South Africa's Glorious Night of Travel Triumph
12 May 2008 - Durban
It was 'Win Win Win' all the way for South Africa on Monday evening's (12 May) first World Travel Awards Africa Ceremony, held in partnership with the International Convention Centre, Durban.
The country was in sparkling form, winning a range of the coveted top awards for the whole of Africa.
Reigning King of the Zulu nation, His Majesty King Zwelithini Goodwill kaBhekuzulu opened the first World Travel Awards Africa Ceremony, watched by up to 400 VIP's and leading figures.
Marc Cavaliere, Executive Vice President for North America of South African Airways was presented with Africa's Leading Airline award; Heinz Grub, Chief Operating Officer and Area Manager, Arabella Starwood Hotels & Resorts received the Africa Leading Family Resort award on behalf of Arabella Western Cape Hotel & Spa; Cllr. Grant Haskin, Cape Town's Deputy Mayor received Africa's Leading Destination and Wally Gaynor, Managing Director of Club Travel scooped the Africa's Leading Travel Agency Award.
Other African overall continent winners included:
Tambo International Airport, Africa's Leading Airport; International Convention Centre, Durban, Africa's Leading Conference Centre; Shamwari Game Reserve, Africa's Leading Safari; Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve, Africa's Leading Safari Lodge; Thanda Private Game Reserve, Africa's Leading Luxury Lodge; Mount Nelson Hotel & Spa, Africa's Leading Hotel; Sun City Resort scooped Africa's Leading Resort award; Sun International also picked up the award for Africa's Leading Hotel Brand.
Country specific awards, for example, went to:
Botswana - Gaborone Sun, Botswana's Leading Hotel
Cameroon - Hillton Yaounde, Cameroon's Leading Hotel
Cape Verde – Hotel Oasis Praiamar, Cape Verde's Leading Hotel
Egypt - Grand Hyatt, Cairo, Egypt's Leading Hotel
Gabon - Le Meridien Mandji, Gabon's Leading Hotel
Gambia - Sheraton Gambia Resort, Gambia's Leading Hotel
Kenya - Intercontinental Nairobi, Kenya's Leading Hotel
Morocco - Amanjena, Morocco's Leading Resort
Mozambique - Avenida Hotel, Mozambique's Leading Hotel
Namibia - Windhoek Country Club Resort & Casino, Namibia's Leading Hotel
Nigeria - Transcorp Hilton Abuja Hotel, Nigeria's Leading Hotel
South Africa - Sun City, South Africa's Leading Resort
Tanzania - Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge, Tanzania's Leading Safari Lodge
Togo - Corinthia 2 Fevrier Hotel, Togo's Leading Hotel
Tunisia - The Residence, Tunis, Tunisia's Leading Spa Resort
Zambia - Tongabezi Safari Lodge, Zambia's Leading Safari Lodge
Zimbabwe - The Victoria Falls Hotel, Zimbabwe's Leading Resort
Winners of all 75 categories for Africa and African countries are listed on the World Travel Awards website www.worldtravelawards.com/winners2008-3
"It was a wonderful evening for African tourism and hopefully an inspiration for all those nominated but who were unlucky enough not to win", said Graham Cooke, President and Founder, World Travel Awards.
"We hope that the winners have set a supreme standard of professionalism in Africa with excellent examples of creativity and business acumen that can stimulate others to also raise their performance and their profile, not only within the African industry but worldwide."
The winners were chosen by votes from executives working within travel and tourism.
Durban Wins WTA for 2009
Durban's International Conference Centre is to host the World Travel Awards Africa Ceremony in 2009. The deal was signed just hours before the event by
Miller Matola, CEO of ICC Durban and Graham Cooke, President and Founder, World Travel Awards.
"The ICC is a state-of-the-art world class conference centre", said Mr Cooke, "and perfect for such a prestigious ceremony for African travel and tourism. We have been delighted with not only the facilities, but also with the wonderful support from the ICC staff. Indaba is the greatest occasion to coincide our event with."
The Africa event forms part of a World Travel Awards Grand Tour with regional awards staged throughout the world, ending with a Winners Dinner in London on 9 November and a Grand Final at Turks & Caicos in the Caribbean on 12 December 2008. The next regional event is the World Travel Awards Australasia Ceremony in Sydney on 10 June and the World Travel Awards Asia and Indian Ocean Ceremony on 19 June in Shanghai.
-ends-
Notes to Editors
About World Travel Awards
• The World Travel Awards were launched in 1993 to acknowledge and recognize excellence in the world's travel and tourism industry.
• Now celebrating its 15th Anniversary, the awards are regarded as the very highest achievement that a travel product could ever hope to receive.
• Attended by senior executives from major travel companies, operators and destinations, WTA events are universally respected as providing established, top-level networking opportunities, regionally and globally.
Log on to www.worldtravelawards.com for regular updated information.
For further press information please contact Jane Larcombe at:
T: +44 (0) 1892 785071
E: [email protected]
World Travel Awards, 12-16 Laystall Street, London, EC1R 4PF, United Kingdom
The country was in sparkling form, winning a range of the coveted top awards for the whole of Africa.
Reigning King of the Zulu nation, His Majesty King Zwelithini Goodwill kaBhekuzulu opened the first World Travel Awards Africa Ceremony, watched by up to 400 VIP's and leading figures.
Marc Cavaliere, Executive Vice President for North America of South African Airways was presented with Africa's Leading Airline award; Heinz Grub, Chief Operating Officer and Area Manager, Arabella Starwood Hotels & Resorts received the Africa Leading Family Resort award on behalf of Arabella Western Cape Hotel & Spa; Cllr. Grant Haskin, Cape Town's Deputy Mayor received Africa's Leading Destination and Wally Gaynor, Managing Director of Club Travel scooped the Africa's Leading Travel Agency Award.
Other African overall continent winners included:
Tambo International Airport, Africa's Leading Airport; International Convention Centre, Durban, Africa's Leading Conference Centre; Shamwari Game Reserve, Africa's Leading Safari; Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve, Africa's Leading Safari Lodge; Thanda Private Game Reserve, Africa's Leading Luxury Lodge; Mount Nelson Hotel & Spa, Africa's Leading Hotel; Sun City Resort scooped Africa's Leading Resort award; Sun International also picked up the award for Africa's Leading Hotel Brand.
Country specific awards, for example, went to:
Botswana - Gaborone Sun, Botswana's Leading Hotel
Cameroon - Hillton Yaounde, Cameroon's Leading Hotel
Cape Verde – Hotel Oasis Praiamar, Cape Verde's Leading Hotel
Egypt - Grand Hyatt, Cairo, Egypt's Leading Hotel
Gabon - Le Meridien Mandji, Gabon's Leading Hotel
Gambia - Sheraton Gambia Resort, Gambia's Leading Hotel
Kenya - Intercontinental Nairobi, Kenya's Leading Hotel
Morocco - Amanjena, Morocco's Leading Resort
Mozambique - Avenida Hotel, Mozambique's Leading Hotel
Namibia - Windhoek Country Club Resort & Casino, Namibia's Leading Hotel
Nigeria - Transcorp Hilton Abuja Hotel, Nigeria's Leading Hotel
South Africa - Sun City, South Africa's Leading Resort
Tanzania - Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge, Tanzania's Leading Safari Lodge
Togo - Corinthia 2 Fevrier Hotel, Togo's Leading Hotel
Tunisia - The Residence, Tunis, Tunisia's Leading Spa Resort
Zambia - Tongabezi Safari Lodge, Zambia's Leading Safari Lodge
Zimbabwe - The Victoria Falls Hotel, Zimbabwe's Leading Resort
Winners of all 75 categories for Africa and African countries are listed on the World Travel Awards website www.worldtravelawards.com/winners2008-3
"It was a wonderful evening for African tourism and hopefully an inspiration for all those nominated but who were unlucky enough not to win", said Graham Cooke, President and Founder, World Travel Awards.
"We hope that the winners have set a supreme standard of professionalism in Africa with excellent examples of creativity and business acumen that can stimulate others to also raise their performance and their profile, not only within the African industry but worldwide."
The winners were chosen by votes from executives working within travel and tourism.
Durban Wins WTA for 2009
Durban's International Conference Centre is to host the World Travel Awards Africa Ceremony in 2009. The deal was signed just hours before the event by
Miller Matola, CEO of ICC Durban and Graham Cooke, President and Founder, World Travel Awards.
"The ICC is a state-of-the-art world class conference centre", said Mr Cooke, "and perfect for such a prestigious ceremony for African travel and tourism. We have been delighted with not only the facilities, but also with the wonderful support from the ICC staff. Indaba is the greatest occasion to coincide our event with."
The Africa event forms part of a World Travel Awards Grand Tour with regional awards staged throughout the world, ending with a Winners Dinner in London on 9 November and a Grand Final at Turks & Caicos in the Caribbean on 12 December 2008. The next regional event is the World Travel Awards Australasia Ceremony in Sydney on 10 June and the World Travel Awards Asia and Indian Ocean Ceremony on 19 June in Shanghai.
-ends-
Notes to Editors
About World Travel Awards
• The World Travel Awards were launched in 1993 to acknowledge and recognize excellence in the world's travel and tourism industry.
• Now celebrating its 15th Anniversary, the awards are regarded as the very highest achievement that a travel product could ever hope to receive.
• Attended by senior executives from major travel companies, operators and destinations, WTA events are universally respected as providing established, top-level networking opportunities, regionally and globally.
Log on to www.worldtravelawards.com for regular updated information.
For further press information please contact Jane Larcombe at:
T: +44 (0) 1892 785071
E: [email protected]
World Travel Awards, 12-16 Laystall Street, London, EC1R 4PF, United Kingdom
