The Awards, organised by Northern Ireland Travel News in Association with Blue Insurance, attracted almost 450 members of the travel and tourism industry, as well as key decision makers from all over the UK and Ireland to the glittering gala night in the Slieve Donard Resort and Spa. Hosting the event were three members of the highly successful Channel 4 TV series Derry Girls, currently filming a second series.
Belfast-based tour operator Travel Solutions and the leading airline Jet2.com and its tour operating arm Jet2holidays each won an impressive three titles. Travel Solutions won the Award for the Best Ski Operator for its winter leisure product Balkan Ski, as well as the award for The Best Escorted Tour Operator and the category for the Best Sales Support to the Northern Ireland Travel Trade.
Travel Solutions is one of the Province’s most successful local travel companies of the last decade. It has been going through a period of rapid and successful growth, adding new products and destinations virtually on a monthly basis. Growth hast been particularly strong over the past three years and the company has built up a strong relationship with the local travel retail business.
Meanwhile, Jet2.com took home the award for the Best Airline to Europe, while the airline’s tour operator sister company, Jet2holidays won the highly coveted accolade for the Best Tour Operator to Europe as well as the award for the Best Travel Industry Internet Booking System. Jet.com has been rapidly expanding its operations from Belfast in recent years adding new destinations while Jet2holidays has been dramatically expanding the number of its package holiday seats year-round out of Northern Ireland.
Another huge player in the local aviation sector, Flybe, was recognised for its 35 years service to the Province by winning the Northern Ireland Travel Special Award. At Belfast City Airport, one of its top three bases, Flybe employs more than 200 people and operates to an extensive network of regional services throughout the UK with a growing number of connections further afield.
British Airways’ Brenda Morgan was the winner of the Northern Ireland Travel Industry Award. Brenda has spent almost her whole working life in the aviation industry, principally with two of the UK’s leading airlines, British Midland (bmi) and BA, in recent years driving the success of British Airways in Ireland north and south. Recently she has also taken on a key role in the tourism industry, as the enthusiastic first Chairperson of the new Northern Ireland Tourism Alliance.
In the Tourism section of the Awards, the contribution to the local tourism industry for more than 50 years of Lusty Beg resort on Lower Lough Erne, was recognised by the Northern Ireland Tourism Industry Award, while the Northern Ireland Special Achievement Award went to the Belfast Blues Festival, which has just celebrated a decade promoting Blues music and up and coming new talent. Once again the Top NI Visitor Attraction Award went to Titanic Belfast.
Back in the Travel section of the Awards, the coveted Northern Ireland Travel Agent of the Year trophy went for the first time to County Armagh family business Terra Travel, owned and managed by the Murphy family.
The Province’s best travel agents were voted for by their clients, and the top seven businesses Province-wide were then assessed by mystery shoppers, with both personal callers and telephone inquiries. Terra Travel have been in the running for the Travel Agent of the Year title several times in recent years, but this is the first time Terra have actually clinched the title.
The Best Northern Ireland Multiple Retail Agency Branch award went to Thomas Cook, at Castle Court, Belfast, while Donna Rooney of TUI, also in Castle Court, took the NI Travel Consultant of the Year title. Donna reached the final assessments based on votes cast, then came out on top after being assessed by leading Travel Industry VIPs.
It was a good night for Emirates Airlines, taking the award for the Best Airline Worldwide; while the airline’s Northern Ireland representative Lynsey Lamont took the award for the Travel Trade Manager/Representative of the Year.
Katherine Wilkinson of North West Regional College was the winner of the Travel Student of the Year, sponsored by Northern Ireland Travel News, while Las Vegas won the award for the Best Destination.
An outstanding night was rounded off with a wealth of contrasting entertainment, beginning with a special performance ‘From the Mountains to the Sea’, bringing together classical musicians, Irish dancers, Celtic drummers and contemporary performers, sponsored by Tourism Ireland. Also making sure the night went with a swing was the Jet2holidays Orchestra and Soultown Groove with late night DJ Paul McKenna rounding things off in the wee early hours.
The full list of winners was:
Best Tourist Information Centre 2018 – Visit Belfast Welcome Centre
NI Tourism Special Achievement Award 2018 – Belfast Blues Festival
Ni Tourism Industry Award 2018 – Lusty Beg Island
Best NI Visitor Attraction 2018 – Titanic Belfast
NI Travel Student of the Year 2018 – Katherine Wilkinson
Best Travel Insurance Company 2018 – Blue Insurance
Best Luxury Cruise Line 2018 – Silversea
Best Specialist Cruise Line 2018 – Hurtigruten
Best Cruise Line 2018 – Royal Caribbean International
Best Accommodation Only Specialist 2018 – Getabed
Best UK Airline 2018 – British Airways
Best Airline to Europe 2018 – Jet2.com
Best Airline Worldwide 2018 – Emirates
Best Ferry Company 2018 – Stena Line
Best Holiday Add-Ons or Car Hire Provider 2018 – Do Something Different
Best Worldwide Tour Operator 2018 – Gold Medal/Travel 2
Best Escorted Tour Operator 2018 – Travel Solutions
Best Specialist Tour Operator 2018 – American Holidays
Best Luxury Operator 2018 – If Only…
Best Ski Operator 2018 – Travel Solutions/Balkan Ski
Best Tour Operator To Europe 2018 – Jet2holidays
Best Destination Award 2018 – Las Vegas
Travel Trade Manager/Representative of the Year 2018 – Lynsey Lamont
Best Sales Support Team to NI Travel Trade – Travel Solutions
Best Travel Industry Internet Booking System 2018 – Jet2holidays
Best NI Multiple Retail Agency Branch 2018 – Thomas Cook, Castle Court
NI Travel Consultant of the Year 2018 – Donna Rooney
Northern Ireland Travel Special Award 2018 – Flybe 35th Anniversary
NI Travel & Tourism Industry’s Roll of Honour – The Consort Travel Group
NI Travel Industry Award 2018 – Brenda Morgan MBE
Northern Ireland Travel Agent of the Year 2018 – Terra Travel
View Gallery: NITA 2018 | Awards Ceremony
