We are delighted to host Stories for Survival, a travel writing competition organised by Explorers Against Extinction (EAE), a UK-based conservation charity (Reg No: 1177505).
EAE has supported frontline conservation initiatives across 30 countries, funding vital projects through art-based campaigns. This partnership furthers our mission by celebrating the power of travel and showing how storytelling can inspire awareness and action for conservation.
The 2025 Travel Writing Competition
This Year’s Theme: The Turning Point
Every journey has moments that shape it —a sudden realisation, a life-altering experience, or an unexpected encounter that deepens your connection to the world around you. This year’s travel writing theme invites you to explore those pivotal moments.
Perhaps your turning point was:
Experiencing nature’s fragility;
Witnessing conservation in action;
A volunteering experience;
Shifting your travel style to be more sustainable;
Adopting a greener lifestyle;
Meeting inspiring people.
Whether it’s people, wildlife, the environment, an event or a personal travel experience, tell us about the turning point.
We welcome a broad interpretation of the theme and encourage a variety of writing styles—from essays to poems, blogs to articles. Share your story, and you could inspire others to see travel as a force for positive change in the world.
How to Enter
To participate, submit your article of 500+ words via email to competition@puretravel.com with:
- Your name and email address
- Your title in the subject line
- Your text pasted into the body of the email (attachments will not be accepted).
Prize
The 2025 winner will receive US$500 and have their story published on our website, EAE’s website and other channels.
Key Details
- Who can enter: Open to everyone
- Entry fee: Free
- Accepted formats: All travel writing styles (poem, blog, essay, article, etc.)
- Theme: The Turning Point
- Submission deadline: 11:59 PM (GMT) on Monday, 15th September 2025
Note: the 500+ word count does not apply to poetry.
For full competition rules and guidelines, see the Terms & Conditions below.
Meet the Head Judge: Jeremy Lazell
Jeremy Lazell worked for eight years as a trekking guide before turning to writing, a decision he’s had plenty of time to regret while sleeping in a hammock 200ft up in the Borneo rainforest for the Sunday Times, all but drowning in Scotland while rafting for GQ, and hooking nothing but his own cheek while fishing in Belize for Food & Travel. Based at the foot of the Scottish Highlands, where he lives with his wife and three boys, Jeremy writes about 90% of his material for the Sunday Times Travel Section, specialising in adventure travel, family holidays, and whatever round-ups help pay the bills. He has also worked for Conde Nast Traveller and Esquire magazines.
Terms and Conditions.
1. The competition is open to entrants worldwide aged 18 and over, with the exception of employees of PureTravel and Explorers Against Extinction, their immediate families, agents, or anyone else associated with administration of this competition.
2. Closing date for receipt of all entries is midnight GMT on 15th September 2025.
3. There is one prize consisting of US$ 500.
4. To enter, send your article of 500+ words, to competition@puretravel.com with your name, email address and telephone number. Please paste your text in to the email body. Do not send attachments.
5. The initial short list of 10 will be selected on merit by a panel of judges appointed by PureTravel & Explorers Against Extinction. The winner will then be selected by one independent judge.
6. The Shortlist will be published on the websites of both PureTravel and Explorers Against Extinction on Thursday 16th October 2025
7. The winner will be announced on Friday 28th November 2025 on the PureTravel website.
8. PureTravel & Explorers Against Extinction will have the right to publish all entries on its website. Articles will be removed on request. The writer retains all rights to their entry beyond its publication on the PureTravel or Explorers Against Extinction web sites.
9. Entries limited to three per person.
10. Email addresses will be only be used by PureTravel for notifications on the competition. They will not be disclosed to any other parties. You can read our full Privacy Policy by clicking here.
11. There is no alternative to the prize offered and the prize is non–transferable.
12. If for any reason a winner is unable to take the prize as offered, the Promoter reserves the right to award the prize to the next best entry.
13. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
14. The winner agrees to participate in any reasonable publicity required by the Promoter.
Promoter:
PureTravel Ltd, Registered Address: Happisburgh, Norwich, Norfolk, NR12 0QQ
In Partnership with:
