More than 90 nominations have been shortlisted for the prestigious International Travel and Tourism Awards at WTM London 2019. The scheme, now in its second year, celebrates the best of travel and tourism on a global scale. The ITTAs recognise the outstanding successes of destinations, tourist boards, private sector companies and individuals. Included this year are two Irish entries: Spike Island and the Cliffs of Moher.
The winners will be announced to an audience of more than 500 leading industry figures, including Heads of Tourism and Government Ministers, during a prestigious awards ceremony at Magazine London. The brand new event space, which is located just a stone’s throw away from WTM London’s venue, ExCeL, offers a super modern experience with outstanding views of the city.
The ITTAs, presented by WTM and supported by the UNWTO, welcomed a selection of distinguished judges to assess the first tranche of categories, and the contenders have now been unveiled. Expert judges were drawn from top industry organisations including WTTC, International Airline Group, Adobe, Earth Changers, London & Partners, Euromonitor International, public relations body PRCA, and the Global Wellness Institute.
The Best Destination category, introduced for 2019, saw an overwhelming response with more than 20 entries, so to enable the judges to compare the entries fairly this category is now split into Country, City and Region, creating three separate categories.
Nicole Smart, International Travel & Tourism Awards Organiser, said: “We are amazed to see even more shortlisted entries for 2019 compared to the inaugural event last year. I feel this alone shows huge support from the industry. We have been delighted with both the volume and quality of the entries, with contenders entering from across the globe, from destinations as diverse as Dominica, Madhya Pradesh, Hong Kong, Brabant and Santa Monica, and they demonstrate how tourism is playing a vital role in the economies of different cities and regions.
“Our judges have been greatly impressed by the exceptional quality of entries, and those who are on the shortlist know they have reached a very high standard – they will be among the best in the world.”
