Categorized | Business

Travel Weekly honors best of travel industry

MEDIA RELEASE

Travel Weekly, the national newspaper of the travel industry, honored the winners of its eighth annual Readers Choice Awards at a black-tie gala dinner and ceremony Dec. 16 at The Plaza Hotel in New York.

The award winners, one for each of the 59 categories, represented the “best of the best of the travel industry.” The nominees and award recipients were selected by Travel Weekly’s readers, a group comprised of expert travel professionals.

These distinctive and widely recognized awards are presented annually to the industry’s suppliers who led the way in product and service during the past year. Voting consists of two separate rounds.

The open ballot phase of the voting was conducted during the summer. Readers were invited to write in the names of any company they believed best exemplified that particular category. The leading vote recipients were identified as finalists, and voting on finalists took place through Nov. 12.

“These awards identify the industry’s finest,” said Arnie Weissmann, Vice President and Editor in Chief. “The professionals who read and rely on Travel Weekly have the expertise to select those businesses, destinations and hotels that provide a higher level of service to their clients. Our readers can be confident that these winners represent the best this industry has to offer.”

Travel Weekly also honored four of its Lifetime Achievement Award winners. This award pays tribute to individuals whose efforts have led to extraordinary results within an organization and who have also made significant contributions to the industry as a whole.

The legacy of the recipients of the Travel Weekly Lifetime Achievement Awards collectively defines the environment that the travel industry operates in today.

The following are this year’s Lifetime Achievement recipients:

* Richard Fain, Chairman & CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd.
* Jimmy Murphy, Chairman, AMAWATERWAYS
* Nancy Strong, Chief Executive Officer, Strong Travel Services, Inc.
* Kay Urban, President & CEO, Amadeus Americas

This year’s Readers Choice winners are:

Airline

* Domestic – Southwest Airlines
* International – Virgin Atlantic
* Business/First Class – Singapore Airlines

Car Rental

* Domestic – Hertz
* International – Hertz

Hotel

* Chain, Domestic – Marriott International
* Chain: Asia – InterContinental Hotels Group
* Chain: Caribbean – Sandals Resorts
* Chain: Europe – InterContinental Hotels Group
* Chain: Mexico – Secrets
* Chain: Hawaii/South Pacific – Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide
* Chain: All-Inclusive – Sandals Resorts
* Chain: Luxury – Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
* Chain: Upscale – Westin Hotels & Resorts
* Chain: Mid-Level – Hampton Inn
* Chain: Boutique – Karisma Hotels & Resorts
* Chain: Sales & Service – Marriott International
* Best Las Vegas Hotel – Bellagio Las Vegas
* Best Resort Worldwide – St. Regis Bora Bora

Tour Operator

* Domestic Packages – GOGO Worldwide Vacations
* Domestic Escorted – Tauck World Discovery
* International – Trafalgar Tours
* Africa – Abercrombie & Kent
* Asia/Pacific – Pacific Delight Tours
* Canada – Tauck World Discovery
* Caribbean – GOGO Worldwide Vacations
* Europe – Globus
* Hawaii – Pleasant Holidays
* Mexico – Apple Vacations
* Luxury – Abercrombie & Kent
* Sales & Service – Travel Impressions

Cruise Line

* Domestic – Royal Caribbean International
* Alaska – Princess Cruises
* Caribbean – Royal Caribbean International
* Europe – Celebrity Cruises
* Luxury – Crystal Cruises
* Premium – Celebrity Cruises
* River Cruising – Viking River Cruises
* Sales & Service – Royal Caribbean International
* Overall – Royal Caribbean International

Cruise Ship

* River Cruising – Avalon Scenery, Avalon Waterways
* Rookie of the Year– Oasis of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International
* Premium – Celebrity Solstice, Celebrity Cruises
* Luxury – Queen Mary 2, Cunard Line
* Overall Individual – Oasis of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International

Destination

* Africa – South Africa
* Asia/Pacific Country – Australia
* Canada – Vancouver
* Caribbean – Jamaica
* Central/South America – Costa Rica
* Europe – Italy
* Hawaii – Maui
* Mexico – Riviera Maya
* U.S. State – Hawaii
* U.S. City – Las Vegas

Theme Park

* Walt Disney World

Best Rail Vacation

* Rocky Mountaineer

Best GDS

* Sabre

Best Travel Agent Educational Program

* Marriott Excellence!, Marriott International

Based in Secaucus, N.J., Travel Weekly is the nation’s leading business-to-business information source for the travel industry, reaching some 150,000 readers in the industry each week.

It is part of Northstar Travel Media, a worldwide provider of information, news and data for the travel and hospitality industry.

In addition to Travel Weekly, Northstar’s portfolio of directories, periodicals and destination information services includes: Travel Weekly, Business Travel News, Meetings & Conventions, Successful Meetings, Incentive, TravelAge West, www.HotelandTravelindex.com, www.OfficialCruiseGuide.com, M&C Facilities Search, Weissmann Reports, STAR Service Online, Intelliguide Corporate, BTP24 and Travel42.

— Find out more:
www.travelweekly.com

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