The 200 travel trade representatives, many from overseas, who filled the venue to hear the winners announced also had the opportunity to win 11 spot prizes, including airline tickets for two to destinations in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and North America.
The Irish Travel Trade Awards are now in their 19th year. Travel agency staff all over Ireland had cast their votes for the top suppliers in each of the 22 award categories and, when voting closed on 10th January, their nominations were independently audited by business advisors Grant Thornton.
Ronan Flood, Managing Editor of ‘Irish Travel Trade News’, said: “The year 2010 was a particularly difficult one for the travel industry, not only due to the economic downturn but also unusual weather-related events such as volcanic ash, snow and ice, as well as a number of airline and airport strikes. It is a particular pleasure, therefore, for us to give recognition to those companies that continued to supply outstanding products and services to the travel trade and their clients – as judged by the travel agents themselves.”
The ‘Best Airline to Europe’ Award was won by Aer Lingus, Continental Airlines was voted ‘Best Airline to North America’, Etihad Airways won ‘Best Long Haul Airline’, and the Star Alliance won the new award category of ‘Best Airline Alliance’.
Alan Sparling of SAS, for the Star Alliance, told ITTN: “This award of ‘Best Airline Alliance’ is a testament to all those who work for the airlines at Dublin Airport and who work closely with the travel trade. We are obviously doing something right! On behalf of all the Star Alliance partners I send a big ‘Thank You’ to the Irish travel trade.”
The Spanish Canary Island of Lanzarote was again declared the ‘Best Sun Destination’, Thailand retained the Award for ‘Best Asia / Pacific Destination’, Sunway won ‘Best Long Haul Tour Operator’, and Sunworld was again voted ‘Best Sun Holiday Tour Operator’.
Another new award category of ‘Best Accommodation Provider’ was won by Bookabed.ie.
An innovation in the Irish Travel Trade Awards this year was the introduction of a ‘Travel Agent Voter of the Year’ prize of a holiday for two to Malta, including flights, private transfers, and four nights in a 5-star hotel. Alex Incorvaja, Director of the Malta Tourism Authority, announced that the winner was Helen Maguire of Mackin Travel in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford.
The 19th Irish Travel Trade Awards were sponsored by Amadeus, Grant Thornton, Hertz, the Malta Tourism Authority, RTÉ and the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
The 22 Irish Travel Trade Award winners were as follows:
AWARD WINNERS
Best Airline to Europe: AER LINGUS
Best Airline to North America: CONTINENTAL AIRLINES
Best Long Haul Airline: ETIHAD AIRWAYS
Best Airline Alliance: STAR ALLIANCE
Best Ferry Company: IRISH FERRIES
Best Cruise Company (3/4 Star): ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL
Best Luxury Cruise Company: CELEBRITY CRUISES
Best Leisure Car Rental Company: HOLIDAY AUTOS
Best Business Car Rental Company: HERTZ
Best Accommodation Provider: BOOKABED.IE
Best National Tourist Office: SPANISH TOURISM OFFICE
Best Global Distribution System: AMADEUS
Best Agency Support Provider: TRAVELPORT
Best Consolidator: WORLD TRAVEL CENTRE
Best European City Destination: BARCELONA
Best North America Destination: NEW YORK
Best Middle East / Africa Destination: DUBAI
Best Asia / Pacific Destination: THAILAND
Best Sun Destination: LANZAROTE
Best Long Haul Tour Operator: SUNWAY
Best Ski Tour Operator: TOPFLIGHT
Best Sun Holiday Tour Operator: SUNWORLD
Awards Pictures
Linda Crowe and Gillian Culhane of Aer Lingus receive the Best Airline to Europe award from Volker Lorenz, General Manager of Amadeus Ireland
Bob Schumacher and Yvonne Muldoon of Continental Airlines receives the Best Airline to North America award from Volker Lorenz
Justin Warby of Etihad Airways receives the Best Long Haul Airline award from Volker Lorenz
Alan Sparling of Star Alliance receives the Best Airline Alliance award from Kevin Nolan, President of the Irish Tour Operators Federation
Marie McCarthy of Irish Ferries receives the Best Ferry Company award from Kevin Nolan
Lorraine Galbraith and Lorraine Quinn of Royal Caribbean International receive the Best Cruise Company award from Kevin Nolan
Lorraine Quinn and Lorraine Galbraith of Celebrity Cruises receive the Best Luxury Cruise Company award from Kevin Nolan
Suzanne Sheldon of Holiday Autos receives the Best Leisure Car Rental Company award from Ian Bloomfield, Sales and Marketing Manager of Irish Travel Trade News
Sean Boland of Hertz receives the Best Business Car Rental Company from Ian Bloomfield
Karl Tyrell of Bookabed.ie receives the Best Accommodation Provider from Ian Bloomfield
José Manuel de Juan González of the Spanish Tourism Office receives the Best National Tourist Office award from Neil Steedman, News and Features Editor of Irish Travel Trade News
Volker Lorenz of Amadeus receives the Best Global Distribution System award from Neil Steedman
David Walsh of Travelport receives the Best Agency Support Provider award from Neil Steedman
Yvonne Lennox of World Travel Centre receives the Best Consolidator award from Neil Steedman
Miguel Cusi of Andalucia, on behalf of Barcelona, receives the Best European City Destination award from John Barry, Head of Sales and Marketing – Ireland of Hertz
John Donohue of New York NYC & Company receives the Best North America Destination from John Barry
Ingrid Aagesen of Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing receives the Best Middle East / Africa Destination award from John Barry
Chris Lee and Joanna Cooke of the Tourism Authority of Thailand receive the Best Asia / Pacific Destination award from John Barry
Carmen Gonzales of Lanzarote receives the Best Sun Destination award from John Barry
Tanya Airey of Sunway receives the Best Long Haul Tour Operator award from John Barry
Carmel O’Reilly of Topflight receives the Best Ski Tour Operator award from Michael Flood, Editor of Irish Travel Trade News
John Kinane of Sunworld receives the Best Sun Holiday Tour Operator award from Michael Flood
Tanya Airey of Sunway Travel (centre) receives the Ireland’s Favourite Travel Agent award from Chris Lee, Tourism Authority of Thailand; Eileen Sutton, RTÉ; Stephen Murray, Grant Thornton; and Michael Flood, Irish Travel Trade News
2010 Winners with awards
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