Sydney

Best of luck to those entering The Travel Awards 2019, and kudos to all the sponsors for this year’s event, which you can check out below…

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