New Telegraph: World Travel Awards 2025 calls for votes

Organisers of the World Travel Awards 2025 have opened voting for categories in Africa, Caribbean, Indian Ocean, Middle East and North America, with Nigeria featuring in more than eight different categories.

According to the organisers of the yearly award event, which is one of the most prestigious in global tourism honour lists, this year’s nominees cut across the entire spectrum of the global travel and tourism trade. Some of the listed categories include: Aviation, Tourist Attractions, Car Hire, Destinations, Hotels and Resorts, Meetings and Events, Travel Agencies and Tour Operators.

Votes can be made by industry professionals – senior executives, travel buyers, tour operators and travel agents – as well as the general public and the media. Votes are submitted online at WTA’s website. Voting operates on a first-past-the-post system: the recipient of the most votes in a category is declared the winner.

While voting for some of the regions had closed, voting for the regions of Asia, Europe, Latin America and Oceania opened on April 1.

Graham Cooke, Founder, World Travel Awards said, “With voting now open for our key regions of Africa, Caribbean, Indian Ocean, Middle East and North America, it is time for you to choose the organisations that are raising the bar of travel excellence. Meanwhile, any brands yet to enter this year’s programme, you only have a few days remaining to submit your entry.”

Each year World Travel Awards ceremony covers the globe with its Grand Tour – a series of regional gala ceremonies to recognise excellence within each continent. The winners of each regional category will progress to the Grand Final where they go head-to-head with the winners of the other regional heats for the prestigious World categories.

This year’s Grand Tour will include ceremonies in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) on Saturday, 28 June 2025, Cancún (Mexico) on Saturday, 27 September 2025, Hong Kong on Monday, 13 October 2025, Dubai (UAE) on Monday, 27 October 2025, with the Grand Final taking place in Bahrain Tuesday, 9 December 2025.

Some of the categories where Nigeria-based organisations are nominated include; Africa’s Leading Destination, Africa’s Leading Festival and Event Destination with Lagos nominated, Africa’s Leading Tourist Board, with Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) nominated, Africa’s Leading Business Hotel, with Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos and Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

Others are: Africa’s Leading City Hotel, with Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos listed, Africa’s Leading Service Apartments, with Fraser Hotel, Abuja nominated.