The Winners & Runners-Up in the 2012 Group Travel Awards have just been announced. South East Tour Guides are delighted to see so many companies that they already work with have been included – very well deserved to all and we look forward to continuing to do business together!
PLACES YOU VISIT – ATTRACTIONS AND DESTINATIONS
1a) Best Attraction for Group Visits: Long Visit (more than a two hour visit)
WINNER: Buckingham Palace, London
RUNNER-UP: The Tower of London
Mentioned: Canterbury Cathedral
Dickens World, Kent
The Houses of Parliament, London
Windsor Castle, Berkshire
2) Best Animal or Sea Life Attraction
WINNER: Longleat Safari & Adventure Park, Wiltshire
RUNNER-UP: West Midland Safari & Leisure Park, Worcestershire
Mentioned: SEA LIFE London Aquarium
3) Best Overseas Attraction for Groups
WINNER: Disneyland Paris, France
RUNNER-UP: Nausicaa, France
4) Best UK Destination for Groups
WINNER: London
RUNNER-UP: Manchester
Mentioned: Canterbury Salisbury
5) Best Overseas City or Country for Groups
WINNER: Germany
RUNNER-UP: Belgium
6) Best Shopping Venue for Groups
WINNER: Oswaldtwistle Mills, Lancashire
RUNNER-UP: The Trafford Centre, Manchester
Mentioned: Westfield Shopping Centre, London
7) Best Live Stage / Theatrical Performance
WINNER: War Horse
RUNNER-UP: Les Misérables
GHOST The Musical Jersey Boys
Mamma Mia! The Lion King Wicked
WINNER: Royal Ascot
RUNNER-UP: Thursford Christmas Spectacular, Norfolk
Mentioned: Dickensian Christmas Festival, Rochester
Ideal Home Show, London
RHS Hampton Court Flower Show, London 9) Best Canal or Riverboat Operator for Groups
WINNER: French Brothers, Windsor
RUNNER-UP: City Cruises, London
Mentioned: Bateaux London 10) Best Ocean Cruise Line Operator for Groups
WINNER: Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
RUNNER-UP: Saga Mentioned: Cruise & Maritime Voyages Cunard MSC Cruises Norwegian Cruise Line P&O Cruises
11) Best Specialist Cruise Line Operator for Groups
WINNER:Hurtigruten
RUNNER-UP: CroisiEurope
WHERE YOU STAY – ACCOMMODATION
12) Most Group-Friendly Hotel Chain or Group
WINNER: Daish’s Hotels
RUNNER-UP: Britannia Hotels
Best Western
Oceana Hotels & Leisure
Park Inn (Rezidor Hotel Group)
Puma Hotels Collection (formerly Barcélo UK)
Warner Leisure Hotels
13) Best Individual Hotel for Groups
WINNER: St Kilda Hotel, LlandudnoRUNNER-UP: The Rendezvous Hotel, Skipton
Mentioned: The Cumberland Hotel, Eastbourne The Grand Burstin Hotel, Folkestone
14) Best All-Inclusive Group Holiday Venue
WINNER: Potters Leisure Resort, Norfolk
RUNNER-UP: Cricket St Thomas Hotel, Somerset (Warner Leisure Hotels)
Mentioned: Butlins Bognor Regis, West Sussex
15) Best University Accommodation for Groups
WINNER: University of Kent
RUNNER-UP: St Aidan’s College at Durham University
Mentioned: Imperial College, London, Kings College, London
HOW YOU GET THERE – TRANSPORT
16a & 16b) Best Coach Operator
There are two awards in this category: Best Coach Operator: Small Fleet and Best Coach Operator: Large Fleet
16a) Best Coach Operator: Small Fleet
WINNER: Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company, East Sussex
RUNNER-UP: Chiltern Travel, Ilford
16b) Best Coach Operator: Large Fleet
WINNER: Edwards Coaches, Pontypridd
RUNNER-UP: Epsom Coaches, Surrey
Mentioned: Lucketts Travel, Fareham
17) Best Sea Crossing Operator for Groups
WINNER: Stena Line
RUNNER-UP: Eurotunnel
Condor Ferries, Eurostar
Irish Ferries, P&O Ferries
Red Funnel
18 ) Best Airline for Groups
WINNER: Jet2.com
RUNNER-UP: Flybe
British Airways easyJet
Emirates Lufthansa
Virgin Atlantic Singapore Airlines
HELP & ASSISTANCE – GROUP FACILITIES & INFORMATION
19) Best Company or Venue Offering Guided Tours
WINNER: City & Village Tours
RUNNER-UP: Houses of Parliament, London
BBC Television Centre Tour, London
Hampton Court Palace, Surrey
Highclere Castle, Berkshire
Royal Opera House London
Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon
20) Best Provision of Disabled Facilities
WINNER: Legoland, Windsor
RUNNER-UP: Warwick Castle
Arundel Castle, West Sussex
Cadogan Hall, London
Warner Leisure Hotels
21) Best Group Catering Facilities
WINNER: Planet Hollywood, London
RUNNER-UP: Central Hall Westminster, London
Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire
Denbies Wine Estate, Surrey
Rainforest Café, London
Shaka Zulu, London
The Orangery at Kew Palace, London
22) Best Information Product for Groups website or printed
WINNER: English Heritage Group Visits Guide 2011/12
RUNNER-UP: The National Trust Groups Guide 2011
Encore Advance Groups Bookings Brochure
Historic Royal Palaces http://www.hrp.org.uk
Just for Groups http://www.justforgroups.co.uk
Leeds Castle http://www.leeds-castle.com
Merlin Groups http://www.merlingroups.co.uk (formerly http://www.groupfundays.co.uk)
23) Best Group Ticketing Agency
WINNER: Encore Tickets
RUNNER-UP: Group Line
ATG Tickets
Delfont Mackintosh Theatres Groups
See Groups
The Ticket Factory
Ticketmaster Groups
24a and 24b) Best Group Tour Operator
There are two awards in this category reflecting the number of groups carried by each company (not the size of the company):
Best Group Tour Operator: Small Carrier and Best Group Tour Operator: Large Carrier
24a) Best Group Tour Operator: Small Carrier
WINNER: Tailored Travel RUNNER-UP: Diamond Holidays, Leicestershire
23b) Best Group Tour Operator: Large Carrier
WINNER: Airedale Tours, West Yorkshire
RUNNER-UP: InterChoice, Wolverhampton
Mentioned:
JAG Travel, Surrey
Saga, Kent
The Travel Adventure, East Sussex
Best Overall Group Supplier
Airedale Tours
Outstanding Contribution to Group Travel by an Individual
Steve Plummer
Editor’s Award for Innovation in Tourism
CHOCOLATE – York’s Sweet Story
The Little Treasures Award
Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising
Blue Badge tourist guide
Amanda Hutchinson Blue Badge Guide
Dawn Blee Blue Badge Tour Guide
