LONDON, England – The most successful travel brands in Asia, Australasia, and the Indian Ocean are set to be acknowledged at a red-carpet ceremony hosted by World Travel Awards (WTA) in Singapore on October 18, 2012.
Key categories to watch at WTAโs Asia, Australasia & Indian Ceremony include โAsiaโs Leading New Hotelโ with Song Saa Private Island (Cambodia), Casa De La Flora (Thailand), The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel (Shanghai), and W Retreat & Spa Bali โ Seminyak (Indonesia) among the hot contenders.
Banyan Tree, Mandarin Oriental, Four Seasons, Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, Six Senses Resorts & Spas are all nominated for โAsiaโs Leading Resort Brand.โ Meanwhile Bali, India, Macau, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam will go head-to-head for the coveted title of โAsiaโs Leading Destination.โ
In Australasia, Palazzo Versace Golf Coast, Hyatt Regency Guam, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, and Sky City Grand Hotel Auckland are among those in the running for โAustralasiaโs Leading Hotel.โ
Mauritius will be hoping to repeat last yearโs success when it won โIndia Oceanโs Leading Destination.โ However, the paradise island must overcome competition from the Maldives, Seychelles, Madagascar, Reunion, and Comoros if it is to retain its crown.
The leading travel decision-makers from across the region are scheduled to attend the gala evening, which is being held in partnership with TravelRave, Asiaโs most influential travel trade festival.
The glitzy, must-attend ceremony, which will take place at the InterContinental Singapore, will include a gala dinner, top entertainment, as well as the presentation of the coveted awards.
The WTA organizers highlight the significance of hosting its first ever ceremony in Singapore.
Graham E. Cooke, President and Founder, WTA, said: โWe are delighted to host our first ceremony in Singapore, a decision which reflects its standing as one of the most dynamic destinations in the world.โ
He added: โOur partnership with TravelRave is a perfect match. Since its debut in 2010, TravelRave has quickly established itself as the definitive platform for Asiaโs travel leaders to maximize the tourism potential of the region. WTA will offer these senior decision-makers a unique opportunity to savor and celebrate their achievements of the past year with their industry peers. I look forward to finding out which organizations will make it on to the winnerโs podium on October 16.โ Singapore Tourism Board noted the added dimension this prestigious awards program will bring to TravelRaveโs mix.
Andrew Phua, Director, Exhibitions & Conferences, Singapore Tourism Board, said: โSingapore is honored to partner with World Travel Awards to host the prestigious Asia & Australasia Gala Ceremony 2012. In recognizing excellence in the travel and tourism industry, the Awards Ceremony sets off the spirit of TravelRave in sharing best practices, celebrating our successes, and motivating our travel partners to collaborate for the future.โ
Other key events taking place under the TravelRave umbrella include ITB Asia, Asia Travel Leaders Summit, Web In Travel, Tourism Destination Investment Conference Asia, Hotel Technology Conference, Aviation Outlook Asia, and the Singapore Experience Awards.
WTAโs Asia, Australasia & Indian Ocean Ceremony 2012 marks the final regional leg of WTAโs Grand Tour, a global search for the worldโs leading travel brands, which also includes regional heats in Dubai, Singapore, Turks & Caicos, and Portugal. The winners of these legs will then go head-to-head at WTAโs Grand Final, which takes place at The Oberoi, Gurgaon, New Delhi, India, on December 12, 2012.