The 'Heat' Is On in Rio

World Travel Awards South America Ceremony

South America's only internationally recognised travel and tourism awards are coming to Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday 21 October.

The World Travel Awards South America Ceremony, sponsored by the Rio Convention & Visitors Bureau, covering every sector and region will reveal who are the very best.

The glittering presentation at Rio's InterContinental Hotel, takes place in partnership with The Fair of the Americas, ABAV 2008 Exhibition, the largest trade event of its kind and coinciding with The Brazilian Travel Agencies Congress.

Graham E Cooke, founder and president of World Travel Awards, established 15 years ago, said: "Together the exhibition and congress constitute the most significant business occasion in South America and we are delighted to be able to work with the organisers of the exhibition and Brazilian travel agents to add an important and fresh dimension to the week's business activities."

"World Travel Awards has become respected worldwide by the global industry because our overall objective is to encourage, educate and inspire travel companies and destinations to transform their performance to a completely new level of supreme excellence."

"South America is demonstrating huge strengths, backed up with impressive visitor numbers, but in order to maintain this momentum, every aspect of quality will become even more crucial in the overall corporate mix."
Cooke added that while this year growth is expected to slow because of worldwide economic challenges, there is still a considerable opportunity for South America to expand. "Tourism's contribution to global economic activity and employment is expected to continue increasing over the coming ten years", he said.

"High performance South American companies will differentiate themselves by being highly focused on their individual customers."

"The winners named in the World Travel Awards South America Ceremony will be companies that take a balanced view, concentrating on customer engagement and on-going product innovation, while continuing to scrutinize costs and yield."

"We hope that in a small way, World Travel Awards will be able to make a contribution to helping the South American industry to continue to develop in a manner that makes the rest of the world sit up and take notice."

Paulo Senise, the Director of Rio Convention & Visitors Bureau said “I am pleased to inform that Rio de Janeiro is honored to be chosen as the location for the South America Region World Travel Awards ceremony.

There is no doubt that Rio de Janeiro, as well as the Feira das Americas – ABAV's (Brazilian Association of Travel Agents) annual event which will occur simultaneously to the ceremony - will benefit from the World Travel Awards Ceremony since both will have great coverage in the international press.

"By hosting the event, we will be able to offer excellent promotional opportunities to other Brazilian destinations due to the Feira das Americas."

Nominations for the 16 overall South America awards include categories for leading airport, beach, car hire, conference hotel and conference centre, destination, family resort, golf resort, hotel and spa.

In addition, there are awards for Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. In total, more than 200 South American companies and organizations are in the running for awards.

Winners are decided by votes received from agents and travel professionals in South America and throughout the world.

The event is part of World Travel Awards Grand Tour, culminating with the final in December, which this year is being held in Turks & Caicos.

SOUTH AMERICA NOMINATIONS

All nominations for the World Travel Awards North American and Central American Ceremony 2008 can be found by logging on to www.worldtravelawards.com.

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South America's Leading Airline

Aerolineas Argentinas
Avianca
Lan Airlines
TAM Airlines

South America's Leading Airport

Buenos Aires International Airport, Argentina
Lima Jorge Chavez International Airport, Peru
Santiago International Airport, Chile

South America's Leading Beach

Bartolome, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Ipanema Beach, Brazil
Mar del Plata, Argentina
Playa el Agua, Isla de Margarita, Venezuela
San Andreas Island, Colombia
Vina del Mar, Acapulco Beach, Chile

South America's Leading Car Hire

Avis
Budget
Dollar
Europcar
Hertz
Holiday Autos
Localiza

South America's Leading Cruise Line

Carnival Cruise Line
Celebrity Cruises
Costa Cruises
Fred Olsen Cruise Lines
Regent Seven Seas Cruises

South America's Leading Destination

Buenos Aires, Argentina
Easter Island, Chile
Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Lima, Peru
Machu Picchu, Peru
Margarita Island, Venezuela
Punta del Este, Uruguay
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Santiago, Chile
Sao Paulo, Brazil


South America's Leading Green Hotel

Chalalan Ecolodge, Bolivia
Finch Bay Eco Hotel, Ecuador
Inkaterra Machu Picchu Hotel, Peru
Kiaroa Eco-Luxury Resort, Brazil
Posada Amazonas Lodge, Peru
Praia Do Forte Eco Resort & Thalasso Spa, Brazil

South America's Leading Hotel

Caesar Park Hotel, Argentina
Copacabana Palace, Brazil
Faena Hotel & Universe, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Four Seasons Resort Carmelo, Uruguay
Grand Hyatt Santiago, Chile
Hotel Oro Verde Guayaquil, Ecuador
InterContinental Tacarigua Valencia, Venezuela
JW Marriott Hotel Lima, Peru
Radisson Royal Bogota Hotel, Colombia
Yacht y Golf Club Paraguayo, Paraguay

South America's Leading Hotel Brand

Accor Hotels
Fiestamericana Hotels & Resorts
Global Hyatt Corporation
Hilton Hotels
Marriott Hotels, Resorts & Suites
Radisson Hotels & Resorts


South America's Leading Resort

Arasha Tropical Forest Resort & Spa, Ecuador
Casa Grande Hotel Resort & Spa, Brazil
Conrad Punta Del Este Resort & Casino, Uruguay
Costa do Sauipe Marriott Resort & Spa, Brazil
Four Seasons Resort Carmelo, Uruguay
Iguazu Grand Hotel Resort & Casino, Argentina
InterContinental Hotel Valencia, Venezuela
Mantra Resort Spa & Casino, Uruguay
Royal Palm Hotel, Ecuador
Villarrica Park Lake Hotel, Chile

South America's Leading Ski Resort

Gran Hotel Termas de Chillán, Chile
Hotel Piscis, Las Lenas Resort, Argentina
Llao Llao Hotel & Resort, Argentina
Villarrica Park Lake Hotel, Chile

South America's Leading Spa Resort

Arasha Tropical Forest Resort & Spa, Ecuador
Casa Grande Hotel Resort & Spa, Brazil
Four Seasons Resort Carmelo, Uruguay
Kurotel Clinica E Spa, Brazil
La Samanna de Margarita Hotel & Thalasso, Venezuela
Las Balsas, Argentina
Mantra Punta del Este Resort, Spa & Casino, Uruguay
Sheraton Colonia Golf & Spa Resort, Uruguay
Villarrica Park Lake Hotel, Chile

South America's Leading Tourist Board

Argentina Government Tourist Office
Ecuador Ministry of Tourism
PromPeru - Peruvian Tourism Board
Rio Convention & Visitors Bureau
SERNATUR - National Tourist Board of Chile

South America's Leading Travel Agency

Amichi
Costamar
Exito
L'Alianxa
Ossa y Asociados
Panturismo
Sintec Tur
Swan Turismo
Travel Security
Turismo Pecom

For further press information please contact Jane Larcombe at:
PR Director
T: +44 (0)1892 785071
E: [email protected]