The finalists for the Golden Backpack Awards UK have now been announced and the countdown begins to the inaugural London gala awards dinner and presentation.
Taking place on Wednesday 12 October 2011, at the spectacular Shaka Zulu in London, the gala evening event will recognise tour operators, airlines, accommodation and transport providers who have shown outstanding commitment to the adventure and youth travel market.
Initial nominations were made at the TNT Travel Show in March, and now the finalists have been chosen via an online voting campaign.
Lonely Planet’s Tom Hall will be presenting the awards. Tom is a regular commentator on travel news and events in the media, including The Guardian’s weekly Ask Tom live travel talks online. He is also author of Lonely Planet’s Best Ever Travel Tips and was voted Online Travel Journalist of the Year at the 2010 Travel Press Awards.