World Travel Awards has capped its one-year-long search for the most popular travel and tourism brands in the world with a glittering Grand Final Gala Ceremony in New Delhi, India, on 12th December. Etihad Airways was voted ‘World’s Leading Airline’ for the fourth consecutive year as well as ‘World’s Leading Airline First Class’, while Dnata was voted ‘World’s Leading Air Travel Service Provider’.
Other airline winners were Singapore Airlines as ‘World’s Leading Airline Business Class’ and Lufthansa was named ‘World’s Leading Airline Economy Class’.
Hospitality categories included Dubai’s Burj al Arab (‘World’s Leading Hotel’), Italy’s Forte Village Resort (‘World’s Leading Resort’), InterContinental Hotels & Resorts (‘World’s Leading Hotel Brand’), St Regis Doha (‘World’s Leading New Hotel’), and Atlantis The Palm, Dubai (‘World’s Leading Landmark Resort’).
India won ‘World’s Leading Destination’, while Incredible India was voted ‘World’s Leading Tourist Board’. Oberoi Hotels & Resorts was voted ‘World’s Leading Luxury Hotel Brand’, while The Oberoi, Gurgaon, won ‘World’s Leading Luxury Hotel’ for the second consecutive year.
Other destination winners included the Maldives (‘World’s Leading Island Destination’), Mauritius (‘World’s Leading Honeymoon Destination’) and Jamaica (‘World’s Leading Cruise Destination’).
Graham Cooke, President and Founder, World Travel Awards, said: “The past year has continued to challenge every area of travel, tourism and hospitality. However our Grand Final winners have all demonstrated their world-class pedigree over this period, and are currently spearheading the global recovery of travel and tourism. In doing so they are also reinforcing our industry’s role as one of the mainstays of the global economy.
“India in particular is playing a decisive role in generating new opportunities in travel and tourism, hence the decision to host our Grand Final in New Delhi. In less than a decade, the number of international tourists here has more than doubled, reflecting how travel and tourism is linked inextricably with the economic evolution of this new superpower.”
Dr K Chiranjeevi, Minister of State for Tourism, India, said: “It has been a tremendous honour for our nation to host the Grand Final of World Travel Awards, the highest accolade in travel and tourism. Tourists from the world over can find their destination or product of desire in India. We can proudly say that India is an incredible destination with range of products like nowhere else.”
Established 19 years ago, World Travel Awards is committed to raising the standards of customer service and overall business performance throughout the international tourism industry.
