The Globe Travel Awards – Voting has begun

Since their launch in 1977, The Globes have recognised and rewarded the travel industry’s leading companies, most innovative ideas and the strongest performers – for the past 32 years, winning a Globe has embodied the highest standards within every area of the travel industry.

The integrity of The Globes is paramount to the success of the awards, as it remains one of the few awards ceremonies where the winners are voted solely by the industry. It is the travel agents who vote for the winner, ensuring the highest standards and the ultimate service is recognised.

During three weeks in September, readers of Travel Weekly were invited to nominate any company to appear on the final nomination list for the 40 Globe Travel Awards.

The final nomination list was launched on 21st November 2008, where the travel agents will have until the 9th December 2008 to vote for their favourite air travel company, cruise and ferry provider, coach and rail company, add-ons and extras, travel recruitment company, technology and on-line provider, accommodation and resorts, tourism and tour operators.

Readers of Associated Newspapers will be able to vote in the Consumer Awards for Favourite Cruise Company, Favourite Airline, Best Rail Operator, Favourite European Short Break Provider, Best Online Booking Website, Favourite Hotel Chain, Favourite Long Haul Operator and Favourite Package Provider.

The UK travel industry has also been invited to provide their nominations for the Innovation Award in Travel sponsored by Cheapflights.co.uk.

In 2008, Trip Advisor was recognised with the Innovation Award in Travel for providing impartial advice to global travellers. An independent panel of judges will assess the individual entries and the winner will be announced at the awards presentation on January 27th 2009.

In addition to Associated Newspapers and Cheapflights, Attraction World, Avis, Barbados, Dollar, Journeys Travel Insurance, MSC Cruises, P&O Ferries, The Holiday Team, Travel Trust Association, Tourism Australia, Traveltek and World Travel Market all sponsor individual sectors of the Globe Travel Awards.

“The Globe Travel Awards are recognised throughout the travel industry as the ‘Oscars’ of industry awards, and this years award ceremony will most certainly be a night to remember,” says Publishing Director of TW Group, Simon Ferguson.

“The travel industry has gone through some turbulent times in 2008, but by starting the year celebrating and recognising what’s best in the industry by awarding those companies with a prestigious Globe Travel Award, will ensure 2009 gets off to a flying start.”

The winners of the 40 individual Globe Travel Awards, the eight consumer awards, the Innovation in Travel Award and the Outstanding Achievement Award will be announced at the Globe Travel Awards at the exclusive Grosvenor House Hotel in London’s Park Lane, on Tuesday January 27th 2009 where they will be hosted by a leading media personality.

2009 Globe Travel Award Nominees

Best Ferry Company

Brittany Ferries
Condor Ferries
DFDS Seaways
Irish Ferries
P&O Ferries
Sea France
Stena Line

Best Cruise Company – 3 star plus

easyCruise
Fred Olsen Cruise Line
Island Cruises
Louis Cruise Lines
Ocean Village
Thomson Cruises

Best Cruise Company – 4 star plus

Carnival Cruise Line
Celebrity Cruises
Costa Cruises
Cunard Cruise Line
Holland America Line
MSC Cruises
Oceania Cruises
Norwegian Cruise Line
P&O Cruises
Princess Cruises
Royal Caribbean International

Best Specialist Cruise Company

Hebridean International Cruises
Hurtigruten
Star Clippers
Voyages of Discovery

Best Cruise Company – Luxury

Celebrity Cruises – Azamara
Crystal Cruises
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
The Yachts of Seabourn
Silversea Cruises
Windstar Cruises

Best Scheduled Airline to US/Canada

Air Canada

American Airlines
British Airways
Continental Airlines
United Airlines
Virgin Atlantic

Best Scheduled Airline to The Pacific, New Zealand or Australia

Air New Zealand
British Airways
Cathay Pacific Airways
Emirates
Qantas
Singapore Airlines
Virgin Atlantic

Best Scheduled Airline to the Middle East or Asia

British Airways
Emirates
Etihad Airways
EVA Airways
Jet Airways
Singapore Airlines
Qatar Airways
Virgin Atlantic

Best Scheduled Airline to Europe

Aer Lingus
Air France
bmi
British Airways
easyJet
Flybe
Iberia
Jet2.com
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Lufthansa
Monarch Airlines
SAS

Best Scheduled Airline to Africa

British Airways
Emirates
Etihad Airways
Kenya Airlines
Qatar Airways
South African Airways
Virgin Atlantic

Best Charter Airline

First Choice Airways
Monarch Airlines
Thomas Cook Airways
Thomson Fly

Best Rail Operator

Amtrak
Eurostar
Irish Rail
National Express
Rocky Mountaineer
SNCF
Swiss Railways
Virgin trains

Best Travel Trade Website

ba.com
bourneleisuresales.co.uk
cadoganholidays.com
completecruisesolution.com
cosmos-holidays.co.uk
dosomethingdifferent.com
goldmedal.co.uk
hoseasons.co.uk
kuoni.co.uk
lowcostbeds.com
superbreak.com
tourismaustralia.com
tritonholidays.com
virginholidays.co.uk

Best Seat Only Operator

Avro
First Choice
Teleticket Travel
Thomsons
Travel2
Virgin Flightstore

Best Scheduled Consolidator

Gold Medal Travel
Jetset
JTA
Travel2
Virgin Flightstore

Best Business Hotel Chain

Hilton
Hyatt Hotels & Resorts
Intercontinental
Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts
Marriott
Radisson
Ramada
Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts
Sheraton
Starwood

Best Accommodation Only Provider

Apartments Abroad
Chase Travel
Flexible Trips
Getabed.co.uk
Holiday Brokers
Hotel Connect
Hotels4u.com
Lowcostbeds.com
Needahotel.com
Octopus
Seligo
Somewhere2stay.com
Superbreak
Triton Holidays
Vacenza.com

Best Leisure Hotel Chain

Best Western
DeVere
Fairmont
Four Seasons
Hilton
Holiday Inn
Iberostar
RIU
Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts
Travelodge
Von Essen
Warner Leisure Hotels

Best All Inclusive Resort

Almond Beach
Couples
Elite Island
Occidental
Sandals
Shandrani
Super Clubs
Gran Ventana

Best Theme Park

Alton Towers
Busch Gardens
Disneyland Resort Paris
Dollywood
Legoland
PortAventura
Sea World
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Universal Orlando
Walt Disney World Resort Florida

Best Tourist Board (UK Office)

Australia
Bahamas
Barbados
Canada
Cyprus
Dubai
Hong Kong
New Zealand
Norway
South Africa
Spain
St.Lucia
Trinidad & Tobago
Visit Britain

Best Coach Operator

Alfa Travel
Collette Worldwide
Cosmos Tourama
Leger Holidays
National Express
Shearings Holidays
Titan Tours
Whytes

Best Insurance Provider

AXA Insurance
Blue Insurance
Citybond Suretravel
Columbus Insurance
Cover-More
Holiday Extras
InsureandGo
Insure2travel
Journeys Travel Insurance
Ketteridge Insurance
Preferential
Rock Insurance

Best Car Rental Company

Affordable Car Hire
Alamo
Avis
Dollar
Europcar
Hertz
Holiday Autos
Sixt
Suncars
Transhire.
Worldwide Cars

Best Technology Provider

Amadeus
Anite
Blue Sky Travel Solutions
Comtec
Dolphin Dynamics
Sabre
Travelport
Traveltek
Vertical Group
Voyager Travel Systems

Best Dynamic Packaging Operator

Cosmos Holidays
Flexible Trips
Gold Medal Travel
Thomson Holidays
Travel2

Best Regional UK Airport

Aberdeen
Belfast
Birmingham International
Bristol International
East Midlands
Exeter
Leeds Bradford
Liverpool John Lennon
London Gatwick
London Luton
Manchester
Newcastle
Southampton
Stansted

Best Add-Ons Provider

Attraction World
dosomethingdifferent.com
Holiday Extras
Holiday Taxis
Keith Prowse Ticketing
resorthoppa.com

Best Recruitment Consultancy

AA Appointments
Blue Strawberry Recruitment
C & M Travel Recruitment
Harp Wallen Executive
New Frontiers
Travel Trade Recruitment

Best TWAcademy On-line Training Course

Dubai
Enjoy England
Hurtigruten
Inter-Continental Asia Pacific
Morocco
North Carolina
Regions of Valencia
Somak
Tourism Ireland
Worlds of Discovery

Best Specialist Operator – Middle East

Cox & Kings
Discover Egypt
Elite Vacations
Emirates Tours
Gold Medal Travel
Hayes & Jarvis
If Only
Kuoni
Thomas Cook Signature
Travel2

Best Specialist Operator – US or Canada or the Caribbean

Caribtours
Gold Medal Travel
Hayes & Jarvis
Kuoni
North America Travel Service
Premier Holidays
Thomas Cook Signature
Travel2
Thomson Holidays
Virgin Holidays

Best Specialist Operator – Far East, The Pacific, Australia or New Zealand

Cox & Kings
Gold Medal Travel
Hayes & Jarvis
If Only
Jetset Tours
Kuoni
Premier
Thomas Cook Signature
Travel2
Tropical Locations

Best Specialist Operator – Africa

African Pride
Bales
Cox & Kings
Hayes & Jarvis
Gambia Experience
Gold Medal Travel
Kuoni
Somak
Thomas Cook Signature
Travel2
Virgin Holidays

Best Operator – Long Haul

Bales
Cosmos
First Choice Holidays
Gold Medal Travel
Hayes & Jarvis
Kuoni
Thomas Cook
Travel2
Virgin Holidays

Best Operator Ski/Activity

Crystal Holidays
First Choice Ski
Inghams
Mark Warner
Neilson Holidays

Best Operator – Short Breaks

BCT(incl Cresta)
Citalia
Hoseasons
Kirker Holidays
Prestige Holidays
Superbreak
Thomas Cook

Best Operator – UK Holidays

Haven
Hoseasons
Pontin’s
Shearings
Superbreak
Warner

Best Operator – Western Mediterranean

Belleair Holidays
Cadogan Holidays
Classic Collection Holidays
Cosmos
First Choice Holidays
Prestige Holidays
Thomas Cook
Thomson Holidays

Best Operator – Eastern Mediterranean

Balkan Holidays
Cadogan Holidays
Classic Collection Holidays
Cosmos
First Choice Holidays
Goldtrail Holidays
Libra Holidays
Jewel In The Crown Holidays
Olympic Holidays
Prestige Holidays
Sunvil
Thomas Cook
Thomson Holidays

For further information on the Globe Travel Awards please contact Alison Jameson or Annabel Craigie on 0131 621 7210, fax 0131 621 7215 or email; [email protected]

www.globetravelawards.co.uk

ENDS