This summer, the TMA Step Up internship will welcome five new interns across the 10 partner companies — APL Media, easyJet holidays, FINN Partners, Ink Global, Intrepid Travel, Kuoni, Metro, The Sun, TTG Media and Virgin Atlantic — for eight weeks of placements followed by six months of mentoring and a ticked to the renowned Travel Media Awards at the Pan Pacific London hotel on 13 October. As the partners prepare to welcome the latest cohort, find out more about our interns and what they’re most looking forward to.

Kinza Chaudry: APL Media and FINN Partners

Kinza is a recent sociology graduate from the University of Bristol. During her degree, she spent a year in Singapore, which was the highlight of her studies, as she developed her appreciation for travel media. “I’m excited to gain hands-on experience in travel journalism and PR, and work alongside an established group of professionals,” says Kinza. “TMA Step Up will provide me with invaluable exposure to travel journalism and PR, leading to an exciting career in travel media.” During the scheme, she’ll be working with APL Media — publisher of National Geographic Traveller (UK) — as well as gaining hands-on insight into travel PR with the award-winning team at FINN Partners.

Sophie Colson: TTG Media and Intrepid Travel

A PPA-trained magazine journalist, Sophie has already established her own Substack newsletter, The Welsh Adventure, as well as work experience at Cedar Communications and The Simple Things. She won the FIPP Awards’ Best New Media Business award 2025 for her master's degree enterprise project and was the Journalism Travel award winner for The Worshipful Livery Company of Wales in 2024. “I’ve always known I wanted to work in travel media, but I don’t yet know what role I’d most like to fill within the industry,” Sophie says. “I hope that I can narrow this down with the TMA Step Up internship, as well as refine my journalistic skill set.”

Daniella Dhorasoo: Ink Global and Kuoni

Daniella is a journalism student from a small town in Essex, who has Mauritian and Pakistani roots. She’s recently come to the end of her extended diploma in journalism and is now pursuing her passion for travel journalism. “TMA Step Up is my first role in the travel industry, which fills me with excitement,” she explains. Over the eight weeks. Daniella will work with the editorial team at Ink Global, as well as learning about PR from the communications experts at Kuoni. “I anticipate not only gaining a comprehensive understanding of the roles and responsibilities within esteemed companies, but also soaking up the experience of the professionals surrounding me.”

Lillie-Rose Lenga-Kroma: Metro and easyJet holidays

Lillie-Rose is currently an undergraduate English student at University College London, where she’s gained experience as a multimedia journalist and is the co-editor-in-chief of UnCL magazine. In her spare time, she presents for Pi Media’s PiTV platform and hosts a radio show at Rare FM. “The TMA Step Up internship gives me the opportunity to break into the exciting world of travel media,” she says. “I’m looking forward to stepping outside of my comfort zone and developing my editorial, public relations and marketing skills, and building the foundations of a successful media career.” Lillie-Rose travelled abroad for the first time in her life last year, to Antiparos in Greece. This experience was transformative for her, and she looks forward to returning in the future.

Jenna Stevens: The Sun and Virgin Atlantic

As well as working as an aviation reporter at Travel Radar, Jenna is also finishing her English Literature degree this month. She’s a lover of city breaks, her favourites so far being Reykjavík, Seville and Paris, and is savvy with digital marketing and social media. “I always make the most of creative opportunities, turning a part-time job at an aquarium into leading their social media!” Jenna, who will spend four weeks at The Sun followed by four weeks at Virgin Atlantic, is most excited to learn from and network with industry professionals. “Attending the Travel Media Awards makes the TMA Step Up scheme even more exciting, enabling me to continue developing my skills and build meaningful connections.” Follow the TMA Step Up scheme on LinkedIn and Instagram for more updates on this year’s interns.

Notes for editors: Travel Media Awards Step Up is an internship programme run by the Travel Media Awards — working with partners APL Media, FINN Partners, Intrepid Travel, TTG Media, easyJet holidays, Ink Global, Kuoni, Metro, The Sun and Virgin Atlantic — with the aim of driving diversity and inclusion in travel media for young people. Travel Media Awards was created by, and is owned by and operated under, a joint venture agreement between Travega and APL Media Limited. Launched in 2015, the Travel Media Awards is widely recognised as the premier awards event in travel media, and the only UK national awards exclusively rewarding editorial excellence and achievement across all forms of travel media. For more information and sources, visit travelmediaawards.com.

For all enquiries regarding the Travel Media Awards Step Up scheme, please contact:

• Sabera Sattar, head of events: [email protected]
• Kira Richards, assistant project editor: [email protected]