Travel Weekly Honors Best Of The Travel Industry

NEW YORK – Travel Weekly, the most influential source of news, research, opinion and analysis to the travel industry, honored the winners of its 17th annual Readers’ Choice Awards at a black-tie gala dinner and ceremony on December 12 at the Conrad New York.

The award winners, one for each of the 79 categories, represent the best of the best of the travel industry. The nominees and award recipients were chosen in two rounds of voting by Travel Weekly’s audience of travel professionals.

These widely recognized, coveted awards are presented annually to the industry suppliers who led the way in product and service during the past year. The open ballot phase of the voting was conducted during the summer. Travel Weekly readers were invited to write in the names of any company they believe best exemplifies a particular category. The leading vote recipients were identified as finalists, and a second round of voting to determine the winners took place September through November 2019.

“This is the highest recognition given to those who transport, entertain, enlighten and accommodate billions of travelers each year,” said Arnie Weissmann, Travel Weekly’s editor in chief. “Every day, those who vote in our Readers Choice Awards must evaluate an ever increasing number of transportation, hospitality and activity options on behalf of their clients. The companies they select as winners are the ones they know bring consumers the highest levels of satisfaction.” 

“Among our readers are travel counselors, industry marketing executives and the CEOs of the world’s largest travel companies – a group uniquely qualified to evaluate a very crowded field of potential nominees.”

Travel Weekly also recognized Michelle Fee, CEO, Cruise Planners; Kristin Karst, Co-Owner and Executive Vice President, AmaWaterways; Rudi Schreiner, President and Co-Owner, AmaWaterways; Bruce Shulman, Senior Vice President | Group Publisher, Travel Weekly & TravelAge West; and Andy Stuart, President and CEO, Norwegian Cruise Line, with Lifetime Achievement Awards. The award pays tribute to individuals whose efforts have led to extraordinary results within an organization and who have also made significant contributions to the industry as a whole. The legacy of the recipients of the Travel Weekly Lifetime Achievement Awards collectively defines the environment that the travel industry operates in today.

Travel Weekly’s 2019 Readers’ Choice winners are:

1. Airline: Domestic - Delta Air Lines
2. Airline: International – Delta Air Lines
3. Airline: Business/First Class - Emirates
4. Top Airline Global Network - United Airlines
5. Airline: Sales & Service - Delta Air Lines
6. Top Airline Overall - Delta Air Lines
7. Car Rental: Domestic – Hertz
8. Car Rental: International - Hertz
9. Hotel Chain: Domestic - Marriott International
10. Hotel Chain: Asia – Hilton Worldwide
11. Hotel Chain: Caribbean - Sandals Resorts
12. Hotel Chain: Europe – Hilton Worldwide
13. Hotel Chain: Mexico – Playa Resorts/Hyatt
14. Hotel Chain: Hawaii/South Pacific – Marriott International
15. Hotel Chain: All-Inclusive - Sandals Resorts
16. Hotel Chain: Luxury - Ritz-Carlton Hotels & Resorts
17. Hotel Chain: Upscale – Westin Hotels & Resorts
18. Hotel Chain: Mid-Priced - Hampton Inn
19. Hotel Chain: Boutique – Karisma Hotels & Resorts
20. Best Resort Worldwide – St. Regis Bora Bora
21. Hotel Chain: Sales & Service – Marriott International
22. Top Overall Hotel Group - Marriott International
23. Tour Operator: Domestic Packaged – Travel Impressions
24. Tour Operator: Domestic Escorted – Tauck
25. Tour Operator: International – Trafalgar
26. Tour Operator: Adventure – GOGO Vacations
27. Tour Operator: Africa – Abercrombie & Kent
28. Tour Operator: Asia/Pacific - Trafalgar
29. Tour Operator: Canada - Collette
30. Tour Operator: Caribbean - Funjet
31. Tour Operator: Europe - Globus
32. Tour Operator: Hawaii - Pleasant Holidays
33. Tour Operator: Mexico – Apple Vacations
34. Tour Operator: Luxury - Abercrombie & Kent
35. Tour Operator: Group, Packaged – GOGO Vacations
36. Tour Operator: Escorted Sales & Service - Globus
37. Tour Operator: Packaged Sales & Service – Funjet Vacations
38. Tour Operator: Escorted Overall - Globus
39. Tour Operator: Packaged Overall - Delta Vacations
40. Cruise Line: Domestic – Carnival Cruise Line
41. Cruise Line: Alaska - Princess Cruises
42. Cruise Line: Caribbean - Royal Caribbean International
43. Cruise Line: Europe - Celebrity Cruises
44. Cruise Line: Hawaii/Pacific - Norwegian Cruise Line 
45. Cruise Line: Under 500 Berths – Windstar Cruises
46. Cruise Line: 500 to 1,000 Berths - Seabourn
47. Cruise Line: Premium - Celebrity Cruises
48. Cruise Line: Luxury - Crystal Cruises
49. Cruise Line: River Cruising - Viking River Cruises
50. Best World Cruise Itinerary - Holland America Line
51. Best Family Experience – Carnival Cruise Line
52. Cruise Line: Expedition – Celebrity Cruises
53. Cruise Line: Best Cuisine – Oceania Cruises
54. Cruise Line: Best Entertainment – Royal Caribbean International
55. Cruise Line: Best Private Island/Destination – Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian Cruise Line
56. Cruise Ship: River Cruising – AmaMagna, AmaWaterways
57. Cruise Ship: New – Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Cruises
58. Cruise Ship: Premium - Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Cruises
59. Cruise Ship: Luxury – Seven Seas Explorer, Regent Seven Seas Cruises
60. Cruise Ship: Overall Individual – Symphony of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International
61. Cruise Line: River Cruise Sales & Service - Viking River Cruises
62. Cruise Line: Sales & Service - Royal Caribbean International
63. Cruise Line: Overall - Royal Caribbean International
64. Destination: Africa - South Africa
65. Destination: Asia/Pacific - Australia
66. Destination: Canada - Vancouver
67. Destination: Caribbean – Jamaica
68. Destination: Central/South America - Costa Rica
69. Destination: Europe - Ireland
70. Destination: Hawaii - Maui
71. Destination: Mexico - Riviera Maya
72. Destination: U.S. State - Hawaii
73. Destination: U.S. City - Las Vegas
74. Best Travel Advisor Educational Program – Carnival Learn & Earn, Carnival Cruise Line
75. Best Advisor Loyalty Program – Norwegian Cruise Line
76. Best Rail Vacation - Rocky Mountaineer
77. Best Travel Technology Provider – VAX/Trisept
78. Best Insurance Provider – Allianz Global Assistance
79. Theme Park - Walt Disney World

ABOUT TRAVEL WEEKLY: Travel Weekly is the most influential provider of news, research, opinion and analysis to the North American travel trade marketplace. It reaches a broad industry audience in print, online and face-to-face events throughout the year. Travel Weekly is a division of Secaucus, New Jersey-based Northstar Travel Group, the largest travel business-to-business travel publisher in the world.