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Welcome to the Travel Daily Awards. As the Australian travel industry continues to deal with the fallout from coronavirus, we believe that in 2020 it’s time to support one another by honouring those who have gone above and beyond in these crazy times – both on the supplier and agent sides of the industry.

COVID-19 has understandably led to the cancellation of almost all of the key industry award programs for this year, but the Travel Daily team aim to lift the industry’s spirits by providing an opportunity to nominate and vote for our peers.

We know how tough it is out there. We know many people are now looking for new jobs, and from first hand experience we know the struggles that suppliers are going through. But we also know the lengths that the industry has gone to in order to support clients, customers and suppliers through the pandemic.

The Travel Daily Awards provide an opportunity to continue to encourage one another as we endure the COVID-19 ordeal.

About

Although borders are closed and the industry is basically at a standstill, travel agents and suppliers have continued to work to manage rolling suspensions, cancellations and refunds – while also maintaining relationships with clients and trying to keep their travel dreams alive.

The Travel Daily Awards celebrate excellence (in a COVID-safe way of course!) to recognise the Australian travel industry’s legacy of fulfilling the dreams of their customers. The awards are open to the entire industry, with categories allowing suppliers to honour top agents and agents to highlight the support of suppliers through the pandemic.

Travel Daily is running these awards independently, and has not sought any sponsorship for  the program. The awards are free for anyone in the industry to participate, with the aim of honouring excellence without fear or favour.

The 2020 Travel Daily Awards are:

  • Open to everyone in the Australian travel industry – including current staffers and those displaced by COVID-19
  • Free to enter
  • Not sponsored in any way
  • A way of honouring those who have worked so hard through the pandemic

2020 Winners

The 2020 Travel Daily Awards took place on Wednesday 30th September, in a day of virtual ceremonies awarding winners across 19 categories.

The awards this year aimed to highlight the extraordinary efforts of the travel industry through the COVID-19 pandemic, going above and beyond to support their clients and one another.

After more than 600 nominations were received in the initial stages of the awards, the supplier categories were decided by voting, while the agent categories were judged by an eminent panel including former AFTA Chairman Mike Thompson, Anne Rogers of Wingsaway Travel and the Travel Daily team.

“After what we’ve all been going through we wanted to provide an opportunity to recognise what a special community the Australian travel industry is,” said Travel Daily and Cruise Weekly owner Jenny Piper.

“While we have today announced the winners, we believe that all of our nominees and finalists deserve to win. Congratulations to everyone who took part this year, and thank you all for your support,” she said.

The full list of winners is below:

Most Supportive Airline: Qatar Airways

Most Supportive Ocean Cruise Line: Princess Cruises

Most Supportive Expedition Cruise Line: Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours

Most Supportive River Cruise Line: APT Travel Group

Most Supportive Ground Transport Supplier: DriveAway

Most Supportive Tour Operator/Wholesaler: Globus Family of Brands

Most Supportive Hotel Group/Accommodation Supplier: Expedia TAAP

Most Supportive Technology Supplier: Sabre

Most Supportive Industry Support Service: Air Tickets

Most Supportive Industry Sales Executive: Linda Costantini, Emirates

Most Supportive Travel Consultant NSW: Maria Tadros Anissa, Tadros Travel

Most Supportive Travel Consultant Vic: Kathy Pavlidis, Travel Associates Kew

Most Supportive Travel Consultant Qld: Cathy Donaghy, Helloworld Travel Strathpine

Most Supportive Travel Consultant WA: Barry Downs, Bicton Travel, Christine Ross-Davies, Attadale Travel and Jo-Anne Francis, Global Travel Solutions

Most Supportive Travel Consultant SA: Jan Smith, Enhance Travel and Brianna Schwarz, Helloworld Norwood

Most Supportive Travel Consultant Tas: Robyn Sinfield, Home Travel Company

Most Supportive Travel Consultant ACT: Maria Slater, Maria Slater Travel

Most Supportive Leisure Travel Agency: Bicton Travel WA

Most Supportive Corporate Travel Agency: FCM Travel Solutions

Congratulations to all the winners, and we look forward to being able to celebrate in person in 2021!

Awards process

The 2020 Travel Daily Awards were conducted via an online survey, with separate sections for industry suppliers and travel consultants.

Anonymous entries were not accepted, but all submissions were confidential and screened to ensure they were from bona fide current or former travel industry staff.

Entries were assessed by an eminent panel selected by the Business Publishing Group, based on the information provided during the nomination process, and the overall winners were announced in Travel Daily, Cruise Weekly, travelBulletin and more.

Agent participants nominated suppliers in a number of categories, asking which cruise line, airline, ground transport supplier, hotel group, tour operator, supplier BDM and so forth has best supported them through the COVID-19 crisis and why. The most-nominated suppliers in each category became finalists, with a subsequent round of voting used to select the winners.

Supplier participants were invited to nominate travel consultants in each state and territory of Australia for excellence in support of clients, going above and beyond in these unprecedented times. Information provided in the nominations was used to select the winners in these travel agent categories.

Winners received a trophy, certificate and social media assets to celebrate their victory.