Radisson Royal Hotel, in partnership with Lonely Planet Traveller magazine and supported by flydubai, have revealed the winners of a UAE-wide travel photography competition to find the country’s most talented amateur photographer.

Marking the launch of Lonely Planet Traveller magazine in the Middle East, the competition and exhibition, A Taste of Travel, asked aspiring travel photographers to post their top travel snapshots onto the Radisson Royal or Lonely Planet Traveller Facebook sites.

Over 400 entries were received during the two-month submission period, themed around four categories - nature, architecture, landscape and people.

The winners of each category were awarded at the opening of the exhibition at the Radisson Royal Hotel in Dubai.

The grand prize was awarded to Leila Cranswick for her landscape shot. She won a trip for two, to the capital city of Georgia, Tbilisi, with three nights’ accommodation in the five-star Radisson Blu Iveria, Tbilisi, plus flights courtesy of flydubai.

There were also three prizes for the runners-ups, including a weekend stay at the Radisson Blu Resort, Fujairah, luxury stays at Radisson Royal Hotel, Dubai, and photography equipment from Canon, the statement said.

The winners were chosen by a diverse and experienced judging panel, including the editor of Lonely Planet Traveller magazine from the Middle East, and experts from Gulf Photo Plus.

Georgina Wilson-Powell, editor of Lonely Planet Traveller Middle East, said: “It’s a testament to the wealth of local talent and enthusiasm for beautiful photography, that our first ever photo competition has had around 400 entries, many of them of an impressively high standard.”

“People are inspired by travel photography, and at Lonely Planet Traveller we aim to showcase the best images every month, from both international photographers and our fabulous local ones.”

A Taste of Travel exhibition features a collection of stunning photographs from around the world, borrowed from the Lonely Planet archives, plus the winners of the amateur snapper’s competition, the statement said.

The exhibition will remain open until March 7. – TradeArabia News Service