HI Travel Tales took home four national awards from the North American Travel Journalists Association. Therese Iknoian and Michael Hodgson, who run the travel blog HITravelTales.com, won a gold medal, two silvers and an honorable mention for excellence in travel photography and writing.

The distinguished travel writing and travel photography awards covering work in 2019 were announced in early 2020 and include winning entries from major publications such as the New York Times, National Geographic Traveler and Travel+Leisure.

“Three medals and an honorable mention are an incredible honor, especially considering the high-level competition and scope of talent in travel writing and photography today,” said Therese Iknoian. Added Hodgson, “To have been among the select winners of this prestigious annual awards competition, two years in a row, is both gratifying and humbling. It certainly inspires us to keep working to improve each year.”

Awards went to print and online publications, journalists and photographers, as well as destination marketing organizations, for example in culinary and destination travel, personality profiles and podcasts. Works considered were published between September 2018 and 2019.

Iknoian won a coveted gold medal for her travel photo in the category “Portrait, People – Online,” for an intimate portrait of a performer with a crystal ball at Berlin’s annual Botanical Nights summer event. She also scored a silver for her photo of a bird flying over the harbor in Essaouira, Morocco, in the category “Featured Photo Illustration – Online.”

Hodgson nabbed a silver for his personal essay “Finding myself in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge,” in the category “Illustrated Story – Online,” where one person writes and takes the photos. He also earned an honorable mention, also in the “Featured Photo Illustration – Online,” for his photo of Niagara Falls illuminated at night.

Iknoian and Hodgson, based in Northern California, have run HITravelTales.com for about five years, during which time they have traveled to, photographed, and written about Germany, Morocco, Ukraine, Argentina, Antarctica and of course the United States. Together, they have been to all seven continents, 46 countries, and all 50 states, focusing on immersive travel that connects readers with the culture, food, history, people, and natural wonders of a destination. With the COVID-19 Pandemic, they have been back in California (mostly) and focusing on deeper experiences in their own backyard.

Founded in 1991, the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) is an industry leader in travel journalism that fosters high-quality journalism by supporting professional development and honoring excellence in journalism globally. See the entire NATJA list of winners here.