Destination Channel says it won four Pacific Southwest Emmys
Staycation’s Dubai episode led the network’s wins, including honors for lifestyle series, hosting, editing and narration.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
2 min read
The Destination Channel said it won four awards at the 2026 Pacific Southwest Emmy Awards, giving the travel and lifestyle network new recognition for its original programming. The wins were led by Staycation, whose Dubai episode received the Emmy for Long-Form Lifestyle Series.
The awards were presented June 27 by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Pacific Southwest Chapter. For a niche entertainment network built around travel, rentals, golf, food and destination stories, the haul points to traction for programming that can move across television, streaming, digital and social platforms.
The Long-Form Lifestyle Series award for Staycation Dubai recognized a production team that includes Robert Parks-Valletta, Lane Cheek, Marvin Nuecklaus, Eric Lin, Kendall Kellaway III, Thomas Volker, Michael Capes, Daniel Kesner, Peter Zhang and Alberto Anaya.
- Robert Parks-Valletta won Outstanding Program Host for Staycation Dubai.
- Marvin Nuecklaus won Outstanding Long-Form Content Editor for Staycation Cabo.
- Evan Michael won Outstanding Performer/Narrator for This Is Golf.
Staycation is the network’s flagship travel and lifestyle series. The show visits vacation rentals, luxury homes, boutique hotels and destinations, with episodes built around architecture, design, local culture and the people connected to each location.
The series began with destinations in the United States and later added international productions, starting with the Dubai episode that won the lifestyle series award. That international push fits a broader industry pattern in which travel shows are packaged for several outlets at once, from linear TV to short-form social clips.
Robert Parks-Valletta, founder of The Destination Channel and creator and executive producer of Staycation, said the awards reflected work by producers, editors, hosts, partners and collaborators. He said the network’s focus remains on making original travel and lifestyle programming centered on destinations and the people behind them.
The network’s current slate includes shows and segments tied to luxury travel, vacation rentals, golf, food, weddings, sports and destination storytelling. It says those productions are distributed across broadcast television, streaming services, digital media and social channels.
The four wins followed nine nominations earlier in the year, according to the network. The Destination Channel says it plans to continue expanding its original travel and lifestyle programming, including more series and international productions.