Cruising to the top

THE first week of September became memorable for Seabourn, the world's finest ultra-luxury cruise line, as the company received 16 top travel awards and distinctions from Conde Nast Traveller, Cruise International, American Airlines Celebrated Living and Travel Weekly (U.S.) magazines. 

The accolades include best in luxury and readers' choice selections, as well as recognition at other levels in a variety of categories for everything from being the world's best small ship cruise line and best luxury cruise line to best design, onboard entertainment, marketing and loyalty program.

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Its a breeze

THE boutique Seabreeze Resort, Samoa has won “Samoa’s Leading Hotel” for the sixth consecutive year, at the 25th annual World Travel Awards held recently in Hong Kong. 

The award winning Seabreeze Resort is gently nestled into a private secluded bay on Samoa’s famous south-east coast of Upolu. The first “Genuine Adults Only” resort in Samoa for guests 18 years and over, Seabreeze provides the ideal romantic getaway for honeymooners and couples or those seeking luxury and intimacy. Since its re-opening in 2011, Seabreeze, has become one of the most sought-after resorts for total exclusivity in Samoa, winning accolades around the world.  

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And the winner is . . .

GLOBAL Himalayan Expedition has won one of the highest accolades the tourism industry has to offer, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)’s Tourism for Tomorrow Community Award. The WTTC Tourism for Tomorrow Awards showcase business practices of the highest standards within Travel & Tourism. 

The 2018 Awards winners are industry leaders who promote inclusive growth, and work toward a greener future as a result of their proactive contributions to sustainable development and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

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Belfast and the Causeway Coast take the lead

BELFAST and the Causeway Coast have been named the Number One Region in the world to visit in 2018 by Lonely Planet – coming in ahead of places like Alaska, the Languedoc-Roussillon region in France and the Aeolian islands in Italy. The accolade was unveiled in the prestigious Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2018 – its collection of the world’s hottest trends, destinations and experiences for the coming year. 

Tourism Ireland plans to take every opportunity to maximise this accolade for Northern Ireland over the coming weeks and months. Its promotional campaign will roll out in 14 different markets – including Britain, the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, the Nordic region, Australia, New Zealand, India and the GCC.

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New Orleans a top culinary destination

NEW Orleans continues to be recognized as a top culinary destination, most recently being named as one of the Best Food Cities in the World by the prestigious culinary publication, Food & Wine.

The list was produced after extensive research by Food & Wine, which polled more than 50 travel professionals, including top chefs, critics, as well as their own Food & Wine writers, photographers and contributors. The exclusive list featured six international cities including Florence, London, Toronto, Tokyo, Paris and Hong Kong. #NewOrleans was in good company as one of only four U.S. cities included: Los Angeles, New York City and Charleston.

The ranking as one of the Best Food Cities in the World by Food & Wine is New Orleans' most recent accomplishment in a string of accolades including being named the number four city in the U.S. by Travel + Leisure's 2017 World's Best readers survey.

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Slovenia, one of the safest countries in the world

GREEN, active and healthy #Slovenia is one of the safest countries in the world. 

The World Economic Forum, the popular Australian travel site, Travel Weekly, published a list of the safest countries in the world. Slovenia achieved excellent results and ranked in 14th place on the list of 141 countries. The #safety ranking is based on the levels of the costs of common crime and violence, as well as acts of terrorism and how reliable the police services are in an individual country.

In addition to safety, Slovenia is also recognised as one of the most sustainable countries in the world. In 2016, Slovenia became the first country with an overall green assessment, having achieved a 96% match with the indicators of sustainability in #tourism under the international Green Destinations Standard certification system. 

At ITB Berlin 2017, the Slovenian Tourist Board was declared a winner of the National Geographic’s World Legacy Award, awarded to companies, organisations or destinations encouraging sustainable tourism. Slovenia won in the Destination Leadership segment.

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Two scoops please

#BOURNEMOUTH took two top accolades at the 2016 #Dorset #Tourism Awards for the second year in a row. The Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum picked up gold for Small Attraction of the Year and the resort’s new Information Centre took silver for Tourist Information Service of the Year.

Other Bournemouth winners included:

Small Hotel / Boutique Accommodation of the Year – The Grove Hotel (Silver) and Cliff House Hotel (Bronze)

Café & Tearoom of the Year – Little Pickle Deli Café (Bronze)

Tourism Event & Festival of the Year – Shake and Stir Vintage Festival (Silver) and Bournemouth Wheels Festival (Highly Commended)

Venue & Business Tourism Award – BH Live in partnership with Business Events Bournemouth (Bronze)

Tourism Experience of the Year – Dorset Day Trips (Silver) and RockReef on Bournemouth Pier (Bronze)

Unsung Hero Award for Customer Service – Brenden Howard at The Grove Hotel

Large Hotel of the Year – Hilton Bournemouth (Gold)

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Accolade for Combermere

COMBERMERE ABBEY in Shropshire has been named winner of the 2016 Restoration Award presented by the Historic Houses Association and sponsored by Sotheby’s. The house, owned by the Callander Beckett family since 1919, had suffered severe deterioration over a number of years. The award has been given for the most recent full restoration of the North Wing, but also in recognition of the 24-year project to bring the whole house back to life.  

The house is at the heart of 1,000 acres of farmland, woodland, and park, with a 150-acre lake. Its origins date back to the 12th century, and its history has encompassed Royal purchase, the dissolution of the monasteries, the impact of England’s 17th century revolution, and extensive re-modelling in the early 19th century. Combermere was placed on the ‘Heritage at Risk’ register in the 1970s.

Since then, the stable block has been converted to create nine holiday cottages, and the library, formerly the Abbot’s Hall, the North wing and ancillary buildings have been restored.

Sarah Callander Beckett says: ‘We are absolutely thrilled to have won this very prestigious award and to have been recognized by our peers in this way. The restoration of this wonderful place has been my mission since inheriting it in 1992 and has taken my family and me on an extraordinary journey over the past 24 years. To finally see the abbey without scaffolding, standing proud in the landscape as it was designed to be makes it all very worthwhile and I hope will give encouragement to others in a similar situation fighting to save these remarkable treasures.’

www.combermereabbey.co.uk
www.hha.org.uk

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Accolade for golf resort

PGA CATALUNYA RESORT has been named Europe’s Best #Golf Development at the International Property Awards. 

Industry experts cited it as the best example of a golf and real estate development in Europe due to its exceptional facilities, design, continued investment in infrastructure, and location.

In 2013/2014, the resort was voted Spain’s best golf course at the world golf awards and, for the fourth consecutive year, by Top100GolfCourses.co.uk.

The #CostaBrava resort – 50 minutes from Barcelona – has two world-class courses and a range of villas and apartments.

www.pgacatalunya.com

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DFDS Seaways takes top ferry title

DFDS SEAWAYS has been awarded the accolade of Europe’s leading ferry operator in the World Travel Awards Europe for the fourth consecutive year.

The company operates a passenger network, incorporating four routes from the UK to Europe, via Dover-Dunkirk, Dover-Calais, Newhaven-Dieppe, and Newcastle-Amsterdam, plus a number of passenger routes across the Baltic Sea and a service between Copenhagen and Oslo.

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Accolade for Algarve golf course

ONE of the Algarve's most popular golfing venues, Quinta do Lago's #Laranjal, has been hailed by Germany’s Golf magazine, as its favourite course in southern Portugal.

The par-72 layout – which was opened in 2008 – was rated the best of a selection of first-class venues played by the magazine’s reviewing panel.

Built on an old orange grove, the course features fast, giant-sized greens, water features, and Augusta-style bunkers.

In its review, Golf says: ‘Laranjal is one of the most beautiful and best places – the place is a secret in the autumn waiting to be discovered … The accurately-cut fairways meander around the former orange tree plantation, the greens are mega-fast while the bunkers dazzle with their powder-fine white sand. It is in sensational overall condition; wide fairways and little rough guarantee pure fun.’ 

Quinta do Lago's North Course, which was opened last autumn, also won glowing praise from #Golf. ‘The condition of the course is sensational even at this early stage. The fairways are like carpets and it has strategically-placed bunkers and fast greens with several plateaus. Everything is spic and span. This place provides the standard for all other projects and underlines, once more, the supremacy of the #Algarve as a top golf destination in Europe.’

www.quintadolago.com

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Brits flock to Eastern Europe

RESEARCH by payment card company Visa has found that #EasternEurope and the Baltics are becoming increasingly popular with British travellers. #Croatia, #Romania, and #Lithuania are said to be among the top five fastest growing destinations for UK holiday spend.

The research was based on debit card use statistics at point-of-sale and ATMs overseas as compared with travel money bought from bureau de change before departure.

It also found that spend by UK Visa cardholders on summer holidays abroad grew 25% between 2012 and 2014.

Spend by UK cardholders in Romania, Lithuania, and Croatia increased by 80%, 61% and 57% respectively between 2012 and 2014.

Spending in bars and restaurants has seen the fastest growth across these countries, with Croatia leading the way.

Kevin Jenkins, managing director UK and Ireland for Visa Europe, said: ‘Our data suggests the appetite for domestic holidays remains strong, but there’s clearly a renewed desire to grab the passport and get exploring again.

‘A third of Brits tell us they’re taking more overseas holidays than five years ago. The difference though is in the choice of destination. People are looking beyond the traditional Mediterranean holiday spots for new experiences. Croatia’s exploding festival scene, low prices, and stunning scenery are making it highly attractive and there’s a similar halo effect across Eastern Europe’s new tourist hotspots. Lithuania, too, has become a real hotspot.’

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Accolades for Malta

MALTA has scored highly in the latest European Union bathing waters quality report, which said all of the island’s bathing sites were of ‘excellent’.

The three nations with the highest number of poor sites were France, Spain, and Italy.

SEVEN heritage sites in Malta have received a Certificate of Excellence by TripAdvisor. They are:

The Inquisitor’s Palace

Ħaġar Qim Temples

Mnajdra Temples

Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum

National Museum of Archaeology

Malta Maritime Museum

St. Paul’s Catacombs

The awards are given to sites that consistently achieve outstanding traveller reviews on TripAdvisor.

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