Travel Season Is Here: Submit Your Photos to Travel Photographer of the Year 2026

Travel season is finally in full swing, and so is the 24th edition of the Travel Photographer of the Year awards (TPOTY). Yes, entries are now open, so if you needed a sign to book a trip, consider this your sign. But before you start browsing AirBnB and packing your gear, let’s see what the terms and propositions for the contest are, so you can better prepare.

TPOTY accepts work across the full spectrum of travel photography topics, and both amateur and professional photographers are welcome. Also, it doesn’t matter where from the world you are and how old you are. There’s also a dedicated Young Travel Photographer of the Year category, free to enter, for photographers aged 18 and under. The young category theme this year is Discovering the World.

Categories

There are four portfolio categories: Adventures & Journeys, Cultures Traditions & Celebrations, Landscapes – Natural & Urban, and Wildlife Sealife Birdlife. For single-image entries, the One Shot categories are: In Nature, People of the World, Street, and Travel in Black & White.

The overall Travel Photographer of the Year title goes to the photographer with the best two portfolios across any portfolio categories. Entry to the overall title is automatic and free once you’ve submitted your portfolios. There’s also a Travel Image of the Year, awarded to one of the One Shot or Best Single Image in a Portfolio winners, and a People’s Choice award voted on by the public.

Prizes and Exposure

Winners receive nearly £10,000 in cash, photographic gear, exhibition-quality prints, portfolio reviews, and photo tuition and mentoring. The Rising Talent Award winner gets a 9-day mentored trip to Sri Lanka. It goes without saying that TPOTY winners also get significant media exposure and feature in UK and international exhibitions.

A 15-person international jury panel is doing the blind judging to make sure the voting is fair. Great news in my book is that AI-generated images are not permitted in this contest. You really need to go out there, have experiences, and take photos.

[Related Reading: World Press Photo Contest updates rules to exclude AI-generated imagery]

Entry Dates, Fees, and Early Bird Options

Entry fees start at £14, and the entry is free for photographers 18 and under. Enter before 1st July for an automatic 10% early bird discount, or grab the TPOTY Pass for unlimited entries up until 16th July. Multi-entry packages are available with savings of up to 50%. You can go ahead and submit your images now, and the submissions close on October 12, 2026.

Let me now inspire you with a few of last year’s photos, and make sure to check out all the 2025 winners here.

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