Caribbean hosts the world
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| Published on Tuesday, November 25, 2008 |
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LONDON, England: For the third year running, the Caribbean has been selected to stage the world’s largest and most important international awards for the travel industry.
The final of the renowned World Travel Awards – described by the Wall Street Journal as the ‘Oscars’ of the travel industry – takes place at Beaches, Turks & Caicos Islands on 2 December.
Senior travel industry management worldwide will be travelling to Turks & Caicos for the star-spangled award presentation, culmination of the 2008 Grand Tour of regional ceremonies stopping at the United States, South America, Middle East, Asia, Africa, Australia and Europe.
Chart-busting Sister Sledge is top of the bill.
“This is the big one and the eyes of the world will be on the Caribbean to find out exactly who has claimed the travel industry’s highest accolades”, said Graham E. Cooke, president and founder of World Travel Awards.
“There will be bitter disappointment for those who do not get recognised, but for the winners it opens up an important new corporate chapter in success and international creditability. Increasing numbers of consumers now check out the World Travel Award winners before making their vacation choice.
“In addition to the inevitable prestige of winning one of the awards, there are real long term commercial benefits.”
Aim of the awards, which this year celebrates its 15th birthday, is to encourage supreme excellence, value, innovation and quality in every aspect of the customer offering.
The Caribbean could be among the winners of the 78 categories. Sandals Resorts and Almond Beach Resorts have both been nominated for the World’s Leading All-Inclusive Company; Jamaica is nominated both as the World’s Leading Cruise Destination and Leading Destination and Montego Bay and Ocho Rios are in the stakes for the Leading Cruise Port. Wyndham Nassau Resort and Crystal Palace Casino in the Bahamas is up for the Leading Casino Resort.
Dominican Republic’s Casa de Campo has been nominated as the Leading Golf Resort and four of the Caribbean islands – Antigua, Barbados, Jamaica and St. Lucia – have all been named as possible contenders for the title of Leading Honeymoon Destination.
Turk& Caicos, the ceremony’s hosts, also stands to take away some of the awards. Grace Bay Club could scoop the World’s Leading All-Suite Hotel while Grace Bay Beach is nominated for the World’s Leading Beach.
Points Grace could walk away with the World’s Leading Boutique Hotel, while Beaches, venue for the award ceremony, is also up for the coveted World’s Leading Family Resort category. Parrot Cay is being considered for the World’s Leading Spa Resort title.
Glamorous celebrity husband and wife stars Jennifer Finnegan and Jonathan Silverman as well as Lori Heuring will be presenting some of the key awards during the evening.
American Silverman is best known for his roles in the TV series Gimme A Break!, Finnigan is Canadian and most famous for her role as Bridget Forrester in the American soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful.
Heuring has been a stalwart of TV and films, most recently appearing earlier this year in Prom Night and Within.
Maven Huffman, star of the Home Shopping Network and a former wrestler is hosting the evening and Baron Vaughn is the comedian. | | | | Reads : 993 |
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