PRESS RELEASE - 2007
Belize winners announced at the 2006 World Travel Awards Radisson Fort George Hotel and Marina, Cayo Espanto Resort, Maruba Resort Jungle Spa and The Villas at Banyan Bay voted Belize¡¯s best PRESS RELEASE - 2007
Turks & Caicos (September 2006) - The World Travel Awards (WTA) has announced the results of one of the world¡¯s most comprehensive travel trade polls of its kind at a gala ceremony in Turks and Caicos. This year saw nearly 50 new elements enter the awards, boosting the number of categories for the tourism industry to 791.
The Turks and Caicos took the title of ¡°World¡¯s Leading Beach¡± and ¡°World¡¯s Leading Island Destination,¡± a fitting accolade since the Caribbean destination hosted the gala ceremony of the World Travel Awards.
¡°It¡¯s a great location and the Turks and Caicos has visionary leadership, with Premier Michael Misick at the helm,¡± says Graham Cooke, president of the World Travel Awards. ¡°In the 30 years I¡¯ve been in this business, I¡¯ve never met a leader so committed to investing in the travel industry. There are very few heads of state who lead their government and the ministry for tourism, yet Premier Misick is one of them.¡±
The awards have recently been hailed as the ¡°travel industry¡¯s equivalent to the Oscars,¡± by the Wall Street Journal newspaper. A number of media reports have also described it ¡°as the most comprehensive and the most prestigious awards program in the global travel industry.¡±
A total of 165,000 travel agencies and professionals in more than 140 countries worldwide have been asked to vote for their leading travel destinations, airlines, hotels and companies around the world. The awards account for all sectors of the global travel industry.
Winners for Belize include the following: Belize¡¯s Leading Hotel ? Radisson Fort George Hotel and Marina Belize¡¯s Leading Resort ? Cayo Espanto Resort Belize¡¯s Leading Spa Resort ? Maruba Resort Jungle Spa Belize¡¯s Leading Villa ? The Villas at Banyan Bay
Winners for the Caribbean region include the following: Caribbean¡¯s Leading Destination ? Jamaica Caribbean¡¯s Leading Cruise Destination ? Jamaica Caribbean¡¯s Leading Hotel ? Coco Reef Resort, Tobago Caribbean¡¯s Leading Hotel Brand ? Sandals Resorts International Caribbean¡¯s Leading Boutique Hotel ? Point Grace, Turks & Caicos Caribbean¡¯s Leading Villa Hotel ? Round Hill Hotel & Villas, Jamaica Caribbean¡¯s Leading Resort ? Royal Plantation Ocho Rios, Jamaica Caribbean¡¯s Leading Spa Resort ? Sandals Regency St Lucia Golf Resort & Spa at La Toc Caribbean¡¯s Leading Golf Resort ? Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic Caribbean¡¯s Leading Casino Resort ? Atlantis Paradise Island Resort, Nassau, The Bahamas Caribbean¡¯s Leading Family All Inclusive ? Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort & Spa Caribbean¡¯s Leading Conference Centre ? Sherbourne Conference Centre, Barbados Caribbean¡¯s Leading Conference Hotel ? Half Moon, Montego Bay, Jamaica Caribbean¡¯s Leading Airline ? Air Jamaica Caribbean¡¯s Leading Business Class Airline ? Air Jamaica Caribbean¡¯s Leading Airport ? Piarco International Airport, Trinidad Caribbean¡¯s Leading Car Hire ? Europcar Caribbean¡¯s Leading Tourist & Convention Bureau ? Jamaica Tourist Board
Additionally, Caribbean-related winners in the world category include the following: World¡¯s Leading Beach ? Providenciales, Turks & Caicos World¡¯s Leading All-Inclusive Company ? Sandals Resorts International World¡¯s Leading Ecotourism Destination ? Tobago Main Ridge Rain Forest World¡¯s Leading Family All-Inclusive ? Beaches Resorts World¡¯s Leading Honeymoon Destination ? St. Lucia World¡¯s Most Romantic Resort ? Sandals Grande Antigua Resort & Spa World¡¯s Leading Hotel Brand ? InterContinental Hotels & Resorts World¡¯s Leading Sports Resort ? Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic World¡¯s Leading Villas ? Round Hill Hotel & Villas, Jamaica World¡¯s Leading Cruise Destination ? Jamaica World¡¯s Leading Cruise Line ? Royal Caribbean International World¡¯s Leading Luxury Cruise Line ? Regent Seven Seas Cruises World¡¯s Leading Cruise Operator ? Star Clippers World¡¯s Leading Cruise Ship ? Cunard ¡°QM2¡± World¡¯s Leading Airline ? British Airways
Voting started in May of this year and ended in September. During this five-month period 3,600 different nominations competed, with more than two million individual voting decisions completed, returned and processed using the online voting form.
¡°Since founding the World Travel Awards in 1993, we have seen a growing sophistication in the travel and tourism trade and increased competition. Yet our winners have always been at the forefront of this process with their initiatives and products,¡± says Cooke.
¡°Voted for independently by travel professionals worldwide, our award winners are having a major impact and influence on the world¡¯s travel and tourism industry. They are the true innovators and benchmarks for our trade, especially in the areas of customer service, technology, operational efficiency, product offering and style,¡± explains Cooke.
For more information on the lodgings listed above, see their accommodation listings under their respective countries at www.caribbean.com.
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PRESS RELEASE - 2007