The results are in: Meet the winners of the 2026 Unreal Experiences Photo Competition

370+ photos. 2,300+ votes. Six extraordinary winners.

The 2026 Unreal Experiences Photo Competition is officially a wrap – and what a competition it’s been. Experience operators from every corner of the globe submitted their most jaw-dropping photos across three categories: Epic Landscapes, Local Lives and Adventure Awaits. The public voted. Our expert panel deliberated. And the results are in.

But before we reveal the winners, here’s why this competition matters more than ever.

Why photos are the most powerful tool in your marketing arsenal

We surveyed 2,000 travellers across the UK and Italy to understand exactly how photos influence booking behaviour. The results were striking.

72% of travellers say photos are important when deciding whether to book a tour or experience. Beyond price and location, photos ranked as the third most influential factor in encouraging people to find out more – ahead of trip details and customer reviews.

We took those findings to the streets to hear what travellers really think. Here’s what they told us:

The message is clear: your photos aren’t just decoration. They’re your most powerful sales tool.

The AI question

There’s a growing tension in the experiences industry between convenience and authenticity. AI-generated imagery is flooding travel feeds – and travellers have noticed.

72% said AI-generated photos would make them less likely to book a tour or experience. 47% named AI imagery as their single biggest put-off when browsing experiences online.

We asked the public directly – and their answers were unambiguous:

Real photos don’t just inspire. They build trust. And trust drives bookings.

What travellers actually want to see

So what makes a photo that converts? We asked travellers to tell us which types of images are most likely to make them book:

• “Wow” shots of the landscape or destination (50%) — the hero image that stops the scroll
• Photos of the experience in action (49%) — activities, key moments, the real thing happening
• Images of people enjoying the experience (45%) — social proof in visual form

Here’s what travellers had to say when we put them on the spot with AI versus real experience photos:

The winning entries in this competition tick every one of those boxes. Which brings us to the results.

And the winners are…

People’s Choice Winners

Voted for by the public

• 🏔️ Epic Landscapes: Ice Pic Journeys — ‘Morning Blues’
• 🫶 Local Lives: Mauritius Tours — ‘Exploring Chinatown in Mauritius’
• 🪂 Adventure Awaits: Ayubowan Escapes — ‘Eye to Eye with the Wild’

Panel Choice Winners

Selected by our expert judging panel from Bókun, Tourpreneur and Tripadvisor

• 🏔️ Epic Landscapes: Sycamore Ethiopia Tours — ‘Danakil Depression: The Hottest Place on Earth’
• 🫶 Local Lives: H.I.S. Song Han Vietnam — ‘Traditional Ao Dai and Non La in front of former Capital Citadel of Vietnam’
• 🪂 Adventure Awaits: Bliss Adventure — ‘Cathedral of Ice’

Click here to see the winning photos!

What the winners prove

Take a look at the six winning photos and you’ll notice something. Every single one tells you immediately what the experience feels like. Not what it costs. Not what’s included. What it feels like.

That’s the power of authentic experience photography. And it’s backed by the data.

Here’s what travellers told us when we showed them real experience photos from operators around the world:

What this means for your marketing

The research is clear. The winning photos prove it. Here are three things every experience operator can take away from this competition:

Lead with your hero shot. 50% of travellers say “wow” landscape or destination shots are the most likely to make them book. If you have a photo that makes jaws drop, that’s your lead image, everywhere.

Show the experience in action. 49% of travellers want to see what actually happens on your tour. Not a posed group photo. The real moment. The actual experience.

Keep it authentic. 72% of travellers said AI-generated photos would put them off booking. Your real photos – even imperfect ones – are more powerful than any AI-generated alternative.

For a full breakdown of what the research revealed, read our insights blog: What travellers really want to see before they book.

Thank you

To every operator who submitted a photo, shared their entry and rallied their community to vote – thank you. 370+ extraordinary images from across the globe, proving once again that the real world needs no filter.

This competition exists because we believe the experiences industry is the most extraordinary on the planet. You’ve reminded us – and 2,300+ voters – exactly why.

Watch this space.