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13 Dec 2024
NEW YORK – Travel Weekly, the most influential source of news, research, opinion and analysis to the travel industry, honored the winners of its 22nd annual Readers' Choice Awards at a black-tie gala dinner and ceremony on December 11 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
The award winners, one for each of the 91 categories, represent the best of the best of the travel industry. The nominees and award recipients were chosen in two rounds of voting by Travel Weekly's audience of travel professionals.
These widely recognized, coveted awards are presented annually to the industry suppliers who led the way in product and service during the past year. The open ballot phase of the voting was conducted during the summer. Travel Weekly readers were invited to write in the names of any company they believe best exemplifies a particular category. The leading vote recipients were identified as finalists, and a second round of voting to determine the winners took place September through November 2024.
“To be recognized as the best by your peers is the highest honor you can receive,” said Arnie Weissmann, editor in chief of Travel Weekly. “Among our readers are travel advisors, industry marketing executives and the CEOs of the world's largest travel companies – a group uniquely qualified to evaluate a very crowded field of potential nominees. Those who have reached the top and received recognition as winners of Travel Weekly Readers Choice Awards indicates that they have truly excelled and have met travelers' needs with the highest of standards, consistently.”
Travel Weekly also recognized Michele Saegesser, Vice President, Sales and National Accounts, Viking; Greg O'Hara, Founder and Senior Managing Director, Certares Management LLC; and Frank J. Del Rio, CEO, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings with Lifetime Achievement Awards. The award pays tribute to individuals whose efforts have led to extraordinary results within an organization and who have also made significant contributions to the industry as a whole. The legacy of the recipients of the Travel Weekly Lifetime Achievement Awards collectively defines the environment that the travel industry operates in today.
The Travel Weekly Sustainability Leadership Award was given to Hurtigruten in recognition of its long-standing commitment to sustainable practices. "Hurtigruten leads the way on sustainability in the cruise industry,” said Arnie Weissmannn, editor in chief of Travel Weekly. “From the first hybrid battery-option ships to its handling of waste, the company holds itself to high standards as regards sustainability, and its actions demonstrate that cruising and responsible environmental stewardship can be compatible.”
Travel Weekly's 2024 Readers' Choice winners are:
1. Airline: Domestic – Delta Air Lines
2. Airline: International – United Airlines
3. Airline: Business/First Class – Emirates
4. Airline: Premium Economy Class – Delta Air Lines
5. Top Airline Global Network – United Airlines
6. Airline: Sales & Service – Delta Air Lines
7. Top Airline Overall – Delta Air Lines
8. Car Rental: Domestic – Enterprise Rent-A-Car
9. Car Rental: International – Hertz
10. Hotel Chain: Domestic – Marriott International
11. Hotel Chain: Asia – IHG Hotels & Resorts
12. Hotel Chain: Caribbean – Sandals Resorts
13. Hotel Chain: Europe – Hilton Worldwide
14. Hotel Chain: Mexico – Inclusive Collection, part of World of Hyatt
15. Hotel Chain: Hawaii/South Pacific – Marriott International
16. Hotel Chain: All-Inclusive – Sandals Resorts
17. Hotel Chain: Luxury – Ritz-Carlton Hotels & Resorts
18. Hotel Chain: Boutique – Zoetry Wellness & Spa Resorts
19. Best Resort Worldwide – St. Regis Bora Bora
20. Hotel Chain: Sales & Service – Marriott International
21. Top Overall Hotel Group – Marriott International
22. Best DMC Overall – Amstar
23. Tour Operator: Domestic Packaged – Delta Vacations
24. Tour Operator: Domestic Escorted – Collette
25. Tour Operator: International – Globus
26. Tour Operator: Adventure – Adventures by Disney
27. Tour Operator: Africa – Abercrombie & Kent
28. Tour Operator: Asia/Pacific – Trafalgar
29. Tour Operator: Canada – Collette
30. Tour Operator: Caribbean – Funjet Vacations
31. Tour Operator: Europe – Globus
32. Tour Operator: Hawaii – Pleasant Holidays
33. Tour Operator: Mexico – Apple Vacations
34. Tour Operator: Luxury – Abercrombie & Kent
35. Tour Operator: Group, Packaged – Delta Vacations
36. Tour Operator: Escorted Sales & Service – Globus
37. Tour Operator: Packaged Sales & Service – Funjet Vacations
38. Tour Operator: Escorted Overall – Globus
39. Tour Operator: Packaged Overall – Funjet Vacations
40. Cruise Line: Domestic – Carnival Cruise Line
41. Cruise Line: Alaska – Princess
42. Cruise Line: Antarctica – Silversea
43. Cruise Line: Caribbean – Royal Caribbean International
44. Cruise Line: Europe – Celebrity Cruises
45. Cruise Line: Hawaii/Pacific – Norwegian Cruise Line
46. Cruise Line: Under 500 Berths – Windstar Cruises
47. Cruise Line: Under 1,000 Berths – Seabourn
48. Cruise Line: Cabins – Silversea
49. Cruise Line: Premium – Celebrity Cruises
50. Cruise Line: Luxury – Regent Seven Seas Cruises
51. Cruise Line: Expedition – Viking
52. Best World Cruise Itinerary – Holland America Line
53. Cruise Line: Family – Disney Cruise Line
54. Cruise Line: Best Cuisine – Oceania Cruises
55. Cruise Line: Best Entertainment – Royal Caribbean International
56. Cruise Line: Best Private Island/Destination – CocoCay, Royal Caribbean International
57. Cruise Line: Best Group Program – Princess
58. Cruise Line: Best Shipboard Tech – Princess
59. Cruise Line: Best Short Itinerary – Carnival Cruise Line
60. Cruise Line: Transatlantic Crossing – Cunard
61. Cruise Line: Most Unique Itineraries – Azamara
62. Cruise Line: Sales & Service – Royal Caribbean International
63. Cruise Line: Overall – Royal Caribbean International
64. River Cruise Line: Best Cuisine – AmaWaterways
65. River Cruise Line: Cabins – Viking
66. River Cruise Line: Group Programs – AmaWaterways
67. River Cruise Line: Sales & Service – Viking
68. River Cruise Line: Overall – AmaWaterways
69. Cruise Ship: River Cruising – AmaMagna, AmaWaterways
70. Cruise Ship: New River Cruise Ship – Viking Aton, Viking
71. Cruise Ship: New – Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International
72. Cruise Ship: Premium – Celebrity Ascent, Celebrity Cruises
73. Cruise Ship: Luxury – Seven Seas Explorer, Regent Seven Seas Cruises
74. Cruise Ship: Overall – Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International
75. Destination: Africa – South Africa
76. Destination: Asia/Pacific – Japan
77. Destination: Canada – Banff
78. Destination: Caribbean – Saint Lucia
79. Destination: Central/South America – Costa Rica
80. Destination: Europe – Ireland
81. Destination: Hawaii – Maui
82. Destination: Mexico – Los Cabos
83. Destination: U.S. State – Hawaii
84. Destination: U.S. City – Orlando
85. Best Travel Advisor Educational Program – Princess Academy – Princess
86. Best Advisor Loyalty Program – Carnival Cruise Line
87. Best Rail Vacation – Amtrak Vacations/Railbookers
88. Best Travel Technology Provider – VAX VacationAccess
89. Best Insurance Sales & Service – Allianz Partners
90. Best Insurance Provider – Allianz Partners
91. Theme Park – Walt Disney World
ABOUT TRAVEL WEEKLY:
Travel Weekly is the most influential provider of news, research, opinion and analysis to the North American travel trade marketplace. It reaches a broad industry audience in print, online and face-to-face events throughout the year. Travel Weekly is a division of Rutherford, New Jersey-based Northstar Travel Group, the largest travel business-to-business travel publisher in the world.
