The Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) has revealed the finalists for the 2026 National Travel Industry Awards (NTIA) judged business categories, with entries separated by only the smallest of margins. The finalists were selected from the top-ranked submissions across each judged category, with ATIA revealing that competition was so close in some areas that six finalists have been shortlisted due to tied scores. Unlike the voted business categories, where finalists were determined by more than 21,000 votes, the judged categories were assessed by an independent panel of university-level assessors. Finalists were scored on their business achievements and the quality of their submissions across categories covering travel agencies, travel management companies, sustainability, training and marketing excellence. ATIA CEO Dean Long said the strength of this year’s entries reflected the professionalism and innovation of the Australian travel sector.