Best Travel Website to be Named by Web Marketing Association in 30th Annual WebAward Competition

Boston, MA, March 17, 2026 --(PR.com)-- The Web Marketing Association has announced that entries are now open for the 30th Annual WebAward Competition for Website Development, including the category recognizing the best travel websites in the world. Travel brands, tourism organizations, airlines, and hospitality companies can submit their websites through the WebAwards website at www.webaward.org. The deadline for travel-related websites to enter the competition is May 29, 2026.

Celebrating its 30th year, the WebAwards program recognizes excellence in website development across 86 industry sectors, including categories for travel, airlines, and hotel & lodging websites.

“In the travel industry, a website often represents the very beginning of a traveler’s journey,” said William Rice, President of the Web Marketing Association. “Long before a plane takes off or a hotel check-in begins, travelers are researching destinations, comparing prices, and exploring experiences online.”

Rice explained that modern travel websites must combine inspiration with highly functional booking tools.

“Today’s travel platforms must offer powerful search capabilities, real-time pricing updates, personalized recommendations, and mobile-friendly booking,” Rice said. “Travelers also expect loyalty program integration, sustainability information, user reviews, and easy itinerary management.”

As travel planning becomes increasingly digital, website performance plays a critical role in influencing consumer decisions.

“With AI-powered trip planning, social discovery, and comparison shopping happening within seconds, travel websites must deliver both emotional inspiration and transactional efficiency,” Rice added. “The WebAward Competition allows travel organizations and their development teams to benchmark their digital experiences against industry standards.”

Recognition as a WebAward winner signals excellence in both digital strategy and user experience.

“Being recognized as an award-winning website enhances brand credibility, improves global visibility, and reinforces consumer confidence in a travel brand’s digital experience,” Rice said.

Judging Criteria for Travel Websites

Entries submitted to the WebAwards competition are reviewed by a panel of experienced digital professionals who evaluate each site using seven key criteria that define effective website development:

Design

Innovation

Content

Technology

Interactivity

Copywriting

Ease of Use

Travel websites are first evaluated against other entries in the travel category and then compared to the overall WebAward standard of excellence.

Valuable Insights for Entrants

Organizations entering the competition gain important insights into how their websites perform relative to other travel industry sites.
Each entrant receives:

A scoring report comparing their website with the average scores within the travel category

Potential written comments from the WebAwards judging panel

Strategic insight that can guide future improvements in usability and performance

This benchmarking helps organizations strengthen their digital travel experiences.
Benefits of Winning a WebAward

Travel companies that earn a WebAward gain both recognition and marketing advantages.

Award-winning websites receive:

Increased visibility for their organization and digital platform

Opportunities to promote the award through media coverage

SEO benefits from backlinks on the highly ranked WebAward website

Social media recognition highlighting the achievement

A valuable credential for marketing materials and professional resumes

Recognition from industry peers and colleagues

And, of course, well-earned bragging rights

Best of Industry Awards

Each year, the Web Marketing Association presents Best of Industry WebAwards to the highest-scoring websites in the various travel-related categories.

These honors recognize travel brands that demonstrate outstanding achievement in digital storytelling, usability, innovation, and booking experience.

Travel companies, tourism organizations, airlines, and hospitality brands are encouraged to submit their websites to the 2026 WebAward Competition before the May 29 entry deadline.

Winners of the Best Travel Website include:

§ 2025 – Visit Myrtle Beach and Miles Partnership for The Beach Starts Here: Inspiring Travel to Myrtle Beach
§ 2024 - Go Car Rental Iceland for Your Local Car Rental in Iceland
§ 2023 – The Okaloosa County Tourism Department and Miles Partnership for Design Fort Walton Beach’s Little adventure-focused website
§ 2022 - Louisiana Office of Tourism and Miles Partnership for LOUISIANA BYWAYS
§ 2021 – Reichl und Partner eMarketing GmbH for SIMON'S BEST TRAVEL GMBH WEBSITE
§ 2020 – 4 Roads for Natural World Safaris
§ 2019 - VERB Interactive for VBT
§ 2018 – Visit Huntington Beach for Surf City USA
§ 2017 - Michigan Economic Development Corporation and Miles Partnership for Pure Michigan’s New Leisure Website
§ 2016 – Experience Grand Rapids for Experience Grand Rapids Website
§ 2015 – TripCreator ehf. for TripCreator.com
§ 2014 – USDM for Colorado Springs
§ 2013 - Pixo Punch Limited for Hong Kong Summer Spectacular Campaign
§ 2012 - Boyd Gaming Corporation for B Connected Online
§ 2011 – Civic Resource Group for Wyoming Travel and Tourism Web Portal and Online Management System
§ 2010 - TravelChannel.com & Razorfish for The New TravelChannel.com
§ 2009 - VisitSweden for VisitSweden
§ 2008 - Teehan+Lax Inc for AirMiles Make Like Miles
§ 2007 - Arnold Worldwide for Hungry Suitcase
§ 2006 - Hospitality eBusiness Strategies for RIU Cancun Portal
§ 2005 - Yellowstone Journal Corporation for YellowstonePark.com
2004 - Quicksilver Associates for Seabourn Cruise Line
2003 - Apollo Interactive for Excalibur Las Vegas Resort Hotel & Casino
2002 - Arnold Worldwide for Alaska

Winners of the Best Hotel & Lodging Website include:

§ 2025 – Muse Hotel for The Muse Hotel Website: Bold Boutique Experience in Times Square
§ 2024 – FINE for Canyon Ranch (Best of Show Winner)
§ 2023 – UP Hotel Agency for BUNK
§ 2022 - Evans Hotels for CATAMARAN RESORT HOTEL AND SPA
§ 2021 – UP Hotel Agency for THE HARI
§ 2020 – UP Hotel Internet Marketing for Maison Panthere
§ 2019 - UP Hotel Internet Marketing for Qbic (2019 Best of Show)
§ 2018 – TravelClick, Inc. for Thistle Hotels
§ 2017 - [D³] Digital Design + Development for Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills - At The Center of Extraordinary (2017 Best of Show)
§ 2016 – HeBS Digital for Tsogo Sun
§ 2015 – HeBS Digital for Red Lion Hotels Website
§ 2014 – Forte Village Resort for Forte Village
§ 2013 – HeBS Digital for Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan
§ 2012 - TravelClick Web Solutions for Puente Romano
§ 2011 – Sabre Hospitality Solutions for The Shores Resort & Spa
§ 2010 – TRAVELCLICK for Harbour Grand Kowloon Hotel
§ 2009 – TravelCLICK for the Albert Hotel
§ 2008 - E-site Marketing for Hotel Terra Jackson Hole
§ 2007 - Cendyn for Stonewall Resort
§ 2006 - T3 (The Think Tank) for ExperienceMarriott.com
§ 2005 - Open World, LTD for WARWICK International Hotels
§ 2004 - Interactive Sites for The New York Palace web site
§ 2003 - Open World Limited for Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts
§ 2002 - FreeRun Technologies for Simpson House Inn

Travel Websites can be entered into consideration for the 2026 Best Travel Website WebAward at the WebAward Website.

The 2026 WebAwards are sponsored by the following leading organizations: PR.com, iContact, and eTailConferences. The Web Marketing Association thanks these companies for their commitment to the entire online marketing community.

Please Join the Web Marketing Association on Social Media: LinkedIn Page, LinkedIn Group & Twitter. Like and follow for news and award updates.

About the WebAwards

The Web Marketing Association was founded in 1997 to help define the standard of excellence for online marketing. Our internationally known award programs, such as WebAward Competition for Website Development, Internet Advertising Competition and the MobileWebAwards, recognize the people and organizations responsible for developing the most effective online marketing programs on the Internet today. Entrants benefit from assessment of their marketing efforts by a professional judging panel and the marketing opportunities presented by being recognized as an award-winning web developer.