British Travel Awards winners revealed

Emirates Holidays, Titan Travel, Newmarket Holidays and Kuoni were among the companies receiving multi-award recognition at this year’s British Travel Awards.

The winners were revealed by TV presenter Miles Jupp at an Around the World in Eighty Days-themed gala event in London on Wednesday evening.

The awards are the largest UK consumer-voted programme across any industry, not just travel. Between July and September this year, 334,522 consumers cast their votes.

There was a surprise victory in the Best UK Holiday County or Region category, with Northumberland taking the top award, knocking Cornwall off the top spot it has held since 2009.

Sandals, which lost its crown for Best All-Inclusive Hotel & Resort Brand last year, reclaimed the title.

In the battle of the tour operators, Titan Travel, in the medium-sized company category, won the most Gold awards, collecting seven, including Best Holiday Company to Central & Northern Europe; East & Southeast Europe; Canada and Central & South America and also Best Special Interest Holiday Company.

Emirates Holidays won six Gold awards and was declared overall winner in the tour operator category, based on number of votes.

Newmarket Holidays, in the large tour operator category, also won six Gold awards, including Best Escorted Tours Holiday Company, Best Holiday Company to Western Europe & Ireland and Best Holiday Company to Africa.

James Villa Holidays, in the large tour operator category, came next with five Gold awards.

Virgin Holidays won four top awards while TUI, Mercury Holidays, Skanda Holidays and Kuoni won three.

This year saw some new entrants storm to the top of their categories including medium-sized tour operator Kenwood Travel taking Best Holiday Company to the Caribbean & Bermuda and Best Holiday Company to the Indian Ocean; Osprey Travel taking Best Holiday Company to Western Europe & Ireland and medium company Topdeck Travel named overall winner for Best Escorted Adventure Travel Company. 

In the hotel section Four Seasons, RIU Hotels & Resorts, Marriot and Hilton all picked up Gold Awards, with Holiday Inn and Premier Inn collecting two each.

Several companies celebrated holding on to their awards for a significant time. Both P&O Ferries for Best Ferry/Mini Cruise Operator and Viking Best River Cruise totted up 10 years running; APH (Airport Parking & Hotels) nine years for Best Airport Provider and Travelzoo seven years for Best Online Travel Deals Provider.

In the airlines section, Easyjet won Best Short Haul, Emirates won Best Long-haul, while Virgin Atlantic won the Best Scheduled Economy Class and Best Scheduled Business Class categories.

In the car-hire section, Avis again picked up Best Car Hire Provider.

Silversea was named Best Ultra-Luxury Cruise Line and Best Ultra Small/Boutique Cruise Line; P&O Cruises Best Family Cruise Line, while Voyages to Antiquity Best Specialist Cruise Line (Ocean & Expedition)

British Travel Awards’ CEO Lorraine Barnes Burton said: "The companies who won 2018 Awards can be justifiably proud as the British Travel Awards are the only travel industry accolade voted for exclusively by the travelling public in a voting process that is transparent, robust and supported by the verification systems of Deloitte LLP.  

"Holidaymakers can be confident that when booking any aspect of their holiday with a BTA winning company, other fellow travellers have experienced the product, and have voted it as ‘best’."

Click here for a full list of 2018 British Travel Awards winners, including those receiving certificates for silver and bronze positions.

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