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The World Travel Awards 2012 are an excellent pointer to the best beach resorts, hotels, airlines and city experiences. But do you agree with the winners? See which companies and destinations won a prestigious award.

PHOTOSTORY

Best theme park: Universal Orlando, Florida, US
Universal Parks & Resorts -Apart from perhaps Disneyland, it's the world's most famous theme park. The biggest draws are the good package deals, 50 rides and our favourite, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Best 'classic' hotel: Dukes, London
The hotel also won 'best Europe boutique hotel', and it quietly wins over guests who come to stay in the leafy red-brick building located in Green Park on a tiny side street. As this year is also James Bond year, sipping a martini in the Dukes bar is a must, as author Ian Fleming drank here and (this may be a myth) apparently came up for the idea of 'shaken not stirred' within the hotel's walls.

Best business airline: Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines-Singapore Airlines are no strangers to winning awards, and this accolade is testament to its fine furnishings, good menus and soft lighting. At present they are doing a business class flight sale, for travel up to 31 January 2013.

Best business destination: Doha, Qatar
As it has risen from the sands as a business destination and stopover route, Qatar is well-placed to meet the needs of passing business travellers. There's a new raft of hotels including the swish W, and the shopping is sophisticated and less frantic than other Middle Eastern countries.

Best honeymoon resort: Sandals Grande Antigua Resort & Spa, Antigua
For fuss-free romance, Sandals Antigua is it. It's been voted most romantic resort for 14 years in a row, and as it's all-inclusive, you turn up (and if you're anything like me, a frazzled mess from the wedding day) and everything is taken care of for you. The sea is a clear, pale turquoise, and the white sandy beach makes it seem like paradise.

Best beach destination: Turks & Caicos
That's quite a crown to wrest away from other beach destinations around the world, and perhaps the biggest appeal of Turks & Caicos is that it isn't as over-developed like the other islands in the Caribbean. It also has one of the longest stretches of coral reef and is crammed with birdlife.

Best honeymoon destination: Mauritius
We're not entirely sure we agree with decision to name Mauritius best honeymoon destination (we can think of the Seychelles, Maldives and Australia's remote islands for a start) but it does have a well-established hotel scene that caters to the market well. Plus, if you and your other half can't agree on a nature versus beach holiday, there's plenty of both on the same island.

Most romantic destination: Jamaica
Romance is in the eye of the beholder, but it's pretty hard not to feel swoony when sharing a cold beer with your loved one at a pretty spot like Rick's Café (pictured) overlooking the ocean. Top spots include Montego Bay and Negril but Jamaica isn't known for its cheap resorts so this is
definitely one for a special occasion.

Best hotel: Burj Al Arab, Dubai, UAE
Set against the skyline like a sideways sail, the Burj Al Arab is nothing if not memorable for a number of reasons. Apart from it's status as an iconic part of Dubai's landscape, it's set on its own little private artificial island, and you could very easily not leave once you check in. The suites are vast, the lobbies soaring and criss-crossed by cantilevered beams. The world's 'highest' restaurant overlooks the gulf and it even has its own Rolls Royce fleet. A FLEET, people. That should give you some idea about the clientele.

Best culinary destination: Peru
Who knew the home of the fried guinea pig would be such a culinary hotspot for 2012? Peru's cuisine is incredibly diverse thanks to its immigrant scene, and popular favourites include grilled meat, ceviche (lime-cooked fish) and stuffed potatoes.

Best island destination: Maldives
Well deserved, we think, especially because not only are the Maldives the most beautiful islands in the world (in our opinion) but as of 2013 it is finally opening up to budget travellers. Alright, so it's never going to be as cheap as a trip to Butlins, but Emirates are launching low-cost flights from Dubai and budget accommodation will be opening up on certain islands.

Best cruise destination: Jamaica
If you aren't an ardent cruise convert, Jamaica is the best place to start because it offers a 'cruise and stay' option, which means you can be flexible with your time. You can stay onboard or you can stay a night on the island, in one of the lovely hotels.

Best diving destination: Cayman Islands
Some of the most pristine reef in the world can be found in the Cayman Islands - no wonder it is such a premier dive site. The clarity in the water is staggering, and because it is such a speciality here, it is at the forefront of cutting-edge dive technology which makes it safe for beginners and boundary-pushing for pros.

Best economy class airline: Lufthansa
One of the largest airlines in Europe bagged the best award for economy class flying.

Best airport: Singapore Changi International
You may be accustomed to airports being airless, soulless, waiting rooms, but Changi blows all preconceptions out of the water. It has its own botanical garden (pictured), rooftop swimming pool and amazing shopping. No wonder it makes regular appearances on awards lists - beating the competition by a mile.

Best destination: India
Some may raise an eyebrow at the winner in this category seeing as the awards were held in New Delhi, but India is a country that is rapidly trying to meet the needs of tourists who flock there yearly by improving roads and accommodation offerings. And, when it comes to temples, festivals and beautiful landscapes, few places can beat it.

Best new resort: Conrad Algarve
Conrad Algarve-It has barely opened its doors and yet it's already winning awards. The Conrad Algarve may not be on the beach but the pool has a stunning vantage point, and is surrounded by national parkland. We also love the fresh made-to-order seafood that you can order in the restaurant Gusto.

Best airline: Etihad
The airline has super-friendly staff and great interiors even in economy class, so it's well deserved and worth having to stop over in Abu Dhabi en route to long haul destinations.