World Travel Awards, hailed as ‘the Oscars of the travel industry’, revealed its European Winners at the World Travel Awards Europe Gala Ceremony 2014 held at the Divani Apollon Palace & Thalasso in Athens, Greece.
The Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul in Turkey, former Ottoman palace, was named best hotel in Europe, while the Belmond Hotel Cipriani in Italy took the title of leading luxury hotel in Europe. For the second year in a row Yorkshire, England, was named the leading destination in Europe.
In one of the most eagerly anticipated categories Lufthansa successfully defended the title of Europe’s Leading Airline, while Europe’s Leading Tourist Board went to Turismo de Portugal. Divani Apollon Palace & Thalasso took the title of Europe’s Leading Spa Hotel, while Europcar took the prestigious title of Europe’s Leading Car Rental Company for an unprecedented twelfth consecutive year.
“Europe is presently in the middle of a fast paced recovery after a couple of tough years, and the brands that have taken our awards tonight are at the forefront of this,” commented World Travel Awards President Graham Cooke. Our voters have recognised these are the key industry players who will be leading the pack over the coming years. This is a springboard to their continued success.”
The winners of the 21st World Travel Awards, voted by travel agents worldwide. The 2014 World Travel Award Winners for Europe are:
- Europe’s Leading Airline Lufthansa
- Europe’s Leading Airline – Business Class Swiss International Air Lines;
- Europe’s Leading Airline Lounge Lufthansa First Class Lounges, Frankfurt Airport, Germany;
- Europe’s Leading Airline to Africa TAP Portugal;
- Europe’s Leading Airline to Asia British Airways;
- Europe’s Leading Airline to North America Virgin Atlantic Airways;
- Europe’s Leading Airline to South America TAP Portugal;
- Europe’s Leading Airport – Zurich Airport, Switzerland;
- Europe’s Leading Airport Hotel – Hilton Frankfurt Airport, Germany;
- Europe’s Leading All Inclusive Resort – Pestana Porto Santo Beach Resort & Spa, Portugal;
- Europe’s Leading All Suite Hotel – Hotel Les Ottomans, Turkey;
- Europe’s Leading Beach Destination – Corfu, Greece;
- Europe’s Leading Beach Resort – Pullman Timi Ama Sardegna, Italy;
- Europe’s Leading Boutique Hotel Vila Joya, Portugal;
- Europe’s Leading Boutique Resort Choupana Hills Resort & Spa, Portugal;
- Europe’s Leading Business Car Rental Company Avis;
- Europe’s Leading Business Hotel Mövenpick Hotel Istanbul, Turkey;
- Europe’s Leading Car Rental Company Europcar;
- Europe’s Leading Casino Resort Lopesan Costa Meloneras, Spain
- Europe’s Leading Charter Airline Monarch Airlines
- Europe’s Leading Chauffeur Company Sixt Limousine Service;
- Europe’s Leading City Break Destination Geneva, Switzerland;
- Europe’s Leading City Hotel Hôtel Fouquet’s Barrière Paris, France;
- Europe’s Leading Conference Hotel Hilton Molino Stucky, Venice, Italy;
- Europe’s Leading Cruise Destination Lisbon, Portugal;
- Europe’s Leading Cruise Line Norwegian Cruise Line;
- Europe’s Leading Cruise Port Porto de Lisboa, Portugal;
- Europe’s Leading Cruise Travel Agent Cruise.co.uk;
- Europe’s Leading Design Hotel The Vine Hotel, Portugal;
- Europe’s Leading Destination Yorkshire, England;
- Europe’s Leading Destination Management Company Kuoni Destination Management;
- Europe’s Leading Family Resort Angel’s Peninsula, Turkey;
- Europe’s Leading Ferry Operator DFDS Seaways;
- Europe’s Leading Ferry Website The Travel Gateway Ltd (aferry.com);
- Europe’s Leading Fully Integrated Resort Cornelia Diamond Golf Resort & Spa, Turkey;
- Europe’s Leading Green Hotel – ICEHOTEL, Sweden;
- Europe’s Leading Hotel – Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul, Turkey;
- Europe’s Leading Hotel & Spa Silence Istanbul Hotel & Convention Center, Turkey;
- Europe’s Leading Hotel Brand – Hilton Hotels & Resorts;
- Europe’s Leading Hotel Residences – Pine Cliffs Residence, Albufeira, Portugal;
- Europe’s Leading Hotel Suite – Palladio Suite @ Belmond Hotel Cipriani, Italy;
- Europe’s Leading Incentive & Incoming Agency – DE&HA Tourism;
- Europe’s Leading Island Destination Madeira Islands
- Europe’s Leading Island Resort Pullman Timi Ama Sardegna, Italy
- Europe’s Leading Landmark Hotel Bairro Alto Hotel, Portugal
- Europe’s Leading Leisure Resort – Titanic Deluxe Belek, Turkey;
- Europe’s Leading Lifestyle – Hotel Rixos Premium Bodrum, Turkey;
- Europe’s Leading Lifestyle Resort – Geinberg5 Private Spa Villas;
- Europe’s Leading Low-Cost Airline – easyJet;
- Europe’s Leading Luxury All-Inclusive Resort – Concorde De Luxe Resort, Turkey;
- Europe’s Leading Luxury Beach Villas – Porto Zante Villas, Greece;
- Europe’s Leading Luxury Business – Hotel Radisson Royal Hotel, Moscow, Russia;
- Europe’s Leading Luxury Car Rental Company Avis Prestige;
- Europe’s Leading Luxury Hotel Belmond Hotel Cipriani, Italy;
- Europe’s Leading Luxury Resort Conrad Algarve, Portugal;
- Europe’s Leading Luxury Spa Resort Cornelia Diamond Golf Resort & Spa, Turkey;
- Europe’s Leading Luxury Train Venice Simplon Orient-Express;
- Europe’s Leading Marketing Campaign Welcome To Yorkshire;
- Europe’s Leading Meetings & Conference Centre Grand Resort Lagonissi, Greece;
- Europe’s Leading Meetings & Conference Destination Barcelona, Spain;
- Europe’s Leading MICE Hotel Radisson Royal Hotel, Moscow, Russia;
- Europe’s Leading New Hotel InterContinental Davos, Switzerland;
- Europe’s Leading New Resort Radisson Blu Paradise Resort & Spa, Sochi, Russia;
- Europe’s Leading Private Beach Hotel Porto Zante Villas, Greece;
- Europe’s Leading Private Jet Charter Skytime Jets;
- Europe’s Leading Regional Airline Aegean Airlines;
- Europe’s Leading Resort Forte Village Resort, Italy;
- Europe’s Leading River Cruise Company DouroAzul;
- Europe’s Leading Serviced Apartment Brand Frasers Hospitality;
- Europe’s Leading Serviced Apartments Fraser Suites Le Claridge Champs-Elysées, France;
- Europe’s Leading Spa & Wellness Resort Sianji Wellbeing Resort, Turkey;
- Europe’s Leading Spa Hotel Divani Apollon Palace & Thalasso, Greece;
- Europe’s Leading Spa Resort Cornelia Diamond Golf Resort & Spa, Turkey;
- Europe’s Leading Sports Resort Forte Village Resort, Italy;
- Europe’s Leading Themed Resort Disneyland Paris, France;
- Europe’s Leading Tour Operator Thomas Cook;
- Europe’s Leading Tourist Attraction Acropolis, Athens, Greece;
- Europe’s Leading Tourist Board Turismo de Portugal;
- Europe’s Leading Travel Agency Expedia;
- Europe’s Leading Travel Club DreamTrips;
- Europe’s Leading Travel Management Company FCm Travel Solutions;
- Europe’s Leading Travel Merchandising Solution Provider Datalex;
- Europe’s Leading Travel Technology Provider Illusions Online;
- Europe’s Leading Villa Villa Lidia at Forte Village Resort, Italy;
- Europe’s Leading Villa Resort Martinhal Beach Resort & Hotel, Portugal;
- Europe’s Leading Wellness Hotel Grand Hotel Lienz, Austria;
- Europe’s Most Romantic Resort Vila Vita Parc, Portugal;
- Europe’s Responsible Tourism Award Costa Navarino, Greece.
