Skift IDEA Awards 2021: See Who Made Our Shortlist

Each year, Skift IDEA Awards celebrates the brands and businesses designing new and better ways to travel. The projects entered this year pushed boundaries in design, creativity, and innovation, showing with no uncertainty that the next era of travel is smarter, better, and more purpose-driven than ever before. Below is the shortlist of finalists across this year’s categories. 

We’d like to thank this year’s panel of judges, composed of renowned design, technology, and business leaders from around the world, who are in the midst of determining the final results.  

• Aaron Walton – CEO & Founder, Walton Isaacson
• Amy Burr – President, JetBlue Technology Ventures
• Casper Overbeek – Chief Digital & Customer Experience Officer, citizenM
• Colin Nagy – Columnist, Skift
• James Thornton – CEO, Intrepid
• Lola Akerstrom – Founder, Local Purse
• Mia Kyricos – President & Chief Love Officer, Kyricos & Associates

To make these calls, our panel is scoring through the criteria of of design, creativity, innovation, and impact, with these questions in mind:      

• Design: Does it serve a purpose and solve a problem? 
• Creativity: Does it stand out or challenge the status quo? 
• Innovation: Does it show where the future of travel is (or should be) heading? 
• Impact: Does it have a meaningful impact for travelers, business, or society?

Later this year, select winners and judges will be featured at Skift’s Design The Future event on December 9. Register for free here. 

Skift IDEA Awards – 2021 Shortlist  

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Aviation: Projects that improve the airline passenger experience, in the air or at the airport

• SATS – New Economy Class Meal Concept for Short-Haul Flights
• Spirit – Self-Bag Drop & Biometric Technology  
• Qatar Airways – Put Passengers First

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Business Travel & Work: Projects that improve the business travel experience or the way we work 

• Hacker Paradise – Work Team Travel Platform
• KAYAK – KAYAK for Business 
• Topia Compass – Technology for Global Talent Mobility  
• TripActions – Empowering the Future of Work, Eliminating Expenses

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Brand Creativity: Creativity in marketing, advertising, media, or brand experiences

• Black Tomato – Take Me on a Story 
• Business Iceland – Looks Like You Need to Let it Out 
• VISIT FLORIDA and Visit St. Pete/Clearwater – “Life’s Rewards” Scripted TV Series 

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Destinations: Projects that improve how travelers experience a destination, including mobility, way-finding, and transportation

• Appnovation + Visit California – Full Website Redesign
• BRC Imagination Arts – Glenkinchie Distillery, the Lowland Home of Johnnie Walker 
• Visit Greenland – Dive Deeper into Greenland: Long Form Reading 

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Loyalty: Products, services, or strategies that earn customer loyalty

• Air Canada/Aeroplan: Aeroplan Re-Launch
• American Express Travel – Hilton Fine Hotels + Resorts Email 
• Global DMC Partners – Inspirational Webinars for the Travel & MICE Industry

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Meetings & Events: Excellence in events, including planning, design, and innovative technology

• Hopin – Shared Experiences Platform 
• MeetingsBooker.com – Hubli for Teams 
• Venuesuite – Venue Website Booking Widget

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Pandemic Response: Design or strategic solutions to enable safe travel or mitigate the economic effects of the covid-19 pandemic

• Accor –  ALL Heartist Fund 
• Aparium Hotel Group – Innovative Dining Suites
• Bahrain Airport Company – Pandemic Response 
• Business Iceland – Looks Like You Need to Let it Out 
• Global Rescue – Coronavirus Intelligence Center
• Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board – Start Your Comeback in Los Angeles
• OYO – VaccinAid
• Tourism Vancouver Island – Tourism Resiliency Network
• WELL Health – Safety Rating 

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Social Impact: Projects that create a positive impact for or promote an important cause

• Community Homestay Network – Community-based Tourism in Nepal 
• Ljubljana Tourism – Tourism makes Ljubljana
• SCP Hotels – Every Stay Does Good

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Spaces & Places: Innovation in built environments, including architecture, interiors, and public spaces

• Living Vehicle – 2022 Model
• Nomadic Resorts – Manta Ray Squadron Playa Viva
• Xigera – Safari Lodge

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Sustainability: Projects designed to reduce environmental impact or help customers travel responsibly 

• Advito – GATE4: Accurate Travel Emissions Reporting
• Hoshino Resorts – HOSHINOYA Karuizawa
• Neste – Sustainable Aviation Fuel 
• SATS – New Economy Class Meal Concept for Short-Haul Flights
• Surf Air Mobility – Accelerating Zero Emission Air Travel
• Xigera – Safari Lodge

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Tech & Innovation: Smart products or technology-driven projects that solve challenges in new and meaningful ways

• AtYourGate – Airport Delivery Services
• Avvio – allora.ai’s Retention Engine
• Battleface – Travel Insurance 
• BOUNTE – Lost and Found Technology  
• DayAway – Seize The Day!
• Hilton – Confirmed Connecting Rooms by Hilton
• Hopper Cloud – Fintech Takes Flight 
• Hotel Effectiveness – TeamShare and FindCoverage Tools 
• Shuttle Central – Digitizing Ground Transportation
• UrVenue – Itinerary Builder

Wellness: Products, services, and spaces created to inspire health and wellbeing

• Bryte – AI-Powered Restorative Bed 
• Carillon Miami Wellness Resort – Touchless Wellness Experiences
• Westin x Hyperice – Recovery Stations

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User Experience: Projects that consider a traveler’s journey across digital or physical touch points, including apps, environments, and hybrid experiences

• AtYourGate – Airport Delivery Services
• Butler Hospitality – Hospitality/F&B Technology 
• Cabiner x Mews – The Future Guest Experience 
• Deem – Business Travel for Every Body
• Hilton – Confirmed Connecting Rooms by Hilton
• Oaky – Deal Library

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Visual Communication: Visual and graphic design, branding and identity projects for print, digital or physical environments

• Camp Fimfo – Introducing a New Visual Brand
• Design Hotels – Directions Magazine 
• Swire Hotels – Unveiling of Salisterra at The Upper House

Stay tuned for the final results later this month and join select winners and judges at Skift’s Design The Future event on December 9. Register for free here.