The Industry Honours 76 Exceptional Individuals and Organisations
76 of Asia-Pacific’s finest travel trade organizations were recognized in style at the 20th TTG Travel Awards 2009 Ceremony and Gala Dinner. For the 3rd year running, the awards and gala event was held at Centara Grand and Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld as readers of TTG Asia, TTG China, TTGmice, and TTG-BTmice China, acknowledged the crème de la crème of the industry.
This year, over 670 esteemed travel trade professionals were in attendance.
The award titles for the evening spanned across four main categories, consisting of two voting and two non-voting categories. Recipients of the Outstanding Achievement Awards were hand-picked by TTG’s editorial team for their noteworthy contributions and accomplishments to the industry while honoraries in the Travel Hall of Fame were conferred after having won an award at the TTG Travel Awards more than 10 times.
In a bid to keep up with the competitive landscape of the travel trade industry, the TTG Travel Awards in 2008 introduced 12 new titles under the Travel Supplier Awards category. We are proud to continue this spirit of honoring and prestige by further unveiling a new award this year under the Outstanding Achievement Award category.
Tonight’s ceremony also saw new honorary, Abacus International, inducted into the Travel Hall of Fame, joining five other Travel Hall of Fame Honoraries in Asia-Pacific. The complete list of winner for the TTG Travel Awards 2009 follows at the end of this article.
All readers of TTG Asia, TTG China, TTGmice, TTG-BTmice China, and TTGTravelHub.net Daily News were invited to vote for their favorite travel and tourism organizations under the Travel Supplier and Travel Agent Awards Category over a period of three months, between June and August, 2009. More than 43,000 votes were received from TTG readers across Asia-Pacific who participated in the print and online voting exercise this year.
TTG Asia Media’s managing director, Mr. Darren Ng, said, “TTG is delighted with the demonstration of fortitude and foresight of the industry. The addition of new awards underscores TTG’s continual efforts to remain ahead with new trends amidst challenges, while maintaining a benchmark for industry excellence.”
The 20th TTG Travel Awards 2009 Ceremony and Gala Dinner was held on the last day of Asia-Pacific’s foremost MICE and corporate travel events, IT&CMA and CTW. More than 1,600 international attendees converged in one single location for the double-bill event to seek new products, services, and resources through a series of breakout sessions, conferences, workshops, and an exhibition.
ABOUT TTG ASIA MEDIA
Established in Singapore since 1974, TTG Asia Media Pte Ltd. is the leading publisher and organizer of events in travel and tourism in the Asia Pacific region. Its publications and trade shows provide the best access and solutions to marketing travel and tourism in the Asia-Pacific.
Publications are targeted at distinct segments: TTG Asia for travel agents and tour operators, TTG China (Chinese edition) for the travel trade and travel agents in China, TTGmice for the meetings, incentive, convention, and exhibition planners (MIC), and TTG BTmice China (Chinese edition) for both MICE and planners and corporate travel buyers in China.
TTG Asia Media is also the leading organizer and manager of two major travel events in Asia and China – IT&CMA (Incentive Travel & Conventions, Meetings Asia) and IT&CM (Incentive Travel & Conventions Meetings China) are Asia and China’s only dedicated MICE exhibitions. CTW (Corporate Travel World Asia Pacific) and CT&TW China (Corporate Tr4avel and Technology World China) are conferences and exhibitions that focus on the management of business travel and entertainment expenditures.
For more information on TTG Asia Media, visit ttgasiamedia.com.
AIRLINE AWARDS
Best Airline – Business Class: Cathay Pacific Airways
Best North American Airline: United Airlines
Best European Airline: Lufthansa German Airlines
Best Middle East Airline: Qatar Airlines
Best South Asian Airline: Air India
Best South-East Asian Airline: Thai Airways International
Best North Asian Airline: Korean Air
Best China Airline: Air China
Best Pacific Airline: Qantas Airways
Best Regional Airline: SilkAir
Best Asian Low-Cost Carrier: AirAsia
HOTEL CHAINS
Best Global Hotel Chain: Accor
Best Regional Hotel Chain: Centara Hotels & Resorts
Best Local Hotel Chain: Centara Hotels & Resorts
Best Luxury Hotel Brand: The Peninsula Hotels
Best Mid-Range Hotel Brand: Best Western International
Best Budget Hotel Brand: Holiday Inn Express
Best Hotel Representation Company: The Leading Hotels of the World
HOTELS – INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY
Best Luxury Hotel: Raffles Hotel Singapore
Best Mid-Range Hotel: Furama Riverfront, Singapore
Best Budget Hotel: Ibis Singapore on Bencoolen
Best Independent Hotel: Royal Plaza on Scotts
Best Boutique Hotel: Hotel LKF by Rhombus
Best City Hotel – Singapore: The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore
Best City Hotel – Kuala Lumpur: Hilton Kuala Lumpur
Best City Hotel – Jakarta: Hotel Muila Senayan, Jakarta
Best City Hotel – Manila: Dusit Thani Manila
Best City Hotel – Bangkok: Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok
Best City Hotel – Hanoi: InterContinental Hanoi Westlake
Best City Hotel – Delhi: The Oberoi, New Delhi
Best City Hotel – Taipei: Sheraton Taipei Hotel
Best City Hotel – Tokyo: Mandarin Oriental Tokyo
Best City Hotel – Seoul: The Shilla Seoul
Best New City Hotel: Harbour Grand Hong Kong
Best Airport Hotel: Regal Airport Hotel
RESORTS – INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY
Best Beach Resort: Amari Palm Reef Resort
Best New Beach Resort: Anantara Resort Phuket
Best Resort Hotel: The Aman at Summer Palace, Beijing
Best Integrated Resort: The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel
SERVICED RESIDENCES
Best Serviced Residence Operator: The Ascott Group
SPAS
Best Spa Operator: Banyan Tree Spas
BT-MICE AWARDS
Best Business Hotel: Swissotel The Stamford Singapore
Best Meetings & Conventions Hotel: Sutera Harbour Resort, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Best BT-MICE City: Singaore
Best Convention & Exhibition Center: Suntec Singapore International Convention Centre
Best Convention & Exhibition Bureau: Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau
TRAVEL SERVICES AWARDS
Best Airport: Hong Kong International Airport
Best GDS: Travelport
Best Cruise Operator: Royal Caribbean Cruises Asia
Best NTO: Japan National Tourism Organization
Best Theme Attraction: Singapore Night Safari
TRAVEL AGENT AWARDS
Best Corporate Travel Agency: American Express Business Services
Best Travel Agency – Australia: Flight Centre Limited
Best Travel Agency – China: China International Travel Service
Best Travel Agency – Chinese Taipei: Lion Travel Services
Best Travel Agency –Hong Kong: Westminster Travel
Best Travel Agency – India: Kuoni India
Best Travel Agency – Indonesia: Pacto Ltd. Indonesia
Best Travel Agency – Indochina: Asian Trails
Best Travel Agency – Japan: JTB Corp.
Best Travel Agency – Malaysia: Asian Overland Services Tours & Travel
Best Travel Agency – Singapore: Hong Thai Travel Services
Best Travel Agency – South Korea: Lotte Tour
Best Travel Agency – Thailand: Diethelm Travel
Best Travel Agency – Philippines: Blue Horizona
Best Online Travel Agent: ZUJI
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Travel Personality of the Year: Dato’ Anthony Francis Fernandes
Destination of the Year: South Korea
Travel Entrepreneur of the Year: Mr. Tan Seri Lim Kok Thay, chairman & CEO, Genting Group
Best Marketing & Development Effort: Best Western International
TRAVEL HALL OF FAME
Travel Hall of Fame: Singapore Airlines
Travel Hall of Fame: Singapore Changi Airport
Travel Hall of Fame: Hertz Asia Pacific
Travel Hall of Fame: Royal Cliff Beach Resort
Travel Hall of Fame: Star Cruises
Travel Hall of Fame: Abacus International
