HotelPlanner reveals 2015 American Group Travel Awards nominees

Online group travel provider HotelPlanner.com has unveiled the lineup and nominees for the 2015 American Group Travel Awards (AGTA).

The event this year will be held at the Diamond Horseshoe Theatre at the Paramount Hotel in New York City on November 9, hosted by former MSNBC television host and documentary film producer Dylan Ratigan.

Aside from the awards ceremony the evening will feature Broadway show performances and a DJ set from New Yorker DJ Dalton.

AGTA this year has 20 group travel categories including airlines, hotels, destinations and cruise lines.

People can register their votes by visiting www.americangrouptravelawards.com and clicking on the ‘2015 Vote Now!’ link from the homepage.

 "We encourage people to vote on the organizations that provide the highest quality group travel services in order to determine and recognize the winners of the American Group Travel Awards," said Tim Hentschel, CEO of HotelPlanner.

"This year’s categories and nominees represent the finest suppliers in the industry and we are excited to recognize all of their hard work and dedication focused on group travel."

Nominees selected for the 2015 American Group Travel Awards are as follows:

Best Group Hotel Brand – Full Service

•             Hilton Hotels and Resorts
•             Hyatt Hotels
•             InterContinental Hotels and Resorts
•             Wyndham Hotels and Resorts
•             Sheraton Hotels and Resorts
•             Loews Hotels and Resorts
•             Omni Hotels and Resorts
 
Best Group Hotel Brand – Limited Service

•             Comfort Inn and Suites
•             Best Western
•             Hampton Inn and Suites
•             Hyatt Place
•             Holiday Inn Express
•             La Quinta Inn and Suites
 
Best Group Hotel Brand – Luxury

•             Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resorts
•             St. Regis
•             Park Hyatt
•             InterContinental Hotels and Resorts
•             Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
•             Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company
 
Best Group Hotel Brand – Boutique

•             W Hotels
•             Commune Hotels and Resorts
•             Tryp by Wyndham
•             Hotel Indigo
•             Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants
•             Cambria Suites by Choice Hotels
•             Andaz Hotels by Hyatt
 
Best Leisure Group Hotel Brand

•             Best Western
•             Drury Hotels
•             Comfort Inn and Suites
•             Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts
•             Hyatt Place
•             Hampton Inn and Suites
 
Best Sports Team Travel Hotel Brand

•             Best Western
•             Hampton Inn and Suites
•             Holiday Inn Express
•             Quality Inn and Suites
•             Ramada Worldwide
•             Days Inn and Suites
 
Best Group Casino Hotel

•             Stratosphere Casino, Hotel and Tower
•             The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino
•             Bellagio Resort and Casino
•             Caesars Palace Las Vegas Hotel and Casino
•             Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
•             Treasure Island Hotel and Casino
 
Best Airline for Group Travel

•             American Airlines
•             United Airlines
•             Delta Air Lines
•             Southwest Airlines
•             Jet Blue
•             Virgin America
 
Best Cruise Line for Group Travel

•             Carnival Cruise Lines
•             Princess Cruises
•             Royal Caribbean Cruises
•             Norwegian Cruise Lines
•             Holland America Line
 
Best Independent Hotel Brand

•             Ayres Hotels
•             Loews Hotels and Resorts
•             Virgin Hotels
•             Westgate Resorts
•             Affinia Hotels
•             Leading Hotels of the World
•             Omni Hotels and Resorts
 
Best Live Stage Performance for Groups

•             The Phantom of the Opera
•             Cirque Du Soleil
•             Jersey Boys
•             Les Miserables
•             Kinky Boots
•             Lion King
•             Mama Mia
 
Best Theme Park for Groups

•             Disney World Orlando
•             Disneyland California
•             Universal Studios Orlando
•             Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
•             Cedar Point Sandusky Ohio
•             Magic Mountain- California
•             Knott’s Berry Farm
 
Best City Destination for Groups

•             New York City
•             Los Angeles
•             Washington, DC
•             Chicago
•             Las Vegas
•             Orlando
 
Best Beach Destination for Groups

•             Oahu, Hawaii
•             Miami Beach, FL
•             San Diego, CA
•             Nassau, Bahamas
•             Cancun, Mexico
•             Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
•             Clearwater Beach, FL
 
Best State for Group Travel

•             New York
•             Florida
•             California
•             Texas
•             Louisiana
•             Nevada
 
Best Online Travel Agency (OTA) for Group Travel

•             Expedia
•             Hotels.com
•             Priceline
•             Orbitz
•             Travelocity
•             Hotwire
•             Getaroom
 
Best Group Shopping

•             Mall of America – Minneapolis
•             Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood
•             Orlando Premium Outlets
•             Woodbury Common Premium Outlets- NY
•             King of Prussia Mall- PA
•             Sawgrass Mills – Florida
 
Best Group Ground Transportation

•             Super Shuttle
•             Bus Bank
•             Trailways
•             MegaBus
•             Gray Line Tours
 
Best Golf and Spa Resort for Groups

•             The Breakers
•             Pebble Beach Resorts
•             Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
•             Streamsong Resort Golf and Spa
•             Makena Beach and Golf Resort
•             The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort
 
Best Extended Stay Brand

•             Candlewood Suites
•             Cambria Suites
•             Value Place
•             Staybridge Suites
•             Hawthorne Suites
•             Extended Stay America
 

Founded in 2002, HotelPlanner.com provides online services and mobile applications for the global group hotel market.

The HotelPlanner platform enables clients to receive online quotes directly from hotel group sales managers. It operates from offices in West Palm Beach, FL, and Las Vegas with regional headquarters in London and Hong Kong.