AITO (formerly the Association of Independent Tour Operators and now the Specialist Travel Association) announced this week the winners of its awards for travel writing.

The Travel Writer of the Year Award (for a feature of more than 1,500 words) went to Lorna Parkes for “Of tides & time”, which appeared in National Geographic Traveller. The award for a piece under 1,500 words went to Sarah Gillespie, for a story for The Times, headed “I was looking to connect with my late uncle’s spirit in North Africa – instead I fell in love.”

For the full list of awards, see the Aito website.