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British Travel Awards – winners announced
Thomas Cook was named Tour Operator of the Year in the 2006 British Travel Awards held last night.
Sunvil Holidays was recognised as Independent Specialist Tour Operator of the Year.
Thomson was Favourite Retail Travel Agent of the Year by consumers and Portman Travel was Best Business Travel Agency Group voted for by the trade. Kuoni was recognised for offering Best Agency Sales.
Cunard was Cruise Line of the Year while sister line P&O Cruises picked up two awards – Favourite Cruise Line and Mainstream Cruise Line. Ocean Village was named Best Niche Cruise Line, also from the same Carnival UK stable. Royal Caribbean International was awarded Cruise Innovation of the Year and Silversea was Best Luxury Cruise Line.
Cheapflights.co.uk took the Best Trade Website award while Galileo was the Best Technology Provider and lastminute.com was Favourite Online Retailer. Expedia was voted by consumers as Favourite for Travel Information Online.
Virgin Atlantic was Airline of the Year and Best Scheduled Airline. British Airways was named Favourite Airline by consumers. The Environmentally Responsible Airline Award went to First Choice Airways. Favourite Low Cost Airline chosen by consumers was easyJet.
Barcelona was voted consumers Favourite City Break Destination, New Zealand was Dream Destination, Cornwall, Favourite Uk Destination and Whistler Favourite Ski Destination. Center Parcs was Favourite UK Holiday Park Operator.
Other Environmentally Responsible Tourism Awards went to The Orchid Hotel, Mumbai and Exodus Travel.
Petra Roach of Barbados Tourism was named Personaility of the Year.
There were 100 British Travel Awards given out at the Battersea Marquee in London – with 27 top awards presented on stage at the ceremony held on the final day of World Travel Market.
The awars combined consumer and trade voting with a panel of industry experts.
Full list of awards:
|
Category |
Winner |
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Best European Tourist Board |
Enjoy England/Visit Britain |
|
Best Middle Eastern Tourist Board |
Jordan |
|
Best North American Tourist Board |
New York State |
|
Best Asia/Pacific/African Tourist Board |
Australia |
|
Best Trade Website |
Cheapflights.co.uk |
|
Best Technology Provider |
Galileo |
|
Best Seat Only |
Avro |
|
Best Accomodation Only |
Octopus |
|
Best Consolidator |
Gold Medal |
|
Best Dynamic Packaging Co |
Lowcostbeds |
|
Best Training Provider |
Travel Training Co |
|
Best Agency Sales |
Kuoni |
|
Best Customer Service |
Gold Medal |
|
Best Business Travel Agency Group |
Portman Travel |
|
Best Rail Operator |
GNER |
|
Best Coach Operator |
WA Shearings |
|
Best Ferry Op |
P&O Ferries |
|
Best Channel Crossing Op |
Eurostar |
|
Best Business Hotel Chain |
Hyatt |
|
Best All Inclusive Hotel/Resort |
Sandals |
|
Best European Ski Resort |
Verbier |
|
Best Canadian/N. American Ski Resort |
Banff |
|
Best Mainstream Cruise Line |
P&O Cruises |
|
Best Premium Cruise Line |
Cunard |
|
Best Niche Cruise Line |
Ocean Village |
|
Best Luxury Cruise Line |
Silversea |
|
Best Economy Airline |
Monarch |
|
Best Business Airline |
Gulfair |
|
Best Charter Airline |
First Choice Airways |
|
Best Scheduled Airline |
Virgin Atlantic |
|
Best Travel Insurance Provider to the Trade |
AXA |
|
Best Parking Co |
BCP |
|
Best Holiday Transfer Co |
ResortHoppa |
|
Best Ticketing Co |
Seligo / Attraction World |
|
Best Leisure Car Hire |
Avis |
|
Best Business Car Hire |
Avis |
|
B2B Industry Media Communication |
TTG |
|
Best Tour Op to Spain |
Cosmos |
|
Best Tour Op to France |
Keycamp |
|
Best Tour Op to UK/Ireland |
SuperBreak |
|
Best Tour Op to Greece |
Olympic |
|
Best tour Op to Turkey |
Thomas Cook |
|
Best Tour Op to Cyprus |
Cosmos |
|
Best Tour Op to Other European Destination |
Magic of Italy |
|
Best tour Op to Asia |
Kuoni |
|
Best tour Op to USA/Canada |
Virgin Holidays |
|
Best Tour Op to Africa |
Kuoni |
|
Best tour Op to Caribbean |
Virgin Holidays |
|
Best Tour Op to Middle East |
Gold Medal |
|
Best Tour Op to Central/Sth America |
Cox & Kings |
|
Best Tour Op to Australia/NZ |
AAT Kings |
|
Best Ski/Board Op |
Inghams |
|
Best Weddings and Honeymoons Op |
Virgin Holidays |
|
Best Activity Hols Op |
Club Med |
|
Best Camping/Mobiles Op |
Keycamp |
|
Best Escorted Tours Op |
Cosmos Tourama |
|
Best UK Hotel Breaks Op |
Embassy Leisure Breaks |
|
Best UK Coach Op |
Gullivers Travel Associates |
|
Best UK Attraction or Theme Park |
London Eye |
|
Best UK Hotel Chain |
Marriott |
|
Best UK Operator Website |
SuperBreak |
|
Best Airline Lounge |
Virgin – London Heathrow |
|
Best UK Holiday Co |
Country Cottages |
|
Favourite SPA |
Chiva-Som, Hua Hin, Thailand |
|
Favourite Theme Park |
Alton Towers |
|
Best Travel Industry Innovation |
Journeys Online Claims |
|
Favourite Online Retailer |
Lastminute.com |
|
Favourite Low Cost Airline |
easyJet |
|
Favourite Retail Travel Agent of the Year |
Thomson |
|
Favourite Chauffeur Drive Co |
Brunel Cars |
|
Favourite Travel Insurance – Direct |
Post Office Travel Insurance |
|
Favourite Cruise Line |
P&O Cruises |
|
Favourite Ski Op |
Thomson Ski & Snowboarding |
|
Favourite City Break Destination |
Barcelona |
|
Favourite Airline |
British Airways |
|
Favourite UK Holiday Park Op |
Center Parcs |
|
Favourite Travel Info Online |
Expedia |
|
Favourite UK Destination |
Cornwall |
|
Favourite Ski Resort |
Whistler |
|
Dream Destination |
New Zealand |
|
Environmentally Responsible Airline |
First Choice Airways |
|
Environmentally Responsible Travel Co |
Exodus Travel |
|
Environmentally Responsible Individual Hotel |
The Orchid Hotel, Mumbai |
|
Best Short Breaks Op UK |
Superbreak |
|
Best UK Boating Op |
Hoseasons |
|
Ferry Company of the Year |
P&O Ferries |
|
Airline of the Year |
Virgin Atlantic |
|
Hotel Chain of the Year |
Hilton |
|
Cruise Line of the Year |
Cunard |
|
Cruise Innovation of the Year |
Royal Caribbean International |
|
Best Independent Specialist Tour Op to: |
|
|
Spain |
Mundi Color |
|
Cyprus |
Argo |
|
Greece |
Sunvil |
|
France |
Kirker |
|
UK / Ireland |
Superbreak |
|
Turkey |
Anatolian Sky |
|
Other European Destination |
Hidden Croatia |
|
Tour Op of the Year |
Thomas Cook |
|
Best UK Airport |
Manchester Airport |
|
Independent Specialist Tour Op of the Year |
Sunvil |
|
Personality of the Year |
Petra Roach |
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