british travel awards 2021

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Meet the Team

Hello Travel Industry Colleagues!

It’s that time of year again - when the UK’s travel companies put themselves forward for a chance to win one of the 2024 British Travel Awards accolades across a whole range of categories. Hopefully you have all had a good “peaks” booking period and things are looking good for your businesses going forward.

We had amazing feedback from everyone who took part in the awards competition and who joined us at the BTAs 2023 gala event in November - so we are of course looking to repeat and build on that success again for this year. To remind you, last year over 1.6 million votes were cast by consumers across the BTA categories - a record number.

This year, all the usual categories are in place for you to enter for 2024, and once again there will be no need for you to complete criteria forms or submissions - your entry will be verified by the BTA team to ensure you are in the right category(s) and then, once voting begins you will be sent your unique vote pop-up link to enable you to lobby your own customers for votes. The winners are decided purely on the number of verified votes they achieve from happy customers.

The nomination registration window will be open until 10 May and you are invited to enter as many categories as you wish. In many of the categories you can enter as a small, medium or large size company - just ensure you declare your company size when entering according to the criteria set for each of these size defined categories.

In the Trade & Media Newszone you will be able to see the declared sizes of all other companies who have entered – and of course who has entered into each category. If you feel a mistake has been made, you have until 10 May to make your views heard so we can investigate and amend if necessary.

Once companies are confirmed as entrants (follow us on Twitter for trade updates on confirmed entrants @BritTravAwrds) - they will receive:

Entering the BTAs is easy and full details can be found under the Nomination Application tab of this website. The cost of entry remains at last year’s price of £250 plus VAT per brand, per category entry which of course includes your BTA nominee click through software to lobby for votes.

Our database of subscribed consumer voters (over 400k) will be contacted directly to encourage them to have their say once voting begins - and to further encourage consumers to vote for their favourite companies, we will once again be partnering with Reach plc on editorial, print and digital features and display ads to promote the BTAs, the nominees - and of course our sponsors and partners. Millions of potential voters will be reached throughout the voting period.

Along with the travel editors at The Mirror, Star, The Express and the larger regional titles of our partners at Reach plc, we will be offering consumers free entry into the voters’ prize draw to thank them for taking the time to vote across the BTA categories - and if you’d like to be involved in this initiative, please do drop me a line and I’ll send you the details.

We’ll update you soon with our new plans and details for this year’s gala event when the results of the BTAs will be announced.

Kindest regards,

Lorraine and the BTA Team

The British Travel Awards trademark registration, and copyright is owned by Konawood Ltd. The British Travel Awards competition, event and production is devised, managed and operated by UK Travel Awards Ltd. Konawood Ltd and UK Travel Awards Ltd are registered at: Spirit House, 8 High Street, West Molesey, Surrey, KT8 2NA

Contact : Lorraine Barnes Burton Tel: +44 (0)7557 951027 | Email: [email protected] Postal address: British Travel Awards, 1 Nyefield Park, Walton on the Hill, KT20 7QR

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All the winners of the LLM Readers’ Travel Awards 2021

After such a topsy-turvy year for the travel and hospitality industry, we were pleased to be able to shine a light, one again, on those making waves in the UK and all across the world. We put the decision in the hands of our readers and after a record number of votes, the results of the LLM Readers’ Travel Awards 2021 are now in. 28,161 people have had their say and we are very pleased to announce the following winners and runner’s up below:

HOTELS (UK based entries only):

Best Beach/Coastal Hotel

1. Carbis Bay Estate, Cornwall, England 2. Hotel Tresanton, Cornwall, England 3. The Nare, Cornwall, England 4. Glenapp Castle, Ayrshire, Scotland 5. Ballygally Castle Hotel, County Antrim, Northern Ireland 6. Slieve Donard Resort & Spa, Newcastle, Northern Ireland 7. Mercure Brighton Seafront, The Norfolk Hotel, Brighton, England 8. Culloden Estate and Spa, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Best Boutique Hotel

1. Ellenborough Park, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England 2. Hotel Tresanton, Cornwall, England 3. Linthwaite House, Windermere, Lake District, England 4. Francis Hotel Bath, Somerset, England 5. Glenapp Castle, Ayrshire, Scotland 6. The Samling Hotel, Lake Windermere, Cumbria, England 7. Hotel Endsleigh, Dartmoor, Devon, England 8. The Athenaeum Hotel & Residences, London, England 9. Palé Hall, Dee Valley, Wales 10. Meldrum House Country Hotel and Golf Course, Aberdeenshire, Scotland 11. The Airds Hotel & Restaurant, Argyll, Scotland 12. Queens Hotel Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England 13. The Cadogan, A Belmond Hotel, London, England 14. The Academy, Bloomsbury, London, England

Best City Hotel

1. Castle Hotel Windsor, Berkshire, England 2. COMO Metropolitan London, Park Lane, London, England 3. Francis Hotel Bath, Somerset, England 4. The Glasshouse, Edinburgh, Scotland 5. The Athenaeum Hotel & Residences, Mayfair, London, England 6. Hotel Brooklyn, Manchester, England 7. The Resident Soho, London, England 8. Europa Hotel, Belfast, Northern Ireland 9. Mercure Inverness Hotel, Inverness, Scotland 10. Queens Hotel Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England 11. Grand Central Hotel, Belfast, Northern Ireland 12. The Cadogan, A Belmond Hotel, London, England 13. COMO The Halkin, London, England 14. The Resident Covent Garden, London, England 15. The Resident Liverpool, England 16. HYATT House Hotel Manchester, England

Best Hotel for Business

1. Fairmont Windsor Park, Egham, England 2. Castle Hotel Windsor, Berkshire, England 3. Queens Hotel Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England 4. COMO The Halkin, London, England 5. Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel, Manchester, England 6. Europa Hotel, Belfast, Northern Ireland 7. HYATT House Hotel Manchester, England 8. Grand Central Hotel, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Best Hotel for Design

1. Hotel Tresanton, Cornwall, England 2. Mercure Perth Hotel, Perth, Scotland 3. nhow London, England 4. Hotel Endsleigh, Dartmoor, Devon, England 5. HYATT House Hotel Manchester, England

Best Hotel for Families

1. Bovey Castle, Dartmoor, Devon, England 2. Glenapp Castle, Ayrshire, Scotland 3. Mercure Hull Grange Park Hotel, East Yorkshire, England 4. Hotel Tresanton, Cornwall, England 5. Fairmont Windsor Park, Egham, England 6. Castle Hotel Windsor, Berkshire, England 7. Hotel Endsleigh, Dartmoor, Devon, England 8. Francis Hotel Bath, Somerset, England 9. Queens Hotel Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England 10. HYATT House Hotel Manchester, England

Best Hotel for Food

1. Linthwaite House, Windermere, Lake District, England 2. The Samling Hotel, Lake Windermere, Cumbria, England 3. Fairmont Windsor Park, Egham, England 4. Hotel Endsleigh, Dartmoor, Devon, England 5. Francis Hotel Bath, Somerset, England 6. Palé Hall, Dee Valley, Wales 7. The Cadogan, A Belmond Hotel, London, England 8. Mercure Gloucester, Bowden Hall Hotel, Gloucester, England 9. Queens Hotel Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England

Best Hotel for Golf

1. Slieve Donard Resort and Spa, Northern Ireland 2. Bovey Castle, Dartmoor, Devon, England 3. Meldrum House Country Hotel and Golf Course, Aberdeenshire, Scotland 4. Linthwaite House, Windermere, Lake District, England 5. Mercure Ayr Hotel, Ayrshire, Scotland

Best Hotel for Romance

1. Ellenborough Park, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England 2. Glenapp Castle, Ayrshire, Scotland 3. Castle Hotel Windsor, Berkshire, England 4. Hotel Tresanton, Cornwall, England 5. The Samling Hotel, Lake Windermere, Cumbria, England 6. COMO The Halkin, London, England 7. Fairmont Windsor Park, Egham, England 8. The Airds Hotel & Restaurant, Argyll, Scotland 9. Linthwaite House, Windermere, Lake District, England 10. Francis Hotel Bath, Somerset, England 11. Palé Hall, Dee Valley, Wales 12. Hotel Endsleigh, Dartmoor, Devon, England 13. Mercure Edinburgh Princes Street Hotel, Edinburgh, Scotland

Best Hotel for Wine

1. The Samling Hotel, Lake Windermere, Cumbria, England 2. Linthwaite House, Windermere, Lake District, England 3. Queens Hotel Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England 4. COMO The Halkin, London, England 5. Fairmont Windsor Park, Egham, England

Best Spa/Wellness Hotel

1. Carbis Bay Estate, Cornwall, England 2. The Gainsborough Bath Spa, Bath, England 3. Culloden Estate and Spa, Belfast, Northern Ireland 4. Mallory Court Country House Hotel and Spa, Warwickshire, England 5. Fairmont Windsor Park, Egham, England 6. Slieve Donard Resort and Spa, Northern Ireland 7. COMO The Halkin, London, England 8. YTL Hotels, Monkey Island Estate, Bray, Berkshire, England

OVERSEAS HOTEL:

Best Hotel in Europe (outside UK)

1. Anantara New York Palace Budapest Hotel, Budapest, Hungary 2. Anantara Vilamoura Algarve Resort, Portugal 3. Capri Palace Jumeirah, Capri, Italy 4. Anantara Villa Padierna Palace Benhavis Marbella Resort, Spain 5. CAYO Exclusive Resort & Spa, Crete, Greece 6. Argos in Cappadocia, Uchisar, Turkey 7. NH Collection Grand Hotel Convento di Amalfi, Amalfi Coast, Italy 8. COMO Castello Del Nero, Tuscany, Italy 9. OMMA Santorini, Greece 10. Hotel Bahía del Duque, Tenerife, Spain 11. Hotel Castello di Reschio, Umbria, Italy 12. Jumeirah Port Soller Hotel & Spa, Mallorca, Spain 13. D-Resort Göcek, nr Fethiye, Turkey 14. D Maris Bay, Marmaris, Turkey 15. Hillside Beach club, Fethiye, Turkey 16. The Marker Hotel, Dublin, Ireland 17. Iniala Harbour House & Residences, Valletta, Malta 18. The Elounda Peninsula, All Suite Hotel, Elounda, Greece 19. Kulm Hotel St, Moritz, Switzerland 20. NH Collection Prague Carlo IV, Prague, Czech Republic 21. Marbella Club, Malaga, Spain 22. D-Resort Šibenik, Croatia 23. Naturhotel Forsthofgut, Leogang, Austria 24. NH Collection Firenze Palazzo Gaddi, Florence, Italy 25. Hotel Le Coucou, Méribel, France 26. Fauchon l’Hotel, Paris, France 27. Hotel Lou Pinet, Saint-Tropez, France 28. Tivoli Palácio de Seteais, Sintra, Portugal 29. NH Collection Barcelona Gran Hotel Calderón, Barcelona, Spain 30. Rosselli, Valletta, Malta 31. Hotel Chais Monnet & Spa, Cognac, France 32. The Magnolia Hotel, Quinta do Lago, Portugal 33. MarBella Corfu, Greece 34. NH Collection Amsterdam Doelen, Amsterdam, the Netherlands 35. Tivoli Avenida Liberdade, Lisbon, Portugal 36. NH Collection Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, Amsterdam, the Netherlands 37. nhow Amsterdam RAI, Amsterdam, the Netherlands 38. NH Collection Venezia Murano Villa, Murano, Italy 39. MarBella Elix, Parga, Greece 40. Paragon 700 Boutique Hotel & Spa, Ostuni, Italy 41. Severin*s – The Alpine Retreat, Lech, Austria 42. São Lourenço do Barrocal, Alentejo, Portugal 43. MarBella Nido Suite Hotel & Villas, Corfu, Greece 44. NH Collection Madrid Gran Vía, Madrid, Spain 45. NH Collection Madrid Suecia, Madrid, Spain

Best Hotel in Asia

1. Amilla Resorts and Residences, Baa Atoll, Maldives 2. akyra Thonglor Bangkok, Thailand 3. Aleenta Hua Hin-Pranburi Resort & Spa, Thailand 4. akyra Manor Chiang Mai, Thailand 5. Azerai La Residence, Hue, Vietnam 6. Alma Resort, Cam Ranh peninsula, Vietnam 7. Banyan Tree Samui, Thailand 8. Velaa Private Island, Noonu Atoll, Maldives 9. Heritance Aarah, Maldives 10. Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi, Shaviyani Atoll, Maldives 11. Chiva-Som, Hua Hin, Thailand 12. COMO Cocoa Island, Maldives 13. The Datai, Langkawi, Kedah, Malaysia 14. Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, Vietnam 15. Melia Koh Samui, Surat Thani, Thailand 16. Ozen Life Maadhoo, Maldives 17. COMO Point Yamu, Phuket, Thailand 18. The Sarojin, Khao Lak, Thailand 19. COMO Shambhala Estate, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia 20. Fauchon L’Hotel Kyoto, Japan 21. Huvafen Fushi, Malé Atoll, Maldives 22. COMO Uma Punakha, Bhutan 23. COMO Metropolitan Bangkok, Thailand 24. Ozen Reserve Bolifushi, Maldives 25. The Anam, Cam Ranh peninsula, Vietnam 26. Higashiyama Niseko Village, Hokkaido, Japan 27. Dharana at Shillim, nr Mumbai and Pune, India 28. Pullman Maldives Maamutaa Resort, Maldives 29. Tanah Gajah, A Resort by Hadiprana, Ubud, Bali 30. COMO Uma Canggu, Bali, Indonesia

Best Hotel in Africa

1. Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort & Spa, Mahe, Seychelles 2. La Sultana Marrakech, Morocco 3. Wilderness Safaris DumaTau, Linyanti Wildlife Reserve, Botswana 4. Anantara Sahara Tozeur Resort & Villas, Tozeur, Tunisia 5. Leeu Estates, Franschhoek, South Africa 6. Lepogo Lodges, Limpopo, South Africa 7. Morukuru Family, Beach Lodge, De Hoop Nature Reserve, South Africa 8. La Sultana Oualidia, Morocco

Best Hotel in North America

1. Tranquility Bay Beachfront Resort, Florida, USA 2. COMO Metropolitan Miami Beach, Florida, USA 3. Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, California, USA 4. NH Collection New York Madison Avenue, New York, USA 5. NH Collection Guadalajara Providencia, Guadalajara, Mexico 6. Sands Hotel and Spa, California, USA 7. NH Collection Mexico City Centro Histórico, Mexico City, Mexico 8. TWA Hotel, JFK Airport, New York, USA

Best Hotel in South America

1. Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena, Colombia 2. NH Collection Bogotá Teleport Royal, Bogotá, Colombia 3. Hotel Emiliano, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 4. Tierra Chiloe Hotel and Spa, Castro, Chile 5. NH Collection Buenos Aires Crillon, Buenos Aires, Argentina 6. NH Collection Santiago Casacostanera, Santiago, Chile

Best Hotel in the Caribbean

1. Sandy Lane Hotel, St. James, Barbados 2. BodyHoliday, St. Lucia, West Indies, St. Lucia 3. Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort, St Lucia 4. COMO Parrot Cay, Turks and Caicos 5. Belmond Cap Juluca, Anguilla 6. Montpelier Plantation & Beach, Nevis, West Indies

Best Hotel in Oceania

1. Le Taha’a Island Resort and Spa, Tahiti, French Polynesia 2. The Langham, Sydney, Australia 3. COMO The Treasury, Perth, Australia 4. Bannisters by the sea, NSW, Australia 5. QT Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia 6. Mayfair Hotel, Adelaide, Australia

DESTINATIONS:

Best UK City

1. Bath, England 2. London, England 3. Edinburgh, Scotland 4. York, England 5. Belfast, Northern Ireland 6. Liverpool, England 7. Cardiff, Wales 8. Durham, England 9. Exeter, England

Best Honeymoon

1. Maldives 2. Amalfi Coast, Italy 3. Santorini, Greece 4. Bali, Indonesia 5. Paris, France 6. Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain 7. Riviera Nayarit, Mexico

Best City – outside UK

1. Barcelona, Spain 2. New York City, USA 3. Amsterdam, the Netherlands 4. Bangkok, Thailand 5. Palma, Mallorca, Spain 6. Budapest, Hungary 7. Copenhagen, Denmark 8. Melbourne, Australia 9. Salzburg, Austria 10. Pula, Croatia 11. St. Petersburg, Russia 12. Quito, Ecuador

Best Island

1. Crete, Greece 2. Santorini, Greece 3. St Lucia 4. Maui, Hawaii 5. Velaa Private Island, Noonu Atoll, Maldives 6. Bermuda 7. The Islands of Tahiti 8. Ko Samui, Thailand 9. Bali, Indonesia 10. Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

Best Ski Resort

1. Courchevel, France 2. Mürren, Switzerland 3. Courmayeur Mont Blanc, Italy 4. Saalbach Hinterglemm, Austria 5. Higashiyama Niseko Village, Hokkaido, Japan 6. Niseko Grand Hirafu Ski Resort, Hokkaido, Japan

Best Airline

1. British Airways 2. Emirates 3. Singapore Airlines 4. Etihad Airways 5. Qatar Airways 6. Cathay Pacific

Best Airport

1. Changi Airport, Singapore 2. Heathrow Airport, England 3. Munich Airport, Germany 4. Farnborough Airport, England 5. Hamad International Airport, Doha, Qatar 6. Hong Kong International Airport 7. Haneda Airport, Tokyo, Japan

Best Ocean Cruise Line

1. Royal Caribbean 2. Celebrity Cruises 3. Cunard Line 4. Princess Cruises 5. Azamara

Best Specialist Tour Operator

1. Luxtripper 2. Wilderness Safaris 3. @luxurylondonguy Ltd 4. Charitable Travel 5. Health Travel 6. Ultimate Driving Tours 7. White Desert 8. Orange DMC, India

Best Tour Operator

1. Luxtripper 2. White Desert 3. @luxurylondonguy Ltd 4. Charitable Travel

Best Tour Operator for Adventure

1. Luxtripper 2. White Desert 3. Charitable Travel

Best Travel Website

1. Luxtripper 2. Tuscany Now & More 3. Villatravellers in Sicily 4. @luxurylondonguy Ltd 5. ALTIDO property management company 6. Health Travel

Full list of British Travel Awards winners including TUI, Jet2 and Fred Olsen

UK travellers are snapping up no-fly holidays and there were golds galore for tour firms at the 2022 travel ‘Oscars’ - held at London's Battersea Evolution centre and hosted by TV presenter Alison Hammond .

The British Travel Awards (BTA) gala evening followed a July-October public vote in 62 categories covering a comprehensive range of products and services experienced by customers when planning, booking and going on their getaways.

It attracted more than 618,000 entries and is regarded as the the travel industry’s leading awards, plus it is the UK’s largest consumer voted programme.

Escorted coach tour company Shearings picked up four golds in the large company category, including Best Travel Company for Escorted Group Holidays, for which there were 25 businesses nominated. Shearings’ sister coach holiday company, Leger Holidays, collected three golds in the medium category.

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines won the award for Best Cruise Line for No-Fly Holidays.

Staying on the water, Brittany Ferries triumphed with four awards for their services to Central/Western Europe, Southern Europe/Canaries, Best Ferry Operator for Routes from/to UK Ports and Best Travel Company for Family Holidays.

The coveted Best Cruise Line for Ocean/Expedition voyages was awarded to Norwegian with P&O Cruises winning the Best Cruise Line for Family Holidays. Hays Travel was awarded Best Travel Agency for Cruise Bookings.

BTA director of events and partnerships Lorraine Barnes Burton said: “Both in the UK and abroad this year our voters were determined to have their holidays, despite a few airport and airline issues.’’

All BTA public voters were entered in a draw for a holiday prize bonanza worth around £45,000, with cruises, tropical sunshine trips, a safari, staycations and more given away in a draw.

*Reach plc, with more than 130 national and regional news brands across both print and online - including this newspaper - is the official media partner of the 2022 BTAs and executives and travel editors from the company presented awards, along with industry leaders.

Find out more at britishtravelawards.com .

Full list of the BTA winners 21/22

Some of the awards are divided into small, medium and large companies - we've listed these respectively where applicable.

• Best Travel Company for Arts & Culture Holidays - Ace Cultural Tours, Mercury Holidays
• Best Travel Company for Safari Holidays - Travel Department, Africa Sky, Newmarket Holidays
• Best Travel Company for Special Interest Holidays - Andante Travels, GN Holidays & Voyages, Inghams
• Best Travel Company to the Indian Ocean - Honeymoon Dreams, Kuoni, Blue Bay Travel
• Best Travel Company to the Caribbean/Central America - Love Cuba, Tropical Sky, Blue Bay Travel
• Best Travel Company for All-Inclusive Holidays - Star Tours, Blue Bay Travel
• Best Travel Company for Villa Holidays - Bookings for You, Solmar Villas, James Villa Holidays
• Best Travel Company for Coach Holidays - Brightwater Holidays, Leger Holidays, Caledonian Travel
• Best Travel Company To Central/Western Europe - Headwater, Brittany Ferries
• Best Travel Company to Southern Europe/Canaries - Cyprus Paradise, Brittany Ferries, Jet2/Jet2holidays
• Best Travel Company for Family Holidays - Canterbury Travel, Brittany Ferries Holidays, James Villa Holidays
• Best Travel Company for Lakes & Mountains Holidays - TUI
• Best Travel Company To Nordic Destinations - Canterbury Travel, Santa Claus Trips
• Best Travel Company to Sub-Saharan Africa - Distant Journeys, Hayes & Jarvis, Newmarket Holidays
• Best Travel Company to Australasia/Oceania - Distant Journeys, Titan Travel, Travelbag
• Best Travel Company for Luxury Holidays - Elegant Resorts, Kuoni, Travelbag
• Best Travel Company for Walk/Trek/Cycling Holidays - EverTrek, Macs Adventure
• Best Travel Company to Hellenic Europe - Exclusively Lindos, Ionian & Aegean Island Holidays, Olympic Holidays
• Best Travel Company for Wildlife & Nature Holidays - Naturetrek, Exodus Travels
• Best Travel Company for Adventure Holidays - The Bucket List Company, Exodus Travels
• Best Travel Company for Culinary & Wine Holidays - Flavours Holidays
• Best Travel Company for Rail Holidays - The Railway Touring Company, Rail Discoveries, Great Rail Journeys
• Best Travel Company to South America - Journey Latin America, Hayes & Jarvis, Newmarket Holidays
• Best Travel Company for Special Occasion Holidays - Honeymoon Dreams, Kuoni, Travelbag
• Best Travel Company for City/Short Breaks - Travel Center, Jet2.com and Jet2holidays
• Best Travel Company for Singles Holidays - One Traveller, Just You, Shearings
• Best Travel Company for Touring Holidays - My Canada Trips, Leger Holidays, Shearings
• Best Travel Company for Winter Sun Holidays - Mercury Holidays, TUI
• Best Travel Company to Canada/USA - My Canada Trips, Titan Travel, Travelbag
• Best Travel Company for Tailor-Made Holidays - My Canada Trips, Solmar Villas, Travelbag
• Best Travel Company for Activity/Sports Holidays - Wildwind & Healthy Options, Neilson Active Holidays
• Best Travel Company to the Middle East/North Africa - Red Sea Holidays, Travel Talk Tours, Travelbag
• Best Travel Company for Escorted Group Holidays - Travel Department, Titan Travel, Shearings
• Best Travel Company for Summer Sun Holidays - Solmar Villas, TUI
• Best Travel Company to the Far East/Central Asia - Wendy Wu Tours, Titan Travel
• Best Travel Company to Southern/Southeast Asia - Wendy Wu Tours, Titan Travel
• Best Travel Company for Ski/Winter Sports Holidays - Ski Safari, Neilson Active Holidays, Crystal Ski Holidays

Staycations

• Best Company for UK Holiday Home Rentals - Beach Retreats (small), Coast & Country Cottages (medium), Sykes Holiday Cottages (large)
• Best Company for UK Family Holidays - Bluestone National Park Resort, Haven, Parkdean Resorts
• Best Company for UK Coach/Touring Holidays - Leger Holidays, Shearings
• Best Company for UK Breaks Holidays - Holiday Extras UK Short Breaks, Titan Travel, Parkdean Resorts
• Best Company for UK Parks & Lodges Holidays - Cofton Holidays, Verdant Leisure, Parkdean Resorts

Holiday bookings

• Best Online/Call Centre Travel Retailer - Blue Bay Travel
• Best Travel Website for Accommodation Booking - Booking.com
• Best Travel Website for Flight Bookings - Globehunters
• Best High Street Travel Agency - Stewart Travel
• Best Travel Website for Offers/Price Comparison - Travelzoo
• Best National Travel Retailer - Hays Travel

Cruises and ferries

• Best Cruise Line for No-Fly Cruise Holidays - Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
• Best Travel Agency for Cruise Holidays - Hays Travel
• Best Cruise Line for Ocean/Expedition Voyages - Norwegian Cruise Line
• Best Cruise Line for Family Holidays - P&O Cruises
• Best Operator for Short Sea/Mini Cruises - P&O Ferries
• Best Cruise Line for Ultra-Luxury Holidays - Regent Seven Seas Cruises
• Best Cruise Line for Luxury Holidays - Saga
• Best Cruise Line for River Cruise Holidays - Viking
• Best Ferry Operator for Routes from/to UK Ports - Brittany Ferries
• Best Travel Company for Sailing/Flotilla Holidays - Sunsail

Extras and add-ons

• Best Company for Airport Parking - APH (Airport Parking & Hotels)
• Best Company for Holiday Car Hire - Europcar
• Best Company for Travel Insurance - Staysure

Best Retailer for Forex/Travel Money - Post Office

Call us on 01553 661 500

Winners at British Travel Awards 2021-22

Further success for the railway touring company at the british travel awards - thank you for the votes..

British Travel Awards - Thank You

We are pleased to announce, today, that we were named ‘Best Small Travel Company for Rail Holidays 2021/22 at the prestigious British Travel Awards, which took place yesterday evening.

The Awards were presented at a ceremony hosted by Alison Hammond from ITV’s ‘This Morning’ with a special performance from Strictly’s Anton Du Beke and Giovanni Pernice.

We would like to thank all our customers who took the time to vote for us, for their continued support.

Everyone at The Railway Touring Company is passionate about rail travel and particularly heritage rail. We are constantly researching routes and destinations in the quest to provide unique and interesting holidays and days out. This accolade makes all that dedication worthwhile.

We would also like to thank our amazing tour managers and those people and suppliers, who from the background have helped The Railway Touring Company towards the success we feel today.

News and Updates

British Travel Awards Winners 2023

Flying Scotsman in Scotland

Silver Travel Awards Nominee

British Travel Awards 2023

St Blazey turntable back in action for Flying Scotsman

Flying Scotsman Centenary

Beautiful Gorlitz, Germany

Beautiful Austria

Good Old Orkney

Amazing Arran

The Old Stables, Estuary Road, King's Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 2HL – Phone: 01553 661 500

© 2024 | The Railway Touring Company Limited | Founded by Nigel Dobbing in 1997 | All rights reserved. This work remains the property of The Railway Touring Company Limited and may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, without permission. Website: LucidSynergy Ltd.

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Readers' Choice Awards 2021: All the winners

By Rick Jordan

The Readers' Choice Awards 2022 are open until Thursday 30 June 2022. To vote for your favourite hotels, spas, cities, countries and much more, click the button below. Once you've completed the survey, go to cntraveller.com/rca2022 to enter the UK competition for your chance to win a holiday for two to South Africa worth £20,000.

The past year has been like no other – for obvious reasons – and the repercussions for the travel industry have been severe. So our annual travel awards feel like a celebration of all that is good and wonderful and inspirational in the world, a reason to support the people and places that rely on us to survive. For the third year running, we've collaborated with our sister title in the USA, asking readers to nominate the hotels and spas you escape to, the villa fixers and tour operators you rely on, the trains and airlines who take you places, and the islands, cities and countries that spark your curiosity. Here are the number ones in each category.

THE BEST HOTELS IN THE WORLD

SPAIN AND PORTUGAL

Winner: Sao Lourenco Do Barrocal , Alentejo, Portugal

Winner: The Peninsula Paris

REST OF FRANCE AND MONACO

Winner: Villa Gallici, Aix-en-Provence

Winner: Hassler Roma

Winner: Portrait Firenze

Winner: Palazzo Venart Luxury Hotel

REST OF ITALY

Winner: Relais Borgo Santo Pietro , Tuscany

GREECE AND TURKEY

Winner: Raffles Istanbul , Turkey 

Connor Sturges

Olivia Morelli

Sarah James

REST OF EUROPE

Winner: Badrutt's Palace , St Moritz, Switzerland 

Winner: Chiltern Firehouse

REST OF THE UK

Winner: Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa , Wiltshire

Winner: The Marker Hotel , Dublin

AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

Winner: Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney

Winner: La Mammounia Marrakech , Morocco

Winner: Babylonstoren, Franschhoek, South Africa  

THE MIDDLE EAST

Winner: W Doha, Qatar

THE AMERICAS

Winner: Hotel Matilda , San Miguel de Allende

SOUTH AMERICA

Winner: W Bogota , Colombia

NEW YORK CITY

Winner: The Chatwal, a Luxury Collection Hotel , New York City

LOS ANGELES

Winner: Freehand Los Angeles

REST OF USA

Winner: The Gwen, a Luxury Collection Hotel , Michigan Avenue Chicago, Illinois 

Winner: Oak Bay Beach Hotel , Victoria 

Winner: The Leela Palace New Delhi

Winner: The Landmark Mandarin Oriental , Hong Kong

Winner: Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund

Winner: Suiran, a Luxury Collection Hotel , Kyoto

Winner: The Sukhothai Bangkok

Winner: Capella Singapore  

REST OF ASIA

Winner: Rosewood Luang Prabang , Laos

The best islands in the world

Winner: Hvar, Croatia

THE CARIBBEAN AND THE ATLANTIC

Winner: St Barth's

Winner: Siargao , Philippines 

AUSTRALIA AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC

Winner: Bora Bora, French Polynesia

AFRICA AND THE INDIAN OCEAN

Winner: Bazaruto Archipelago 

CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA 

Winner: Islas Secas, Panama

NORTH AMERICA

Winner: Cape Breton Island, Canada

The best resorts in the world

CENTRAL AMERICA

Winner: Hacienda AltaGracia , Auberge Resorts Collection, Perez Zeledon, Costa Rica

Winner: Live Aqua Beach Resort Cancun

Winner: Uxua Casa Hotel & Spa , Trancoso, Brazil

Winner: L'Horizon Resort & Spa , Palm Springs, California

Winner: Fairmont Chateau Whistler

Winner: Rosewood Little Dix Bay , Virgin Gorda, BVI

Winner: The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort , Costa Navarino

Winner: Cheval Blanc Courchevel , France

SOUTH AFRICA

Winner: Morukuru Family, De Hoop Nature Reserve  

REST OF AFRICA

Winner: Angama Mara , Great Rift Valley, Kenya

Winner: Kokomo Private Island Resort , Yaukuve Levu Island, Fiji

INDIAN OCEAN

Winner: Naladhu Private Island Maldives

Winner: Capella Ubud , Bali

Winner: Anantara Chiang Mai Resort

Winner: Six Senses Bhutan

Winner: Six Senses Zighy Bay , Dibba, Oman

The best destination spa resorts in the world

Winner: Chiva-Som , Hua Hin, Thailand

Winner: The Ranch Malibu , California

The best ski resorts in the world

Winner: Courmayeur, Italy

Winner: Deer Valley, Utah

The best tour operators in the world

Winner: Red Savannah

Winner: Scott Dunn

The best countries in the world

Winner: Portugal

The best cities in the world

Winner: Tokyo, Japan

Winner: London

The best villas in the world

Winner: The Thinking Traveller

The best airlines and airports in the world

Winner: Singapore Airlines

Winner: London Heathrow (LHR)

REST OF THE WORLD

Winner: Singapore (SIN)

Read the full list of the best airports in the world 2021

The best trains in the world

Winner: Seven Stars in Kyushu, Japan  

Read the full list of the best train journeys in the world

The best cruise lines in the world

MEGA SHIPS (more than 4,000 passengers)  

Winner: Norwegian Cruise Line

LARGE SHIPS (2,500 to 4,000 passengers)  

Winner: Disney Cruise Line

MEDIUM SHIPS (500 to 2,500 passengers)  

Winner: Viking Ocean Cruises

SMALL SHIPS (fewer than 500 passengers)  

Winner: Lindblad Expeditions

RIVER SHIPS

Winner: Viking River Cruises

AND THE WINNERS FROM 2020…

THE BEST HOTELS IN THE WORLD 2020

Winner: Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park

UK (EXCLUDING LONDON)

Winner: Gleneagles , Scotland

Winner: Almanac Hotel Barcelona , Spain

Winner: La Reserve Paris Hotel and Spa

FRANCE AND MONACO (EXCLUDING PARIS)

Winner: Grand Hotel du Cap-Ferrat , A Four Seasons Hotel

Winner: San Clemente Palace Kempinski Venice

ITALY (EXCLUDING ROME, FLORENCE AND VENICE)

Winner: Grand Hotel Tremezzo , Lake Como

Winner: Raffles Istanbul

Winner: Baur au Lac , Switzerland

Winner: The Westbury , Dublin

Winner: Como The Treasury , Perth

Winner: Royal Mansour , Morocco

Winner: Mandarin Oriental, Doha

Winner: Rosewood San Miguel de Allende

Winner: Sofitel Legend Santa Clara , Cartagena

Winner: The Carlyle , A Rosewood Hotel

USA (EXCLUDING NEW YORK CITY AND LOS ANGELES)

Winner: Olema House Point Reyes , California

Winner: Hotel 71 , Quebec City

Winner: Rambagh Palace

Winner: Waldorf Astoria Beijing

Winner: The Peninsula, Bangkok

Winner: Raffles Singapore

Winner: The Peninsula, Hong Kong

Winner: Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur

THE BEST ISLANDS IN THE WORLD 2020

Winner: Jersey

Winner: Folegandros , Greece

Winner: Cebu and Visayan Islands

Winner: Tasmania

Winner: Bazaruto Archipelago, Mozambique

CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA

Winner: Galapagos Islands

Winner: Hilton Head Island, USA

THE BEST DESTINATION SPA RESORTS IN THE WORLD 2020

Winner: Ananda in the Himalayas , India

Winner: The Ranch , Malibu

THE BEST SKI RESORTS IN THE WORLD 2020

Winner: St Moritz , Switzerland

THE BEST TOUR OPERATORS IN THE WORLD 2020

Winner: The Turquoise Holiday Company

THE RESORTS VOTED THE BEST IN THE WORLD 2020

Winner: Andaz Mayakoba Resort Riviera Maya

Winner: Turneffe Island Resort , Belize

Winner: Uxua Casa Hotel and Spa , Brazil

Winner: L’Horizon Resort and Spa , California

Winner: Fairmont Chateau , Whistler

Winner: Le Barthelemy , St Barts

Winner: Royal Champagne Hotel and Spa , France

Winner: Morukuru Family Beach Lodge , De Hoop Nature Reserve

Winner: Singita Grumeti , Tanzania

Winner: Matakauri Lodge , Queenstown

Winner: The Nautilus Maldives

Winner: Como Una Punakha , Bhutan

Winner: The Mulia and Mulia Villas , Bali

Winner : Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara , UAE

THE BEST VILLA RENTAL COMPANY IN THE WORLD 2020

THE BEST AIRLINES AND AIRPORTS IN THE WORLD 2020

Winner: Jet2

THE BEST AIRPORT IN THE UK 2020

Winner: London Heathrow

THE BEST AIRPORT IN THE WORLD 2020

Winner: Singapore

THE BEST TRAIN IN THE WORLD 2020

Winner: Belmond British Pullman

THE BEST CRUISE LINES IN THE WORLD 2020

(More than 4,000 passengers)

Winner: Royal Caribbean International

LARGE SHIPS

(2,500 to 4,000 passengers)

MEDIUM SHIPS

(500 to 2,500 passengers)

Winner: Crystal Cruises

SMALL SHIPS

(Fewer than 500 passengers)

Winner: Crystal Cruises Yacht

THE BEST CITIES IN THE WORLD 2020

Winner: Edinburgh

THE BEST CITY IN THE WORLD 2020

Winner: San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

THE COUNTRY VOTED THE BEST IN THE WORLD 2020

Winner: Italy

British Travel Awards winners list for 2020 as Brits voted for favourite firms

The British Travel Awards full winners list for 2020 is here after 132,000 Brits cast their votes for their favourite travel firms

• 16:01, 14 Dec 2020
• Updated 11:44, 15 Dec 2020

The British Travel Awards winners list for 2020 is here - as voted for by members of the public.

This year has been difficult for the travel industry but that didn't stop 132,000 Brits showing their support and casting over 244,000 votes across the 51 categories, to celebrate their favourite travel agents, companies and tour operators.

Some categories also featured multiple winners depending on whether they were large, medium or small companies.

BTA CEO Lorraine Barnes Burton said: "Voters were specifically asked to show their support for companies they had a good experience with, paying particular attention to customer service - recognising companies who had helped them with re-bookings, refunds and cancellations. The British Travel Awards is still the biggest consumer voted awards in the UK and congratulations to all the worthy winners. We’re looking ahead and forward, all being well, to travelling again soon."

So, who took home the gold? You can check out the full winners list below...

Best holiday companies

• Best Family Holiday Company: On the Beach (large), Solmar Villas (medium), Canterbury Travel (small)
• Best UK Family Holiday Company: Parkdean Resorts (large)Haven (medium)
• Best Luxury Holiday Company: Emirates Holidays (medium), Cloud 9 Adventure (small)
• Best All-Inclusive Holiday Company: On the Beach (large), Mercury Holidays (medium), Star Tours (small)
• Best River Cruise Holiday Company: Viking Cruises
• Best Escorted Tours Holiday Company: Newmarket Holidays (large), Titan Travel (medium), Wendy Wu Tours (small)
• Best Singles Holiday Company: Saga Group (large), Just You (medium), One Traveller Ltd (small)
• Best Wedding & Honeymoons Holiday Company: Olympic Holidays (large), Ionian Weddings (medium), Honeymoon Dreams (small)
• Best LGBTQ+ Holiday Company: On the Beach
• Best Assisted/Accessible Holiday Company: Traveleyes
• Best Coach Holiday Company: Alfa Travel Ltd (large), Titan Travel (medium), On the Go Tours (small)
• Best Rail Holiday Company: Great Rail Journeys (large), Rail Discoveries (medium), Railtrail Tours Ltd (small)
• Best Camping & Mobile Holiday Company: Eurocamp (large), Canvas Holidays (medium), Cool Camping (small)
• Best Escorted Adventure Holiday Company: Exodus Travels (medium), On the Go Tours (small)
• Best Ski & Winter Sports Holiday Company: Skiworld (medium), Ski Safari (small)
• Best Safari, Wildlife & Nature Holiday: Saga Group (large), Exodus Travels (medium), Naturetrek (small)
• Best Special Interest Holiday Company: Saga Group (large), Titan Travel (medium), The Railway Touring Company (small)
• Best Activity/Sports Holiday Company: Neilson Active Holidays (medium), GolfKings (small)
• Best Travel Deals Finder: Travelzoo
• Best Travel Review/Ratings Website: Silver Travel Advisor
• Best Consumer Travel Magazine: BRITAIN - The Official Magazine
• Teletext Holidays Best Travel Blogger: The Travel Scribes
• Best National Travel Retailer: Travel Counsellors
• Best High Street Travel Agency: Stewart Travel
• Best Online Travel Retailer: On the Beach
• Best Cruise Holiday Retailer: Bolsover Cruise Club
• Best Villa Holiday Company: Ionian & Aegean Island Holidays (medium), Villa Select (small)
• Best UK Cottage Holiday Company: Sykes Holiday Cottages (large), Coast & Country Cottages (medium), Coquet Cottages (small)
• Best UK Parks & Lodges Holiday Company: Parkdean Resorts (large), Verdant Leisure (medium), Waterside Holiday Group (small)
• Best Foreign Exchange/Travel Money Retailer: Post Office
• Best Travel Insurance Provider: Staysure
• Best Holiday Transfer Provider: Titan Travel
• Best Airport Parking Company: APH ( Airport Parking & Hotels)

Best companies for specific destinations

• Best Holiday Company to Western Europe & Ireland: Solmar Villas (medium), Headwater (small)
• Best Holiday Company to Central & Northern Europe: Titan Travel (medium), Headwater (small)
• Best Holiday Company to East & Southeast Europe: On the Beach (large), Solmar Villas (medium), Tucan Travel (small)
• Best Holiday Company to the Iberian Peninsula & Islands: On the Beach (large), Solmar Villas (medium)
• Best Holiday Company to the Italian Peninsula & Islands: Mercury Holidays (medium), Headwater (small)
• Best Holiday Company to Hellenic Europe: Olympic Holidays (large), Ionian & Aegean Island Holidays (medium), Sailing Holidays Ltd (small)
• Best Holiday Company to the USA: Ocean Florida (medium), American Sky (small)
• Best Holiday Company to Canada: Canadian Affair (large), Titan Travel (medium), My Canada Trips (small)
• Best Holiday Company to the Caribbean & Bermuda: Tropical Sky
• Best Holiday Company to Central & South America: Trailfinders (large), Mercury Holidays (medium), Journey Latin America (small)
• Best Holiday Company to North Africa: Red Sea Holidays
• Best Holiday Company to Sub-Saharan Africa: Newmarket Holidays (large), Titan Travel (medium), Distant Journeys (small)
• Best Holiday Company to the Middle East: Travelbag (large), Emirates Holidays (medium), Etihad Holidays (small)
• Best Holiday Company to Australasia: Travelbag (medium), Distant Journeys (small)
• Best Holiday Company to Southern Asia: Newmarket Holidays (large), Emirates Holidays (medium), Skanda Holidays (small)
• Best Holiday Company to Southeast Asia: Travelbag (medium), Wendy Wu Tours (small)
• Best Holiday Company to East & Central Asia: Newmarket Holidays (large), Mercury Holidays (medium), Wendy Wu Tours (small)
• Best Holiday Company to the Indian Ocean: Travelbag (medium), Honeymoon Dreams (small)

You can find out more on britishtravelawards.com .

River cruise prize winner

Everyone who submitted a vote in the BTAs was entered into a draw to win a 2021 luxury Nicko river cruise for two people on the Rhine or Danube, worth £5,190 and courtesy of Light Blue Travel. The winner was Julie Crawshaw of Halifax, West Yorkshire.

MORE ON British Travel Awards

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• ABOUT THE AWARDS
• BTA 2024 NOMINATIONS
• PRIZE DRAW PROMOTION
• BTA 2023 MEDIA CAMPAIGN
• PREVIOUS ACCREDITATIONS
• FAQs and LEGALS
• VIDEO LIBRARY

The British Travel Awards 2024

Please note: this website is best viewed on screens with a minimum 1020 pixel wide display; pages are text heavy and incorporate a number of tables.

British Travel Awards 2024 launch Voters Prize Draw Partner Promotion

March 2024:   Exclusive offer for BTA 2024 nominee companies.

Enhance your competitive edge and present your company to a potential audience of 48 million people with advertisements and editorial inclusion across Reach Solutions national and regional newspaper titles and their companion websites.

Five flexible advertisement options available...

British Travel Awards 2024 Season Kicks-off nominations now open

14 February 2024:  Nominations have now opened for the 2024 British Travel Awards (BTA) and travel companies can put themselves forward to be included on the 2024 consumer facing voting form.   This year there are 82 award categories, covering a comprehensive range of leisure travel experiences and services, with, in the interests of fairness, 46 of the categories graded by company size.

Time to nominate your company for listing on the BTA 2024 consumer voting form

1 February 2024:   Businesses operating in the leisure travel market have until 10 May to register their companies for listing on this year’s consumer voting form.

There are 82 award categories featuring a comprehensive range of holiday experiences and travel services. All holiday awards are graded by size so SMEs can be recognised by their customers. Register now to be featured across our online communications once your application is approved.

BTA 2023 Accreditations Digital Brochure distributed to 2023 consumer voters

3 December 2023:  E-newsletter sent to 420,000 voters with link to our 48 page digital brochure. Content includes full listing of winning, silver and bronze accredited companies in each award category, company logo button links to the websites of our sponsors and voters’ prize draw partners and listing of the 2023 voters' prize draw winners.

* Brochure opens on third-party website

Reach publish BTA 2023 winners across their national newspaper titles

2/3 December 2023:  Our consumer media partners - Reach PLC - published the names of this year’s winning companies in the travel section of the Saturday editions of the Daily Mirror, Daily Express, Daily Star, Sunday People and online .

Throughout the voting cycle the British Travel Awards feature in weekly editorial columns across national newspaper titles with articles informing their readership of the draw prizes that can be won by voting.

British Travel Awards 2023 Winners Announced

28 November 2023: More than 1.5 million votes, made by 420,000 + consumer voters, have determined the winners of the 2023 British Travel Awards (BTA).....

Registrations open for 2023 British Travel Awards

13 February 2023: Nominations for the 2023 British Travel Awards (BTA) have opened and travel companies can now register to be included on the 2023 consumer facing voting form.....

News Zone and Information Hub Archive

Since 2008 the BTA has been polling consumers on who they consider the best companies in travel. Press releases and updates from previous British Travel Awards Programmes (2018 - 2022).

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The British Travel Awards trademark registration, and copyright is owned by Konawood Ltd. The British Travel Awards competition, event and production is devised, managed and operated by UK Travel Awards Ltd. Konawood Ltd and UK Travel Awards Ltd are registered at: Spirit House, 8 High Street, West Molesey, Surrey, KT8 2NA

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Team Wanderlust | 02 November 2021

The wanderlust travel awards 2021: the results.

You voted in your thousands! In another challenging year for travel, we celebrated the industry’s ultimate stars at the 20th Wanderlust Travel Awards. Here, we list your winners.

Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards

With so little travel in this strangest of years, we asked you where you will want to go to, once you can travel again. Just where are you dreaming of? Here are the results. 

Most Desirable Country (Long Haul)

Gold: australia.

Kangaroos in Australia (Shutterstock)

That’s right, the country that has been closed to most international arrivals throughout the entire pandemic has come out on top at this year’s Wanderlust Travel Awards. Australia has been crowned our readers' Most Desir able Country (Long Haul) for 2021.

We’re not surprised to see Australia come in first position, with its diverse landscapes and endless adventures. And with flights being planned again before the end of the year, it won't be long until eager travellers can head back down under to explore the bustling city culture, quirky bush wildlife and paradisiacal secret beaches beyond the more popular tourist spots. 

Silver: Japan

Autumn colours in Japan (Shutterstock)

Bronze: Costa Rica

View of Costa Rica's volcano through the wilderness (Shutterstock)

More of your favourites

6. south korea, 8. sri lanka, 9. south africa, 10. new zealand, most desirable country (short haul), gold: france.

The Eiffel Tower, France (Shutterstock)

You have voted France as your  Most Desirable Country (Short Haul). During the pandemic, travellers have started to uncover and appreciate some of the hidden gems closer to home, and this includes the wonderful French regions that are so often overlooked for expeditions further afield. From secret walking trails in Mount Blanc and the Loire Valley, to cities drenched in fantastic French culture such as Bordeaux and Toulouse, the UK’s overseas neighbour is where our readers dream of heading next and is a worthy winner of this award. 

Silver: Italy

Road through Tuscany (Shutterstock)

Bronze: Iceland

Iceland hot springs (Shutterstock)

7. Portugal

10. austria, most desirable city (long haul), gold: singapore.

Singapore Gardens (Shutterstock)

Singapore has been a firm favourite of Wanderlust readers for several years, with its name often appearing in the top 10 for their favourite cities. Now, it takes the Gold for Most Desirable City (Long Haul). This vibrant destination, famous for its food, shopping and amazing 'super trees', is the perfect introduction to Asia. Beyond retail therapy, visitors can explore the sights of Chinatown, hang with the Orangutans at Singapore Zoo, and potter around the mosques and quirky cafes in the Arab quarter. This forward-thinking city has plenty on offer!

Silver: Cusco

Cusco, Peru (Shutterstock)

Bronze: Cartagena

Cartagena, Colombia (Shutterstock)

8. Luang Prabang

9. cape town, 10. new orleans, most desirable city (short haul), gold: lisbon.

View over Lisbon, Portugal (Shutterstock)

Another European destination that has come up trumps in the Wanderlust Travel Awards is Lisbon, winning the readers’ Most Desirable City (Short Haul) . As one of the world’s oldest cities, there’s always something new to discover in the Portuguese capital. Boasting historic castles, palaces and churches, as well as the European Green Capital 2020 title, we think it's a fitting winner chosen by our readers.

Silver: Seville

Plaza de Espana, Seville, Spain (Shutterstock)

Bronze: Tbilisi

Old Town of Tbilisi, Georgia (Shutterstock)

4. Marrakech

5. dubrovnik, 7. tallinn , 8. salzburg, 9. stockholm, 10. st petersburg, most desirable region (long haul), gold: british columbia.

Emerald Lake Yoho National Park, Canada British Columbia (Shutterstock)

With more than 25,000 miles of picture-perfect Pacific coastline and an abundance of mountains and forests, we join our Wanderlust readers in longing over a trip to Canada's westernmost province. Winning Most Desirable Region (Long Haul) , this area calls out to adventure-seekers with its magnificent hikes and biking trails through some of nature's finest scenery. Take us there now!

Silver: Galápagos Islands

Galápagos Marine Iguanas on a beach, Tortuga Bay, on Santa Cruz island.

Bronze: Deep South USA

Deep South USA (Shutterstock)

4. Western Australia

5. caribbean, 6. silk road, 7. antarctica, 9. patagonia, 10. malaysian borneo, most desirable region (short haul), gold: the greek islands.

Kefalonia, Greece (Shutterstock)

Opa! Little introduction is needed for the winner of Most Desirable Region (Short Haul) . The Greek Islands will take anyone's breath away, from the transparent waters and white-washed buildings to the fabulous Greek culture and cuisine. With more than 6,000 to explore, these islands offer travellers the opportunity to go off-the-beaten track away from the crowds to discover beautiful beaches and a wealth of authentic tavernas.

Silver: The Azores

Cascading waterfall at Flores Island, The Azores, Portugal (Shutterstock)

Bronze: Sicily

The Ruins of Taormina Theater at Sunset, Sicily (Shutterstock)

4. Catalonia

5.  andalucía, 6.  south tyrol, 7. lombardy, 8. scottish islands, 9. brittany, 10. bavaria, favourite travel personality , winner: simon reeve.

Wanderlust is thrilled to award Simon Reeve the Travel Personality of the Year Award. Continuing to inspire us and our readers with his adventures, Simon has been working for decades to uncover some of the world's most incredible places. The past year hasn't stopped him, with a BBC series exploring the Cornish coast, and now a new book giving us behind-the-scenes insight to some of his most-remarkable and sometimes dangerous journeys. Congratulations Simon, a Wanderlust superhero! 

Wanderlust World Guide Awards

Tour guides and tour leaders are the under-sung heroes of travel; the remarkable individuals who turn their clients’ trips into life-enhancing and life-changing adventures. We have been running the World Guide Awards since 2006, when we set them up in memory of Wanderlust 's co-founder Paul Morrison, who was passionate about the importance of guides.

This time around, we asked the travel industry to nominate who they felt were the outstanding tour guides and tour leaders who really deserve an award in these surreal times. The tough decision of picking the final winners was then down to a panel of judges. The awards were presented by travel guru Simon Calder.

Best Tour Leader

Winner: valerie parkinson, exodus travels (nepal/india).

Valerie leads treks in the Himalayas and is known for her brilliance as a leader, whether her clients are unfit, first-time trekkers, or super-fit people aiming for Everest Base Camp. She also cares deeply about the communities in the regions she works in. As one judge said, "Valerie is clearly compassionate, caring and inspirational. She makes a huge impression on her clients, and they will follow her anywhere."

Kathmandu, Nepal (Shutterstock)

2. Peter Lobo, Adventure Gurudongma (India/Bhutan)

3. thilantha abeysinghe , intrepid travel (sri lanka), 4. matthew dyas, intrepid travel (uk), 5. etienne frans, journey latin america (brazil/latin america), 6. vania de paoli, exodus travels (italy), 7. richard farmer, inside travel group (japan), 8. alastair walker, brightwater holidays (uk), best specialist guide, craig wickham, via south australian tourism (kangaroo island, south australia).

Dedicating his life to protecting Kangaroo Island's flora and fauna, judges said Craig Wickham is "more than just a guide". He gets involved with all aspects of the island's tourism and played a key part in the recovery of the island after the devastating fires. 

Penong, South Australia (Shutterstock)

2. Joseph Tano, PNG Tourism

3. jonny motsieloa, mosetlha bush camp & eco lodge (south africa), 4. tony o'connor, andante travels (algeria & others), 5. marta corte-real, toursbylocals (portugal), 6. mitra talarman (italy), 7. alex lacey, blue badge tourist guide (uk), wanderlust travel awards.

We asked the travel industry to nominate themselves in these next categories, which were each judged by a panel of travel industry insiders. 

Best Response to the Pandemic (Tourist Board)

Winner: nepal (nepal tourist board).

For a small country, Nepal accomplished great things in the past year, and so have claimed this year's Best Response to the Pandemic (Tourist Board) Award . Their widespread strategy involved the government, local tourism groups, communities, private companies and NGO support. Judges said: "Their lobbying work on sustainability and tourism development awakened the government to review their monetary policy to support the continuance of their activities which was amazing", and also admired their "out of the box thinking" when it came to their Stranded in Nepal website. 

Swayambhunath, Nepal (Shutterstock)

2.  Saudi Arabia (Saudi Tourism Authority)

3. louisiana, usa (louisiana office of tourism), 4. thailand (tourism authority of thailand), 5. slovenia (slovenian tourist board), 6. colombia (procolombia), 7. croatia  (croatian national tourist board), 8. crete (region of crete), 9. maldives (maldives marketing and public relations corporation), 10. israel (israel ministry of tourism), best response to the pandemic (tour operators), winner: journey latin america.

With over 40 years of experience, Journey Latin America is one of the travel industry’s most respected companies, and you could see why with their systematic, calm response to the pandemic. They kept their business going, their staff motivated, their suppliers faithful, and their customers, well, as their customers. 

"They worked hard on every touchpoint in their business to ensure all elements were supported and informed," enthused one judge. "Their teamwork and camaraderie came across so strongly in their submission."

Aerial view of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Shutterstock)

3. Exodus Travels

4. experience travel group, =5. discover the world, =5. trailfinders, 8. holiday architects, 9. regent holidays, 10. selective asia, sustainable travel, winner: intrepid travel.

Intrepid have been commended by judges for "not leaving a stone unturned" when it comes their sustainability efforts, and therefore have won this year's Sustainable Travel Award . Judges were impressed with their practical, science-based targets, and commented, "many of the actions – such as electric vehicle transfers, partnering with green hotels and reviewing short flights on its itineraries – are not only admirable but also relatively simple initiatives that other tour operators could, and should, draw inspiration from".

2. Pura Aventura

3. g adventures, 5. gondwana collection namibia, 6. quark expeditions, =7. philippines department of tourism, =7. travel matters, 9. switzerland tourism, 10. ras al khaimah tourism development authority, 11. jetwing kandy gallery, in association with wtm london, travel industry professional of the year ,   winner: john telfer.

John is a veteran of the travel industry, with a distinguished 35-year career at Explore Worldwide. He has been instrumental in leading countless initiatives in sustainable travel with his unequivocal belief that we must be welcomed in the communities that we visit, and that we must tread lightly on our travels. Under his stewardship, Explore became the first UK tour operator to offset all components of its trips, including flights. He has been named a Visiting Professor at Surrey University.

John is hailed as a hero in pioneering risk safety management, work that has had a critical impact in internationally-used processes for crisis management. But beyond these remarkable achievements, John is known, and loved, as someone who works with such integrity, truth and passion.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Laura Alho🇫🇮Viking in Arabia🇸🇦 (@blueabaya)

Travel Media Influencer of the Year  

Winner: laura alho (@blueabaya).

With more than 110k followers on Instagram, Laura Alho (aka, the Viking in Arabia) has helped demystify the hidden gems of a country shrouded in mystery, as well as defying boundaries and pre-conceptions. Laura wins the Travel Media Infuencer of the Year Award 2021.

Wanderlust Travel Award 2021 judging panel

Big thanks to our dedicated team of judges: Derek Moore; Charlotte Hindle; Holly Tuppen; Kate Kenward; Alex Robinson; Claire Antell-Thorne; Nick Boulos; Mark Carwardine; Graeme Green; Martin Symington; Lyn Hughes (Chair of judges).

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