Bristol Business News travel writer Anne Gorringe has been named as one of the winners of the prestigious Business Travel Awards, collecting her trophy last night at a glittering ceremony in the heart of London.
Anne scooped the Best Newcomer title for two articles which appeared on Bristol Business News and its sister sites Swindon Business News and Bath Business News, at the Carlson Wagonlit Travel Business Journalism Awards at the luxury five-star May Fair Hotel.
Anne’s victory places her among the elite of travel journalism – other winners included The Independent’s Simon Calder, and writers for national newspapers, major broadcasters and the travel trade press.
The judges praised Anne’s Bristol Business News articles describing how business travellers should not be concerned about travelling to London during the Olympics and a second feature on a joint scheme between First Great Western and D
estination Bristol offering conference travellers cut-price deals.
Anne said: “I’m absolutely thrilled. I had no idea I was even on the shortlist. At the drinks reception before the awards I got chatting to three people at the bar who turned out to be three of the judges. When I introduced myself, not a flicker of recognition registered on their faces so I wrongly assumed that my articles hadn’t made much of an impact. I had no idea I was on the short-list – let alone was up for an award!
“The competition was extremely stiff as these awards have been going now for nine years. The judges said there were more entries this year than ever before. I’m so delighted to have won.”
Although a highly-experienced journalist, having worked on the Bristol-based Western Daily Press newspaper, Anne has only been writing travel articles for the past 18 months, since contributing to Bristol Business News and its sister websites.
Anne is now invited to a special celebration lunch in January with members of the judging panel.
It is Anne’s second trophy this year. In February she won the Italian Tourist Board’s Online Travel Writer of the Year Award.
