DEADLINE: JANUARY 16, 2026 — The 2026 Africa Travel Week (ATW) Media Awards seek out storytellers, photographers and content creators who bring Africa’s extraordinary travel and tourism stories to life.
The ATW Media Awards recognise excellence in journalism, photography and videography across the continent.
There are five award categories.
- Sustainability Feature Award. This award champions journalism that moves the sustainability needle; recognising stories that highlight regenerative tourism, community tourism, women-led initiatives, conservation, responsible practices and the African innovators reimagining the tourism industry’s relationship with people and planet.
- Visual Tourism Award. This award honours visual artists who capture a destination’s spirit through their own distinctive perspective: photographers and creative artists whose exceptional work showcases Africa’s natural heritage, culture and character in extraordinary ways.
- Tourism News Award. This award recognises serious journalistic mastery in Africa’s travel and tourism sector, honouring incisive, analytical reporting of developments, patterns, obstacles and innovations impacting the industry today.
- Destination Feature Award. This award celebrates rich, layered features that explore a destination’s natural wonders, cultural traditions and communities – inspiring people to travel with deeper intention and curiosity.
- Young Talent Award. This award spotlights the next generation of African travel storytellers – celebrating emerging writers, photojournalists and digital creators who are already shaping how the world sees the continent.
Entries must have appeared in print or online between January 1 and December 31, 2025.
The deadline for entries is January 16, 2026.
MEDIA AND JOURNALISM OPPORTUNITIES FROM I-79 MEDIA
Howard G. Buffett Fund for female journalists
DEADLINE: ROLLING — Female journalists around the world can apply for the Howard G. Buffett Fund offered through the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF). APPLY HERE
O’Shaughnessy Fellowships offer innovative creators up to $100,000
DEADLINE: ROLLING — The O’Shaughnessy Fellowship is a one-year programme open to innovative creators around the world. APPLY HERE
Pulitzer Centre will fund investigative stories on science misinformation
DEADLINE: ROLLING — The Pulitzer Centre is offering grants for in-depth and investigative stories related to science misinformation, science denial, and the spread of pseudoscience. APPLY HERE
Grants for underreported stories in Sub-Saharan Africa
DEADLINE: ROLLING — The Pulitzer Centre is offering grants for underreported stories in Sub-Saharan Africa. Proposals should focus on issues such as water and sanitation, land degradation and coastal erosion, education, maternal health, and climate resilience. APPLY HERE
Pulitzer Center is offering global reporting grants
DEADLINE: ROLLING —The Pulitzer Centre’s global reporting grants support in-depth, high-impact reporting on critical issues that are often overlooked in the media, from global health to climate change. APPLY HERE
Call for applications: RCDIJ Africa Fund
DEADLINE: ROLLING —The RCDIJ Africa Fund is currently open for applications from journalists across Africa. APPLY HERE
Mongabay seeks pitches from journalists
DEADLINE: ROLLING — Mongab
ay seeks story pitches from journalists interested in writing about carbon credits, offsets or markets. APPLY HERE
Unbias the News seeks pitches on underreported stories
DEADLINE: ROLLING — Unbias the News is accepting pitches on underreported stories with global relevance. APPLY HERE