Aussie venues clean up at World Travel Awards
The 24th annual World Travel Awards were held in China over the weekend, and along with serious tourism contenders, put the Aussie event scene and venues on the map.
Often described as the Oscars of the tourism industry, the Awards are acknowledged across the globe as the ultimate travel accolade.
Voted on by travel and tourism professionals worldwide, these awards aim to celebrate organisations that push the boundaries of industry excellence.
InterContinental Wellington, New Zealand snagged the title of Australasia’s Leading Conference Hotel, while Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Australia took the crown for Australasia’s Leading Meetings & Conference Centre.
Meanwhile, Auckland NZ was voted the best meetings and conference destination, and InterContinental Sydney won best business hotel.
A number of other Australian hotel groups and tourism businesses took out gongs in both national and Australasian regions.
Check out all the winners here:
Australia
Australia’s Leading Boutique Hotel 2017: Emporium Hotel
Australia’s Leading Business Hotel 2017: Grand Hyatt Melbourne
Australia’s Leading Car Rental Company 2017: Sixt
Australia’s Leading Hotel 2017: InterContinental Sydney
Australia’s Leading Hotel Residences 2017: Hilton Surfers Paradise Residences
Australia’s Leading Hotel Suite 2017: Presidential Suite @ Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa
Australia’s Leading Lodge 2017: Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef
Australia’s Leading Resort 2017: One&Only Hayman Island, Great Barrier Reef
Australia’s Leading Travel Agency 2017: Flight Centre
Australasia
Australasia’s Leading Adventure Tour Operator 2017: Sigatoka River Safari
Australasia’s Leading Adventure Tourism Destination 2017: New Zealand
Australasia’s Leading Airline 2017: Air New Zealand
Australasia’s Leading Airline Brand 2017: Air New Zealand
Australasia’s Leading Airport 2017: Auckland Airport, New Zealand
Australasia’s Leading Airport Hotel 2017: Pullman Sydney Airport, Australia
Australasia’s Leading Airport Lounge 2017: Etihad Airways Premium Lounge @ Melbourne Airport
Australasia’s Leading Beach Resort 2017: Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort & Spa
Australasia’s Leading Boutique Hotel 2017: Gaia Retreat & Spa, Australia
Australasia’s Leading Boutique Island Resort 2017: Taveuni Palms Resort, Fiji
Australasia’s Leading Boutique Resort 2017: Pacific Resort Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Australasia’s Leading Business Car Rental Company 2017: Hertz
Australasia’s Leading Business Hotel 2017: InterContinental Sydney, Australia
Australasia’s Leading Car Rental Company 2017: Europcar
Australasia’s Leading Casino Resort 2017: SKY CITY Auckland, New Zealand
Australasia’s Leading Conference Hotel 2017: InterContinental Wellington, New Zealand
Australasia’s Leading Cruise Line 2017: Royal Caribbean International
Australasia’s Leading Destination 2017: Yasawa Islands, Fiji
Australasia’s Leading Executive Club Lounge 2017: Club InterContinental @ InterContinental Sydney, Australia
Australasia’s Leading Experiential Luxury Property 2017: Annandale, New Zealand
Australasia’s Leading Family Resort 2017: Pacific Resort Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Australasia’s Leading Green Hotel 2017: InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa, French Polynesia
Australasia’s Leading Hotel 2017: Pullman Sydney Hyde Park, Australia
Australasia’s Leading Hotel Booking Solutions Provider 2017: JETMAX
Australasia’s Leading Hotel Brand 2017: InterContinental Hotels & Resorts
Australasia’s Leading Hotel Suite 2017: Imperial Suite @ Palazzo Versace, Australia
Australasia’s Leading Inflight Magazine 2017: FijiTime (Fiji Airways)
Australasia’s Leading Luxury Hotel Villa 2017: The Residence @ The George Christchurch, New Zealand
Australasia’s Leading Meetings & Conference Centre 2017: Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Australia
Australasia’s Leading Meetings & Conference Destination 2017: Auckland, New Zealand
Australasia’s Leading New Hotel 2017: Hulbert House, New Zealand
Australasia’s Leading Private Island Resort 2017: Laucala Island, Fiji
Australasia’s Leading Resort 2017: InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa, Fiji
Australasia’s Leading Serviced Apartment Brand 2017: Frasers Hospitality
Australasia’s Leading Serviced Apartments 2017: Fraser Suites Sydney, Australia
Australasia’s Leading Tour Operator 2017: Abercrombie & Kent
Australasia’s Leading Tourist Board 2017: Tourism New Zealand
Australasia’s Leading Travel Agency 2017: Flight Centre
Australasia’s Leading Travel Management Company 2017: FCM Travel Solutions
Australasia’s Leading Villa Resort 2017: Eagles Nest, New Zealand
Australasia’s Most Romantic Resort 2017: The Remote Resort, Fiji Islands
Australasia’s Responsible Tourism Award 2017: Whale Watch Kaikoura
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
World Travel AwardsLatest News
Sydney gets excited for Vivid at the city’s favourite entertainment venues
Get lit! Well maybe not the kiddies, but there is a heap of bright and colourful events on at Vivid Sydney 2024.
Novotel Cabramatta launch reveals the start of new hotel and F&B partnership
Brothers will offer hotels bang for their buck in Sydney's booming southwest.
Getting married? W Melbourne has three new packages perfect for the special day
The 'W' themed lights and settings are optional, we hope!
SKYE Suites gets behind Australian Fashion Week, partners with Shark Beauty
SKYE Suites has partnered with IMG, the owner and operator of Australian Fashion Week (AFW) as the official accommodation partner for the fourth year in a row. This year SKYE Suites will again host international fashion buyers, designers, and models and are delighted to have Shark Beauty, an innovator in the personal care industry with their […]
Western Sydney Tourism unveils fresh board ahead of ’26 airport opening
'Connect-Stay-Experience', that's the Western Sydney's tourism taskforce's motto. We sort of prefer 'West Is Best'!
From Olympians to mindset coaches, Helloworld’s OMC conference wraps in style
Say hello to a good time and make sure you're at 2025's edition!
2024 Green Revolution Summit brings travel heavyweights into green fuel discussion
It's almost like the organisers read our article on sustainable fuel this week.
Aussies a hit on the conference floor for IPW 2024
Diana Ross on opening night, Keanu's Dogstar band and a dozen lobster rolls. All in a week's work at IPW 2024.
Premium hotel operator ERDI launches it’s own academy in heart of Melbourne
ERDI expects to be shaken not stirred with the launch of its ERDI Academy in its Melbourne hotels.
Tropical North Queensland action-packed events calendar for adventure enthusiasts
Hanging out for that next dose of adrenaline? It's time for you to head north!
Fiji Tourism Exchange 2024 opens with a vibrant ceremony at Sofitel Fiji Resort, Denarau
Two days in Fiji! If you didn't attend this conference we're sure you've got FOMO.
$230m joint Novotel & ibis Styles Melbourne Airport hotel prepares to open
Dear all business travellers, you're Melbourne experience just got a whole lot better.
IPW 2024: 960,000 Aussies took the trek to the Land of the Free last year
Nearly 6,000 travel industry reps descend on LA. Thankfully for all of their bosses, it's not in Vegas.
Travel DAZE Exec Agenda REVEALED: top execs to speak on airline competition
As the industry reels from Bonza's implosion, it is more important than ever to ask the big questions.
Skroo says Rex will need deep pockets to fill lost Bonza slots
The door is open for Rex, and anyone else who wants to launch a regional Aussie airline...
Hilton Expands Presence in North Queensland with the signing of Hilton Garden Inn Townsville
Heading to a North Queensland Cowboys clash? Hilton Garden Inn Townsville is set to open, but not until 2026.
Amy Poehler joins Vivid Sydney event
Oh Joy! Hit comedian Amy Poehler will make an emotional appearance at the Sydney Opera House for Vivid.
Emirates unveils future plans with new hub at Al Maktoum International Airport
We've also been looking into our future. It involves plenty of famils, we hope.
Two thirds of Australians support introduction of tourism tax, survey reveals
Can you guess which generation was the most outraged at the news? Hint: It is exactly who you think!
“The consumer really just wanted more classic reward availability” – customers underwhelmed by Qantas FF shakeup
All this consumer wants is to sit behind someone that doesn't push their seat back to near-horizontal levels.
Aussie travellers warned of ‘significant’ visa shifts in destinations including Chile, US and Vietnam
To be honest are biggest advice for having a layover in the US, is just don't.
Profile: Delta CEO Ed Bastian
Bastian says the airline business isn't for the faint hearted. We're sure Alan Joyce would agree!
Final Call: Travel DAZE Exec early birds are about to expire
Much like the auctioneer at the hottest sale of the year, we're giving you one more chance to jump at this deal!
Forget the weekend! Experience Gold Coast launches mid-week travel campaign
Your boss might be a bit bothered if you jet off mid-week, but you'll be the envy of all of your Instagram followers.
Victorian Tourism Industry Council warns of losing tourism dollars to NSW & QLD
Trendy cafe's hidden in CBD laneways can only get so many tourism dollars, clearly!
AIME 2024 rustles up $330m for APAC economy
This figure is a 65 per cent increase on 2023, much alike The Nibbler staff's alcohol consumption.
Amex GBT to purchase CWT for $871m
It's big deals like this that get a firm handshake - hence the sore hands over at the CWT and Amex GBT offices.
Boeing cleanout: CEO, chair to go as safety crisis plagues the manufacturer
CEOs are falling thick and fast these days. We should have started up a bingo game with their headshots in the office.
Star boss resigns, admits retaining NSW casino licence unlikely under his leadership
The CEO resigned after 18 months in the role. 'Another one bites the dust' rumoured to be heard playing in Pyrmont.
Corporate Traveller swings amateur golfers around the globe for World Golf Competition
How're your golf skills? Consider yourself a Tiger Woods or often get quadruple bogeys? We take after the latter.
Corporate travellers to spend big on Melbourne F1 despite financial pressures
Part of the attraction is sick days after the event as corporate travellers suffer creaked necks and blown eardrums.
Bonza officially kicks off Gold Coast-Darwin route
The Flying Purple Thumb is back at it with another route. We swear, we're going to make this nickname stick!
South West Sydney Tourism launches Western Sydney Tourism Awards
Penrith's 3 consecutive NRL premierships wasn't enough? The people of Western Sydney could fill the trophy cabinet more!
Hotels vs. Airbnb: Industry leaders at odds over who should pay accommodation levy
There's not as much gore in the Hotels vs. Airbnb saga as there is in Alien vs. Predator, but it's just as thrilling!
Singapore Airlines revamps premium economy with new menu, amenity kit
Felt Singapore Airlines was lacking "the sauce" (as the kids say). Bolster belief in the carrier's je na sais quoi here.
Business Events Adelaide set for 20th Destination SA event
Destination SA turns 20! Hopefully it's not celebrated with vodka cruisers and vapes like most 20th birthdays.