FIFTY-ONE out of 72 award titles were retained by their 2011 winners at last Thursday’s 23rd Annual TTG Travel Awards Ceremony & Gala Dinner at the Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld.
Held yearly in conjunction with IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific, the TTG Travel Awards recognises Asia-Pacific travel trade’s most outstanding organisations and individuals. This year’s edition was attended by 700 members of the regional travel trade and garnered a total of 60,000 valid votes – a 20 per cent increase over 2011.
“It’s heartening to see our industry colleagues innovate and reinvent their products to stay relevant and in demand,” said Darren Ng, managing director, TTG Asia Media.
“The fact that so many of our winners can return to reclaim their titles is testament to their constant drive for improvement, amid so many other up-and-coming competitors.”
Nine winners took home an award for the first time, including Song Saa Private Island for Best New Beach Resort, Amankora for Best Non-Beach Resort, Park Hotel Group for Best Regional Hotel Chain, Preferred Hotel Group for Best Hotel Rep Company and Mercury Travels for Best Travel Agency – India.
Among the returning winners, Wing On Travel reclaimed the Best Travel Agency – Hong Kong title after more than a decade since its last win in 2001, while Best Western International took home the Best Mid-Range Hotel Brand and an Outstanding Achievement Award for Best Marketing & Relationship Effort.
The other Outstanding Achievement Awards were handed out to Jean-Gabriel Pérès, president & CEO, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts for Travel Personality of the Year; Thailand for Destination of the Year; and Deep Kalra, founder & CEO of MakeMyTrip.com for Best Travel Entrepreneur.
The Business Travel and MICE category was dominated by Thai organisations, including Thai Airways International (Best Airline – Business Class and Best South-east Asian Airline), Grand Hyatt Erawan (Best Business Hotel), Thai Convention & Exhibition Bureau (Best Convention & Exhibition Bureau) and Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld (Best Meetings & Conventions Hotel).
Voting for the TTG Travel Awards 2013 will open in June 2013. The 24th Annual TTG Travel Awards 2012 Ceremony & Gala Dinner will take place in Bangkok on October 3, 2013.
