AITO companies sweep the board at 2017 British Travel Awards

AITO (www.aito.com) members scooped numerous awards at the prestigious 2017 British Travel Awards (BTAs) yesterday (29^th November). The winners were announced at a Winter Wonderland themed Gala dinner, held in London and attended by almost a thousand members of the travel industry.

Between July and September this year, 360,000 consumers voted for their favourite travel companies in the annual Awards, which are the largest UK consumer-voted programme across all industries (not just travel).

Some 18 AITO travel specialists won a total of 33 awards – 16 AITO Tour Operators, one AITO Specialist Travel Agent and one AITO Affiliate.

In the Tour Operator category, On the Go Tours collected an incredible eight awards, including the overall winner of Best Holiday Company to Central and South Asia and Best Holiday Company to East and Central Asia, while Sailing Holidays was the overall winner of Best Activity/Sports Holiday Company.

Other big winners on the night included Cox & Kings, which scooped four awards, including Best Luxury Holiday Company.

Says Executive Director of AITO, Kate Kenward: “We are thrilled that a total of 18 AITO members were recognised with accolades at the 2017 BTAs. It is consumers who vote in these awards, so it’s fantastic to see the travel companies which they know and trust being duly rewarded.”

Chairman of AITO, Derek Moore, says: “As travel specialists, AITO members are gaining recognition for their excellence, expertise and unrivalled passion in the field of travel. Their success at the BTAs is testament to this, and we hope to see still further growth in awareness of AITO and what the organisation and its members stand for in 2018.”

The following AITO companies were recognised in the winning and individual categories as voted by the public as the best in their business:

Archipelago Choice: 

Best Holiday Company to Iberian Peninsula (Small)

Great Rail Journeys: 

Best Rail Holiday Company (Large)

Ionian and Aegean Island Holidays: 

Best Holiday Company to Hellenic Europe (Medium)

Martin Randall Travel: 

Best Special Interest Holiday Company (Small)

On the Go Tours: 

Best Escorted Tours Holiday Company (Small)

Best Escorted Adventure Holiday Company (Small)

Best Holiday Company to Central and South America – Overall winner

Best Holiday Company to Africa – Overall winner

Best Holiday Company to the Middle East (Small)

Best Holiday Company to Southern Asia (Small)

Best Holiday Company to South East Asia (Small)

Best Holiday Company to East and Central Asia – Overall winner

Snowbizz:

Best Ski and Winter Sports Holiday Company (Small)

Sailing Holidays:

Best Activity/Sports Holiday Company – Overall Winner

Best Holiday Company to Hellenic Europe (Small)

Best Family Holiday Company (Small)

Venue Holidays:

Best Camping and Mobile Holiday Company (Small)

Spear Travel Group:

Best Independent Travel Agency (Medium)

Holiday Extras:

Best Airport Parking Company (Bronze)

Silver awards in size-graded categories:

Abercrombie & Kent:

Best Safari, Wildlife & Nature Holiday Company (Medium/Silver)

Corsican Places:

Best Holiday Company to Western Europe (Small/Silver)

Cox & Kings:

Best Luxury Holiday Company (Small/Silver)

Best Holiday Company to Central & South America (Small/Silver)

Best Holiday Company to Southern Asia (Small/Silver)

Best Holiday Company to East & Central Asia (Small/Silver)

Discover the World:

Best Special Interest Holiday Company (Medium/Silver)

Expressions Holidays:

Best Holiday Company to the Iberian Peninsula & Islands (Small/Silver)

Great Real Journeys/Rail Discoveries:

Best Rail Holiday Company (Medium/Silver)

Ionian and Aegean Island Holidays:

Best Villa Holiday Company (Small/Silver)

Martin Randall Travel:

Best Escorted Tours Holiday Company (Small/Silver)

On The Go Tours:

Best Holiday Company to East & Southeast Europe (Small/Silver)

Simpson Travel:

Best Holiday Company to East & Southeast Europe (Medium/Silver)

Sunvil:

Best Holiday Company to Hellenic Europe (Medium/Silver)

The Gambia Experience:

Best Holiday Company to Africa (Small/Silver)

Highlights from the British Travel Awards will be aired on Made Television on Friday 1st December at 8pm in a dedicated one-hour special programme. Made Television is the UK’s largest network of city TV channels, operating stations in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, Liverpool, and Tyne & Wear. Viewers can watch the show on Freeview, Sky 117 and Virgin 159 in those areas, or live online and subsequently on the Made TV catch-up service. For full information on how to tune in visit www.madetelevision.tv/BTAs

A full list of 2017 British Travel Awards winners, including those receiving certificates for silver and bronze positions, can be found at www.britishtravelawards.com.

Photographs can be downloaded at http://www.britishtravelawardspictures.com from 30^th November.