Australian Leisure Management: UAE secures wins in 63 categories at World Travel Awards

The United Arab Emirates has secured multiple awards at the 2021 World Travel Awards, with Dubai named the world's Leading Business Destination, Abu Dhabi topping the rankings for sports tourism and Yas Island securing the title of the World's Leading Theme Park Destination.

Announced just before Christmas, the 28th annual World Travel Awards follweda year-long search for the world’s top tourism and hospitality brands.

Votes for the awards are cast by travel industry professionals and the public, with the nominee gaining the most votes in a category named as the winner.

Dubai secured the most awards for the UAE, picking up several wins including World’s Leading Business Travel Destination and World’s Leading Airport.

Aquaventure at Atlantis, The Palm was named the World's Leading Water Park, The Dubai Mall is the World’s Leading Shopping Mall, the city’s Mina Rashid won World’s Leading Cruise Port and the Palm Jumeirah by Nakheel took the title of the World’s Leading Tourism Development Project.

Armani Hotel Dubai was also named as the World’s Leading Hotel.

In the newcomer categories, The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm secured World’s Leading New Hotel and Raffles The Palm Dubai, the first Raffles resort in the Middle East, picked up World’s Leading New Resort.

For family travel, Sofitel Dubai The Palm took the World's Leading Themed Resort and JA The Resort in Jebel Ali secured the World’s Leading Luxury Family Resort prize.

Dubai’s sail-shaped Burj Al Arab continued to pick up awards 22 years since it first opened - being named the World's Leading Luxury All Suite Hotel 2021.

Wins for Abu Dhabi, Ajman and Sharjah

Abu Dhabi was another big winner at the Awards. 

Significantly, the Emirate was named the World's Leading Sports Tourism Destination 2021, acknowledging the high-profile international sporting events that the UAE capital has hosted in the past year, including the UFC Fight Island, the World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the soon-to-come Mubadala World Tennis Championship. Abu Dhabi also stepped in to host the completion of the Pakistan Super League and co-host the Indian Premier League and the International Cricket Council's T20 World Cup.

Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi won the World’s Leading Theme Park title, while its Yas Island location, also home to Warner Bros. World and Yas Waterworld, was named the Leading Theme Park Destination.

The W Abu Dhabi - Yas Island is the World’s Leading Marina Resort while Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers took the win for the top Luxury City Hotel.

The sprawling Emirates Palace won Luxury Beach Resort and the World’s Leading Desert Resort is also to be found in the capital, at Al Wathba, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa.

Elsewhere in the Emirates, Ajman’s The Oberoi Beach Resort is the World’s Leading Beach Villa Resort while Sharjah’s Mysk Kingfisher Retreat wears the crown for the World’s Leading Nature Retreat.

Maldives named World's Leading Destination

The Maldives cemented its reputation as the ultimate holiday nation by winning the World’s Leading Destination for the second time.

The Indian Ocean archipelago was joined in the winners' circle by one of its neighbours, with the Seychelles winning Most Romantic Destination.

For marine adventures in the deep blue, the Philippines' remote Amanpulo was named World’s Leading Dive Resort while Vietnam's InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort is the World's Leading Green Resort.