World Travel Awards African and Indian Ocean Ceremony Coincides with World Cup Semi Final
London – Twelve hundred of Africa’s key ‘movers and shakers’ will attend the most important event of the year for the travel and tourism industry on Wednesday 7 July at the Sandton Conventon Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa. The gathering for the Africa and Indian Ocean Ceremony will include CEO’s and directors of some of the region’s leading travel companies, Government Ministers, heads of tourism departments and destinations as well as industry association leaders.
They will be gathering – many with fingers crossed – hoping they are among the elite to sweep off one of the prestigious World Travel Awards, described as the ‘Oscars’ of travel and tourism. “This is Africa's finest night for tourism”, said Graham E. Cooke, Founder and President, World Travel Awards. “It’s a once-a-year opportunity to recognise the exceptional quality, creativity and leading edge performance of Africa’s top operators.”
During the past few months, industry professionals have been voting worldwide for the African companies and brands that they believe deserve the honours. Voting closes on 7 June. African nominees are among 5,000 nominated companies, spread across more than a 1,000 categories, including airlines, cruise companies, destinations, resorts and hotels in 162 countries.
Presentation of the awards takes place at 5.00 pm – but guests will not miss out on the crucial match! A giant screen will show the FIFA World Cup Semi Final immediately after the ceremony.
African Nominees
African nominations include the crème de la crème of the region’s travel and tourism. South Africa Airways, Air Namibia, Egypt Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways and Royal Air Maroc are fighting it out to take the title of Africa’s Leading Airline. In the running for Africa’s Leading Beach Hotel are Camps Bay Retreat; Diaz 15, South Africa; La Gemma Dell’Est Zanzibar, Tanzania; Lagoon Beach Hotel, South Africa; Peponi Hotel Lamu Island, Kenya; The Bay Hotel, South Africa and The Z Hotel Zanzibar, Tanzania.
The fight for Africa’s Leading Business Hotel title is also going to be a knuckle-biting affair. Nominations are: Alexandria, Four Seasons, Conrad Cairo, Eqypt; Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza, Egypt; Hilton, Durban, Mena House Oberoi, Egypt; Sandton Sun and The Westin Grand Cape Town Arabella Quays.
As the fastest growing industry sector, there’s also keen interest in cruising and the Africa’s Leading Cruise Line category: African Safari Club; Discover Egypt Nile Cruises; Sakkara Travel Group; Silverseas Cruises; Sonesta Nile Cruises and Travel Dynamics International.
The biggest struggle though will be among the 12 leading hotels anxious to win the coveted title of Africa’s Leading Hotel. Nominees for this much sought after category are: Camps Bay Retreat, South Africa; Cape Grace, South Africa; Four Seasons Hotel at the First Residence, Egypt; Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at the Nile Plaza, Egypt; Grand Hyatt Cairo, Egypt; Kasbah Tamadot, Marrakech, Morocco; Mena House Oberoi Hotel & Casino, Egypt; Mount Nelson Hotel, South Africa; Saxon Boutique Hotel & Spa, South Africa; The Palace of the Lost City, South Africa and The Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa, South Africa.
In addition to overall Africa categories, there are awards for Botswana, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tunisia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
World Travel Awards, established 17 years ago, is the only global organisation encouraging improvement and development of travel and tourism. Because consumers use the awards as a benchmark of quality, winners receive significant commercial benefits from the honour.
About World Travel Awards
The World Travel Awards was launched in 1993 to acknowledge and recognise excellence in the world's travel and tourism industry. Now celebrating its 17th Anniversary, the awards is regarded as the very highest achievement that a travel product could ever hope to receive.
Votes are cast by 183,000 travel professionals which include travel agencies, tour and transport companies and tourism organizations in over 160 countries across the globe. Votes are cast globally by fellow industry professionals in over 1, 000 different categories.
Attended by senior executives from major travel companies, operators and destinations, WTA events are universally respected as providing established, top level networking opportunities, regionally and globally.
The World Travel Award’s official list of worldwide media partners includes: BBC World News, eTurboNews, Breaking Travel News, CNBC Arabiya, Khaleej Times, Trav Talk, Trade Arabia, TTN, Travel Daily News International, Focus on Travel News, New Focus Travel Magazine, Tourism Review, JAX FAX, Travel & Leisure, Travel & Leisure Golf, Xenios & Xenios World.
Contact
Leah Benrimoj, T: +44 020 7872 5643