Meet the Leaders Judging your 2026 Skift IDEA Awards Entry
Skift Take
The first round of judges for 2026 Skift IDEA Awards includes destination leaders, airline analysts, sustainability executives, marketers, and data chiefs shaping how travel actually runs.
Skift IDEA Awards recognize the work that moves travel forward. For 2026, we are building a judging panel that reflects how the industry really operates.
This first group of judges brings experience across aviation, destinations, cruise, travel tech, procurement, finance, sustainability, and global meetings strategy. Additional judges will be announced in the coming weeks.
If you plan to submit, these are the people who will review your work.
Industry Innovators
These judges understand how destinations and airlines compete in a volatile global market.
From destination competitiveness to airline economics, they bring a sharp lens on growth strategy, route development, traveler demand, and long-term positioning.
Change Makers
Leadership today spans culture, governance, sustainability, and stakeholder alignment.
Their expertise covers talent strategy, regulatory complexity, environmental leadership, and enterprise transformation.
Creative Thinkers
Brand, storytelling, and global reach matter more than ever.
From cruise to digital platforms serving millions of travelers, they evaluate how marketing translates into measurable demand and loyalty.
Problem Solvers
Execution defines innovation.
Technology, data intelligence, financial strategy, and operational rigor shape their daily work.
Meetings & Events
Business travel and events continue to evolve as strategic growth engines.
They understand how events drive brand, revenue, and community impact.
How are Entries Scored?
Each category has specific criteria outlined in the submission form. Judges score every section of your entry against those criteria using a numerical scale. Individual scores are then combined and averaged within the panel to determine the final result.
It is a structured, score-based process built for consistency and fairness.
Our judges read the entries through the lens of their industry knowledge and day-to-day decision-making.
When reviewing submissions, the panel focus on questions like:
- What market pressure or operational gap were you responding to?
- Was the strategy grounded in traveler behavior, distribution shifts, or cost realities?
- What made the approach stand out in a competitive landscape?
- Where is the evidence in revenue, yield, engagement, efficiency, or brand lift?
Tie your initiative to demand generation, customer acquisition, retention, sustainability targets, digital transformation, or bottom-line results.
Ready to Enter?
If you built something that changed how your organization sells, operates, markets, or measures performance, this is where you put it forward.
Skift IDEA Awards bring your work in front of industry experts who understand the complexity of this industry because they live it every day.
Lock in the early-bird price today with our Buy Now, Submit Later process. This means you can secure your entry at the lowest rate, then take your time perfecting it.
✔ Pay now to guarantee the best price
✔ Upload and edit your entry anytime
✔ Finalize right up until the submission deadline
Why wait? Save now – polish later.
