Call for Nominations
Share the places you believe deserve recognition.
Submit recent, first-hand hotel, restaurant and bar nominations. Every response is reviewed; eligible independent contributors may be invited to join The World’s Best Academy.
How nominations workAn initiative of The Worlds Best Media · theworlds.best
Editions by region
One nomination process. Distinct regional editions.
Each geography, category and year has its own nomination call and result. Asia is now open; further editions will be announced here.
World
Global editions
Asia
Hotels · Restaurants · Bars
Middle East
Regional editions
Europe
Regional editions
Americas
Regional editions
Oceania
Regional editions
There are no open nomination calls at present.
From nomination to ranking
One list. One call. One clear result.
World, Asia, Middle East, Europe and future regional lists follow the same method, but each remains entirely separate by geography, category and year.
- 01
Define the list
One geography, one category and one year create one distinct list—for example, Asia × Hotels × 2026.
- 02
Accept public leads
Readers with relevant first-hand experience may place locations on the research record. These leads have no ranking weight.
- 03
Apply separately
A person seeking Academy appointment uses a different application, reviewed for experience and independence.
- 04
Appoint annual members
Approved candidates receive a confidential, category-specific appointment for the annual cycle.
- 05
Receive official ballots
Only appointed members may submit an official ballot, with per-place experience dates, funding and conflict records.
- 06
Run the shadow edition
The 2026 Asia Academy result remains confidential and separate from the published editorial record.
- 07
Audit before publication
No Academy-backed edition will publish before a 120–180 member cohort, regional minimums and an independent procedure review.
Who may submit nominations
Knowledge matters. Independence is essential.
Experience we consider
- Established travel and hospitality journalists, editors, broadcasters and independent critics.
- Travel advisors, curators and concierges with substantial recent, first-hand experience.
- Relevant academics, designers, cultural specialists and former hospitality professionals.
- Highly experienced independent travellers able to show breadth, judgement and freedom from commercial pressure.
Who cannot nominate in their own field
- Hotels, restaurants, bars, hospitality groups, agencies and destination bodies cannot put themselves forward.
- Owners, employees, sales, marketing and public-relations representatives cannot vote in the category in which they work.
- No one may recommend an employer, owner, client, close relation or venue in which they hold a financial interest.
How to take part
Choose the route that matches your role.
- 01
Choose one category
Use the hotel, restaurant or bar nomination form that matches your recent experience.
- 02
Submit public leads
Share only places you have personally experienced. Public submissions never count as votes.
- 03
Apply separately
Use the Academy application if you want your experience and independence reviewed.
- 04
Await an invitation
Only an approved annual appointment unlocks a confidential official ballot.
Independence and privacy
Individual contributors and nominations remain confidential.
Academy appointments apply to one year and one category. They do not renew automatically. The panel changes each year, and no member may serve more than two consecutive cycles in the same category.
Sponsors, venues, tourism bodies and commercial partners do not receive individual nominations or direct the process. Public nominations and applications never enter ballot calculation.
We use a one-way network identifier and limited technical details to detect duplicate or coordinated responses. Raw IP addresses are not stored in the Academy record. Read our Privacy Policy.