What are the WXO World Experience Awards?
The WXO World Experience Awards are the first global awards dedicated to celebrating the very best in the Experience Economy. Dubbed “The Oscars of the Experience Economy,” these awards recognize world-class experiences across entertainment, hospitality, culture, travel, and immersive innovation—without the barriers of high entry fees or pay-to-play politics.
Held during the World Experience Summit as part of London Experience Week, the awards celebrate true experiential excellence, showcasing the talent, creativity, entrepreneurialism, and innovation that is combining to fuel the Experience Economy.
You can read our 2025 announcement here or just head straight to the entry form here!
Where and when are the WXO World Experience Awards held?
The awards take place from 7-9pm on Tuesday April 29 2025 at the end of Day One of World Experience Summit 2025.
Who attends the WXO World Experience Awards?
The best Experience Economy has to offer plus its surrounding industries. That means the best designers, storytellers, entrepreneurs and tech heads, plus leading agencies, brands, venues, organisations… Anyone and everyone who cares about excellence in experience!
Why should I bother entering the WXO World Experience Awards?
The WXO World Experience Awards are voted for by the WXO community – the global authority on the $12 trillion Experience Economy, bringing together the brightest minds from entertainment, hospitality, tourism, and beyond to design the future of experiences.
Winning or just being shortlisted will guarantee the enhanced status and perception of your capabilities, the respect of your peers, and be a talking point with your existing and future clients.
Here are a few other reasons!
🎭 Global Recognition – Join the ranks of the world’s most groundbreaking experience creators.
💰 Free to Enter – No costly submission fees, just a chance to prove your experience is world-class.
🏆 Judged on Merit – No pay-to-win nonsense. Just expert-led, transparent evaluation.
🚀 A Platform for Innovation – Show the world how your experience is pushing boundaries.
Can I buy a ticket?
Yes! Attendance for the WXO World Experience Awards is included in your ticket for the London Experience Week. You can find all our ticket packages here!
Is food and drink provided?
There will be welcome drinks and canapés for attendees, with a paid bar available.
What makes the WXO World Experience Awards unique?
In an era where experiences shape our most powerful memories and define modern business success, the WXO World Experience Awards shine a spotlight on those leading the charge in creativity, impact, and excellence.
Unlike other experience industry awards, the WXO World Experience Awards are unique in that they are truly community driven and independent. Entries are free. Shortlists are vetted by the World Experience Council derived from founder members of the WXO. Winners are voted for by the 1,000-strong WXO community, ensuring a 100% merit-based evaluation.
Why the changes to this year’s categories?
The Experience Economy is growing fast, with audiences demanding amazing experiences in sectors as wide-ranging as festivals and healthcare to museums and education. Whether it’s huge brand activations for Hollywood blockbuster IP or small micro-festivals aimed at a hardcore superfanbase, our new categories reflect the breadth and depth of business models, technology solutions and creativity required to adapt to this fast-evolving landscape.
Who makes up the judging panel?
Curated by WXO founder and CEO James Wallman, the judging panel is drawn from the World Experience Council. Boasting founder members of the WXO, the World Experience Council is made up from a diverse selection of seasoned experience professionals who all have proven success in the roles of experiential business, design, storytelling, user experience, customer expertise, branding and more. Council members include such luminaries as Ida Benedetto, Mat Duerden, Heather Gallagher, Aya Guise, Laura Hess, Joe Pine, Lou Pizante, Julian Rad and Dr Paul J. Zak. You can meet all our Council members here.
What is the WXO World Experience Grand Prix Award?
Nominated by the World Experience Council and the WXO team headed by James Wallman, the WXO World Experience Grand Prix Award recognises a pioneering individual or organisation that has exhibited true excellence and moved the needle for the Experience Economy.
When do entries open and close?
Nominations are open from Thurs 27 February until Thurs 27 March after which the World Experience Council will begin the shortlisting process.
Shortlists will be announced the week commencing Mon 7 April, with voting open for two weeks until the week commencing Mon 21 April.
Winners will be announced after Day One of the World Experience Summit. The Awards will take place from 7-9pm on Tues 29 April.
Is there any cost to entering?
No. The WXO World Experience Awards are by and for the experience community. Entries are free and awards go to the best of the Experience Economy irrespective of budget.
What is the eligibility criteria?
Much like the Academy Awards that honor films released within a set timeframe, the WXO World Experience Awards recognize experiences that have been operational in the calendar year 2024. This ensures every entry has had time to make an impact on real audiences and demonstrate its success.
✅ Open to all live, digital, and hybrid experiences in entertainment, hospitality, retail, travel, culture, immersive tech, and beyond.
✅ Your experience must have been operational during calendar year 2024 to qualify.
✅ Judged on merit by an expert panel—no paid votes, no industry politics.
✅ Global exposure—stand among the best and elevate your experience to an international stage.
Who can I nominate for an WXO World Experience Award?
You can nominate your own work, that of a colleague or just someone’s work that you admire. Obviously, anyone entering themselves, their team or their project means thwy will have all the details an entry could need. If you’re nominating a colleague or peer, do consider this – a passionate argument for an admired peer is great but there is a LOT of competition. Get the numbers to back up your claims!
What are the judges looking for when shortlisting entries?
Excellence – simple as that. Obviously, that can mean a lot of different things to a lot of people but follow the below suggestions to get your entry started. The wider range of categories this year means we will be looking for a lot more detail in your entries – we need proof to back up the hype so be as specific and granular as possible.
General advice: This is the Experience Economy so be sure to build into your argument why your nomination is repeatable, sustainable and not busting the budget one day and being asked to leave the venue the next! Jaw-dropping is great but so is turning a profit! Innovation and/or smart use of technology will most definitely turn a judge’s eye but don’t think a huge budget will blind us. We’ll also be looking for creativity at a micro-level – a sketch is just as powerful as a CAD design if it’s truly delighting a client or a customer. Finally – audience audience audience. What did you do to discover how your amazing idea made people feel, not just come through the gates – and what did you do with that information?
Technology: Smart use of technology is one of the key areas powering the growth of the Experience Economy, whether that’s a smart tracking system or a revolutionary audio innovation. Give us the painstaking detail of how this tech enabled your experience, how it made your audience feel or how it measured their enjoyment. Tech shouldn’t be nominated for tech’s sake – tell us its journey and the benefits, whether that’s for your business, your creativity and/or your audience.
Business: A core part of the WXO’s mission to help grow the Experience Economy is to look beyond the experiential and detail the smart business models that underpin all the amazing creativity. We want to showcase the experience entrepreneurs who will form our industry’s future, pick apart the marketing campaigns that ensnare new audiences and celebrate the finance wizards who enable our wildest dreams. Translated: We want your numbers!
People: Whether you’re using a spreadsheet, a hammer, a laptop or a smile, it’s the people behind the experience who are the stars. We want to showcase the creativity, graft, inspiration and determination of the Experience Economy’s finest, whether they’re a fast-rising newbie or a veteran still pushing the experience envelope. Testimonials are perfect here, especially from happy clients and clappy audience goers.
Experience: We want to hear about the blockbuster launches and micro brand activations, the hybrid worlds that made people gasp and the techscapes that massaged the brain and heart together. This category is all about the creativity – but before you head for the frontier and the thesaurus, remember to bring the proof. You may think you’ve designed or scripted the best experience ever – but why should we?
Can I nominate multiple entries?
Yes, no problem. We like to cap it at three entries per person (we’d rather you create really good entries over spam our inbox – this is quality over quantity) but if you want to submit more, just drop us a line at hello@worldxo.org.
When are the shortlists announced?
Shortlists will be announced on w/c 7th April giving finalists plenty of time to buy their tickets, plan their outfits and write those speeches! Voting then tackles places right up until the week before the Summit!
I’ve been shortlisted! What do I get?
Shortlisted finalists will receive a framed WXO World Experience Award Finalist Certificate (plus digital copy) plus marketing assets for their use. You’ll also receive editorial coverage on the WXO’s website and social media channels.
Most importantly, this is the World Experience Organisation – the global authority on the $12 trillion Experience Economy, bringing together the brightest minds from entertainment, hospitality, tourism, and beyond to design the future of experiences. Being shortlisted will guarantee the enhanced status and perception of your capabilities, the respect of your peers, and be a talking point with your existing and future clients.
I’ve won! What do I get?
Winners will receive a physical award on the night, a framed WXO World Experience Award Winners Certificate (plus digital copy), photography of their appearance on the night plus marketing assets for your use. You’ll also receive editorial coverage on the WXO’s website and social media channels. You’ll also receive permanent residency in the WXO World Experience Awards Hall of Fame.
And again – this is the World Experience Organisation – the global authority on the $12 trillion Experience Economy, bringing together the brightest minds from entertainment, hospitality, tourism, and beyond to design the future of experiences. Winning a WXO World Experience Award will guarantee the enhanced status and perception of your capabilities, the respect of your peers, and be a talking point with your existing and future clients.
Even if we do say so ourselves, winning does not get better than this.
Aaargh, I can’t attend the awards but I’ve been shortlisted!
No problem – our awards aren’t pay to play. Let us know in plenty of time that you can’t attend and who you would like to accept an award (if you win!) on your behalf. We can arrange for someone to do this if you need help.
What do I do if I have other questions?
Just drop us a line! Email awards@worldxo.org and we’ll get back to you asap!
