London has been named Destination of the Year at the UKinbound Awards 2011. The capital swept the boards, as Visit London Partners took home a slew of accolades at the event, which recognises excellence amongst UK inbound tour operators and suppliers.
Iconic London attraction St Pauls Cathedral was awarded the coveted title of Attraction Provider of the Year while Park Plaza Hotels and Generator Hostels triumphed in the hospitality sector taking home Large Accommodation and Small Accommodation Provider of the Year respectively.
City Cruises, operator of year-round sightseeing cruises on the River Thames, was named Transport Provider of the Year while Encore Tickets was recognised as Service Provider of the Year.
London was also recognised as a top destination for events, as World Travel Market, held annually at ExCeL London, was presented with the award for Event of the Year.
Personalities from London’s tourism industry were also honoured with special prizes, with Hugo Roberts from Encore Tickets receiving the Customer Welcome Award, Ann Wilson from Historic Royal Palaces named Tourism’s Greatest Ambassador and Carey Fletcher of China Holidays presented with The Chairman’s Award in recognition of services to UK tourism.
Sally Chatterjee, CEO of Visit London commented on the wins; ‘The results of this year’s UKinbound Awards represent a fantastic achievement for London. We are absolutely thrilled to be named Destination of the Year and proud that so many Visit London Partners are represented amongst the list of winners.’
‘With the upcoming Royal Wedding and the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games less than 18 months away, the eyes of the world are set to be on the capital. We look forward to showing a global audience why London remains the most visited international destination on earth.’
The awards took place at Alton Towers Resort as part of the annual UKinbound Convention, a key event for the organisation, which represents the interests of the UK’s inbound tourism businesses.
