London, England, 24 February 2012
It’s a leap year, when, according to tradition, women can get down on bended knee and ask their dithering partner to take their hand in marriage.
With 29 February 2012 fast approaching, World Travel Awards (WTA) has selected the ten most romantic spots on earth for the fairer sex to pop the question:
1. Taj Mahal, India
2. Lewa Downs, Kenya
3. Antarctica
4. Rialto Bridge, Venice
5. Iguazu Falls, Argentina
6. Roseberry Topping, Yorkshire
7. Sahara Desert, Morocco
8. The Pitons, St Lucia
9. Great Barrier Reef, Australia
10. Snowshill, Cotswolds, UK
Manon Han, Executive Vice President, WTA, says: “Proposing to your loved one is always going to a nerve-wracking moment, especially with the added pressure of being a lady. But choosing a fitting location can go a long way in swaying the outcome favourably.”
“We have chosen destinations that range from the fail-safe classics to some off-beat surprises. For the traditionalists, the Taj Mahal or the Sahara should bag your man. Meanwhile the Kate and Prince William effect has led to Lewa Downs making it into our hotlist. If he’s an adrenaline junky, you could always try popping the question underwater at the Great Barrier Reef,” she adds.
The leap year also coincides with the submission deadline for WTA’s 2012 Grand Tour, a global search for the best travel organisations in the world.
Travel organisations that aspire to be the best in their sector are invited to apply for WTA’s 2012 programme by 29 February 2012. Entry forms can completed online or downloaded from www.worldtravelawards.com/nominate.
WTA, the “Oscars of the travel industry”, is recognised globally as the highest accolade in travel and tourism, and serves to raise the service standards throughout the tourism industry.
The complete list of nominations will be announced in time for ITB Berlin in March. Voting will then open and be carried out by an audience of 217,000 travel agents and tourism professionals from 162 countries, including visitors to WTA’s website.
WTA’s 2012 Grand Tour will include regional legs in Dubai (UAE), Turks & Caicos, Nairobi (Kenya), The Algarve (Portugal) and Seoul (South Korea). The winners of these regional heats will progress to the Grand Final, which will take place at The Oberoi, Gurgaon, New Delhi, India in December.
