Awards for travel's best

The best of Australia’s travel industry has been named in the National Travel Industry Awards.

The banquet hall at the International Convention Centre Sydney was packed with more than 1300 guests last Saturday night, as awards rolled out winners across 36 categories.

And there were plenty of familiar names on this gala night of nights, run by the Australian Travel Industry Association.

Bicton Travel was named most outstanding leisure travel agency (multi location).

Viking was named most popular ocean cruise operator and Uniworld Boutique River Cruises awarded most popular river cruise operator.

And Singapore Airlines is officially Australia’s most popular airline (online).

Albatross Tours was named most outstanding tour operator (specialist). Albatross is a close partner of Seven West Media’s Travel department, presenting our Round Europe Dinner on November 14, and partnering in a West Travel Club tour of Italy next year.

The Albatross team was up on stage to celebrate, and posed for our photograph afterwards — founder and tour designer Euan Landsborough and wife Julie-anne, managing director Shelley Poten, director of marketing James Hewlett and Maria Limberios from the accounts department. Euan founded the company in 1995, and Albatross has been designing, creating and operating European escorted tours for Australians since then.

I leave on November 27 with a group of readers on our West Travel Club tour to Antarctica with Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic, which won the sustainability award.

Collette touring company managing director Karen Deveson was full of ideas and enthusiasm, and it was good to be there with Jessica Banovic and Marianne Santos, who have been helping our West Travel Club group.

Intrepid was voted most outstanding tour operator (global). I travelled with them a year ago in Morocco and wrote about how deeply they are embedded and involved with local communities — and how that helped them handle a difficult situation so well.

Viking was voted most popular ocean cruise operator. We have featured their voyages many times in these pages, and I took a group of readers on their voyage from Norway to Faroe Islands and Iceland.

We have also previously featured the most popular river cruise operator, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises — making the suggestion of their voyage on the rivers around Bordeaux on the west coast of France.

Luxury Escapes is the most outstanding online travel agency. They come up with great deals, like a new one this week, offering five nights at The Mulia, Nusa Dua in Bali, for $2999 for a suite. (The team there says it is valued at $7972.)

ATIA chief executive Dean Long says: “We are immensely proud of all of the winners, whose outstanding contributions have driven the sector forward and continue to do so. “A special shout-out to Singapore Airlines for making this recognition and event possible. It was wonderful to see the industry come together to celebrate not only individual achievements but also the bright future of travel ahead.

“We’re looking forward to seeing what’s next for travel.”

ATIA is the peak body representing Australia’s $69 billion travel industry. It represents most Australian travel agents and tour operators.

Ninety two per cent of ATIA members are small businesses, with women making up 72 per cent of the workforce. It administers the ATIA Accredited program — which a spokesperson says is the biggest and most representative accreditation scheme for travel businesses in Australia.

ATIA represents more than 28,000 travel industry employees in Australia.

THE AWARDS FOR YOU

Many awards were for support services, but these are the winners most relevant to our readers:

+ Most outstanding travel agency manager — Rosie Loxley, Flight Centre

+ Most outstanding mobile/home based travel adviser — Donna Jones, MTA

+ Most outstanding travel industry training institution — Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)

+ Most popular accommodation group/chain — Club Med

+ Most popular car rental operator — Avis

+ Most popular airline (offline) — Lufthansa Group

+ Most outstanding travel consultant leisure — Emma Smith, Back Track Adventures

+ Sustainability Award (supplier) — Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic

+ Sustainability Award (ATAS accredited agency) — Reho Travel

+ Most popular airline (online) – Singapore Airlines

+ Innovation in Travel Support Services — SmartRefunds, Air Tickets

+ Most popular river cruise operator — Uniworld Boutique River Cruises

+ Most popular ocean cruise operator — Viking

+ Most outstanding online travel agency – Luxury Escapes.

+ Most outstanding leisure travel agency (single location) — Planetdwellers travel tours and events

+ Most outstanding leisure travel agency (single location) — Frank Ford Travel

+ Most outstanding leisure travel agency (multi location) — Bicton Travel

+ Most outstanding tour operator (specialist) — Albatross Tours

+ Most outstanding tour operator (global) — Intrepid

+ Most outstanding mobile adviser network — TravelManagers Australia

+ Most outstanding travel agency network — Travellers Choice

+ Most outstanding travel agency network — Travel Associates