Our night at the last ever Belgian Travel Blog Awards
When I moved to Belgium, I didn’t know anyone here.
So walking into Van der Valk in Liège on Saturday 17 October, into a room full of Belgian travel creators, with Hans next to me and our Koh Yao blog post nominated for Best Lifestyle Travel Story, I’m not going to pretend that didn’t feel like something.
About Me
Hi, I’m Ralu, a passionate traveller who traded routine for the thrill of exploring the world. What began as a simple getaway soon turned into a journey of discovery, shaping Making Miles and Memories into what it is today. From stunning landscapes and hidden gems to local cultures and travel tips, I hope to inspire your next journey.
About Me
Hi, I’m Ralu, a passionate traveller who traded routine for the thrill of exploring the world. What began as a simple getaway soon turned into a journey of discovery, shaping Making Miles and Memories into what it is today.
From stunning landscapes and hidden gems to local cultures and travel tips, I hope to inspire your next journey.
How a hotel story got us to Liège
The nominated post is about our stay at Paradise Koh Yao in Thailand. We went for our five-year anniversary, planned a few activities, and ended up spending two weeks doing almost nothing in a plunge pool villa. Happy hour became such a habit that the staff started greeting us with “Hi, Room 261.”
Most of what we make lives on Instagram, where you get about three seconds before someone scrolls past. A blog post is the opposite. Somebody has to sit down and read the whole thing. So out of everything we’ve made, having a written story nominated meant a lot.
We submitted it in June. Then came the waiting. On 1 September, two BTBA newsletters landed back to back. The first went to all subscribers: here are the winners. The second came straight after, with the nominees. And there we were.
On the day, we drove to Liège. There was a programme for creators earlier in the day too, but we’d decided to skip it because the weather app promised rain, cats and dogs, all day. The app was wrong. It was sunny and lovely, which is a small regret. But we’ll see everyone again in March, so we’ve forgiven it. Mostly.
Cocktails first, at five
The evening opened with a networking reception. Cocktail in hand, we worked our way around the tourism boards, which is a slightly dangerous way to spend an hour. Every conversation ends somewhere you’d rather be.
But the real reason the room felt good was the other creators. We spend most of our time on the other side of a phone screen, making things with just the two of us. Being in one place with so many Belgian creators, talking to people who do the same job, was the best part of the night.
We also left the reception with a couple of conversations that have already turned into emails, which is about the best thing a networking hour can do. More on those once there’s something to show.
Dinner, the awards, and an igloo
Then we moved through for the ceremony and a seated dinner, the part of the night where the names get read out.
Then we moved through for the ceremony and a seated dinner, the part of the night where the names get read out. Ben Roelants moderated, and he was fab. A room full of nervous nominees is not an easy crowd, and he made it look easy (and so much fun).
Our category went to Reisbesteen, so huge congratulations to them. Now I want to go stay in an igloo!
We were sat at their table, too. Did we want to win? Sure, who doesn’t. But we were really happy for them, and when it’s your table that wins, you get to share it a little.
And after that, the party. It was fun, and that’s all you’re getting.
The whole evening ran smoothly from the first cocktail to the end of the night, and I say that as someone who works in communications and knows exactly how much effort hides behind that word. Thank you to the THX agency team for a beautifully run evening, and congratulations to all the winners and nominees.
The last one
It also turned out to be the final edition. After eight years of Belgian Travel Blog Awards, THX agency is retiring the trophies.
Eight editions is a long time for a community to build up. You could see it on people’s faces whenever it came up, and a lot of them said it made them sad.
In their place comes Soirée Congé, which keeps the people and drops the competition. Twice a year, 30 Belgian travel creators get together for a talk, a proper conversation, some time with the partners and their destinations, then a walking dinner and an open bar. The first one is on Thursday 25 March 2027 at WOLF in Antwerp.
I’ll miss the awards a little. But what I’m taking home from Liège is the people, and that’s exactly the part they’re keeping.
And the Koh Yao story that got us into the room? It’s right here.
Photo credits: THX agency.
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Learn how to pack your carry-on flawlessly every time! This guide offers essential tips and tricks to help you maximise space and comply with airline regulations.