Bókun has announced the launch of its 2026 Unreal Experiences Photo Competition. Running until August 14, the competition invites experience operators worldwide, Bókun users and non-users alike, to submit real, unfiltered photos of their tours and activities for a chance to win a $1,000 Amazon voucher and a 12-month Tourpreneur PRO membership. The initiative builds on new Bókun research showing that authentic photography, not AI-generated imagery, is what drives travellers to book.
The research, based on a survey of 2,000 travellers across the UK and Italy, found that 72% consider photos important when deciding whether to book a tour or experience, and 57% said appealing photos would tempt them to book. Photos ranked as the third most influential factor in prompting travellers to learn more about an experience online, behind only price and location. The same survey found a strong resistance to artificial imagery: 72% of respondents said AI-generated photos would make them less likely to book, and 47% named AI imagery as their biggest deterrent when browsing experiences. Bókun said the findings underscore why the competition exists to celebrate operators who use genuine photography to market what they offer.
The 2026 edition expands on last year’s competition, which drew more than 380 entries and over 10,000 public votes. This year’s contest is organised into three categories: Epic Landscapes, for striking natural or urban backdrops; Local Lives, for human stories, hidden gems and cultural connections; and Adventure Awaits, for action, adrenaline and outdoor challenges. Each category will produce two winners, one chosen by public vote on the competition page, and one selected by an expert judging panel drawn from Bókun, Tourpreneur and Tripadvisor. Winners in every category receive a $1,000 Amazon voucher and a 12-month Tourpreneur PRO membership, along with featured visibility across Bókun’s channels to an audience of operators and travellers.
Entry is open to any experience operator, regardless of whether they use Bókun’s platform. Operators submit one photo per business, assign it to a single category, and share it with their network to gather votes on the competition page until August 14. Because voting is cumulative, Bókun noted that operators who enter earlier in the window have more time to build support for their photo.
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