Time Out Australia has launched its first-ever Travel Awards

This brand-new awards is all about celebrating Australia's most "wow" accommodation, destinations and experiences, all over the country

Time Out Australia - the go-to resource for travel around the country - has just launched its inaugural Travel Awards, in partnership with Wise.

Time Out has been running awards for decades, including the Food & Drink Awards - and now it's time to start celebrating the very best hotels, destinations, experiences, operators and more, based on our editors' vast travels around the country.
 

Editors' Choice nominees for the Time Out Australia Travel Awards 2026 have been announced today, across the following 10 categories: 

• Best Luxury Stay
• Best Boutique Stay 
• Best Affordable Stay
• Best Family-Friendly Stay (presented by Scenic World)
• Best Holiday Home
• Best Attraction
• Best Adventure Experience
• Best Destination
• Best Eco Tourism 
• Best Wellness Travel

See all the nominees over here.

Note that venues don't nominate themselves for these awards - Time Out editors experience venues and then curate nominee lists from those experiences. Time Out editors have been to every nominee stay, destination and experience, and all of them made the list because they deliver "wow" experiences across a spread of states, price points, and for different types of travellers. These are spots that Time Out editors would recommend to anyone.

There are also People's Choice Awards, which are chosen by the public. People can vote now for their favourite spots to go in the draw to win a $500 Visa gift card (voting closes November 13, 2026). These are the three People's Choice categories:

• Favourite Hotel 
• Favourite Destination 
• Favourite Travel Experience or Attraction

Vote over here. 

For Melissa Woodley, the Editor of Time Out Australia at Vinyl Media, travel is a huge part of her role - in the last two-and-a-half years since launching Time Out's Australia-wide travel guides, she has taken more than 100 flights and explored every state and territory.

"Here at Time Out, we're all about getting Australians - as well as international audiences - inspired to get out and discover all the hidden gems that our remarkable country has to offer," says Woodley.

"I truly believe Australia is one of the most diverse places on Earth - we have world-class experiences for every kind of traveller, whether you're into adventure, eco-tourism, wellness or pure five-star luxury. These awards are our way of championing the people and places making our travel landscape unforgettable, and giving everyone an excuse to book their next getaway."

Winners for both the Editors' Choice and People's Choice Awards will be announced on November 23, 2026 - keep an eye on @timeoutaustralia's Instagram for updates.

The full list of nominees can be found here.

-ENDS-