Best of the Best Honored with 2013 WAVE Awards
CONTACT:
Lisa Frobisher, TravelAge West Marketing Manager
310-954-2514
lfrobisher@travelagewest.com
Best of the Best Honored with 2013 WAVE Awards
From TravelAge West
More than 4,500 votes from travel agents were cast this year
LOS ANGELES — A total of 132 companies, individuals and destinations were celebrated by the readers of TravelAge West as part of the TravelAge West WAVE (Western Agents’ Votes of Excellence) Awards held June 6 in Beverly Hills, Calif., at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills. Honorees were recognized in 49 categories that spanned the cruise, tour operator, airline, hotel and resort, rail vacation, travel insurance and destination travel fields. The annual awards gave travel agents in the Western U.S. the opportunity to recognize the outstanding qualities and services of their travel supplier partners. In addition, top travel agents were honored in three categories as part of the 2013 Trendsetters Awards, also presented at the gala. Categories included: Best Use of Social Media, Upward Bound RockStar Agent Under 40, Best Group Booking Sales Effort, and Industry Activist - Notable Achievements in Support of Travel Agents. More than 4,500 travel agent professionals throughout the 14 Western states and readers of TravelAge West voted on the best-of-the-best from a list of Editor’s Pick award recipients that were chosen after careful review by TravelAge West
Editor-in-Chief Kenneth Shapiro and the editorial team of TravelAge West. Review methods included product analysis, on-site visits, a survey of a select group of travel agents and online research. “Our travel agent readers are very enthusiastic and opinionated when it comes to acknowledging the top suppliers in the West through our WAVE Awards, said Shapiro. As experts in travel, these agents’ support is a powerful endorsement for the quality of these brands.” And, again this year, TravelAge West awarded their ‘Excellence in Leadership’ Award honoring an individual who, in the course of their careers in travel and tourism, consistently have demonstrated leadership and insight, effected change or innovation and made extraordinary contributions to both organizations and the industry at large. The 2013 TravelAge West Excellence in Leadership Award honoree is Susan Tanzman, President of Martin’s Travel & Tours. At the black-tie event, guests dined on a four-course meal while being treated to a multimedia presentation of the award recipients. “The WAVE Awards acknowledge companies that have consistently demonstrated excellence within the travel marketplace,” said Jack Grant, publisher of TravelAge West. “The awards celebrate the best of the best in travel as picked by travel agents who are true experts in the field.”
TravelAge West will feature WAVE Awards coverage in the July 8, 2013 issue.
A list of this year’s WAVE Award winners, as well as a list of Trendsetter Award Recipients, follows.
TravelAge West (www.travelagewest.com) has been serving the travel industry for over 44 years as a leading source of travel industry news and product information. Read by travel agents, travel suppliers and travel industry professionals, the publication has a circulation of over 22,000 readers in 14 Western U.S. states.
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2013 WAVE Award Recipients
Best Onboard Entertainment
Royal Caribbean International
Best Onboard Dining (ocean-going)
Celebrity Cruises
Best Shore Excursion (ocean-going)|
Holland America Line
Cruise Line with the Highest Client Satisfaction (less than 1,100 passengers)
Crystal Cruises
Cruise Line with the Highest Client Satisfaction (more than 1,100 passengers)
Celebrity Cruises
Best New Ship (ocean-going)
Disney Fantasy, Disney Cruise Line
Cruise Line Providing the Best Travel Agent Support
Royal Caribbean International
Best Overall Cruise Line for River Cruising
Viking River Cruises
Best Onboard Dining (river cruise)
Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection
Best New Ship (river cruise)
AmaCerto, AmaWaterways
Best Shore Excursions (river cruise)
Viking River Cruises
River Cruise Line Providing the Best Travel Agent Support
Viking River Cruises
Hotel/Resort Chain Providing the Best Travel Agent Support
Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide
Best New Property or Major Renovation, Hawaii
Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach
Best New Property or Major Renovation, Mexico
Secrets The Vine Cancun
Best New Property or Major Renovation, Caribbean
Sandals Grande Riviera Beach & Villa Golf Resort
Best Resort for Families, Mexico
Dreams Cancun Resort & Spa
Best Resort for Families, Caribbean
Beaches Turks & Caicos
Best Resort for Couples, Hawaii
Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa
Best All-Inclusive Resort, Mexico
Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun
Best All-Inclusive Resort, Caribbean
Sandals Emerald Bay
Best Hotel Chain USA/Canada|
Marriott International
Destination with the Highest Client Satisfaction, Asia
Thailand
Destination with the Highest Client Satisfaction, Europe
Italy
Best Destination for Adventure, USA
Alaska
Best of the West: Best Western Destination for Gay Travel
San Francisco
Favorite Three Night Weekend Destination to Sell
Las Vegas
Destination with the Highest Client Satisfaction, USA
Hawaii
Best Tour Operator, Escorted
Globus Family of Brands
Best Tour Operator, FIT
Travel Impressions
Best Tour Operator, Africa/Middle East
Abercrombie & Kent
Best Tour Operator, Asia
Pacific Delight Tours
Best Tour Operator, Caribbean
GOGO Vacations
Best Tour Operator, Central/South America
Globus Family of Brands
Best Tour Operator, Europe
Trafalgar
Best Tour Operator, Hawaii
Pleasant Holidays
Best Tour Operator, Mexico
Apple Vacations
Best Tour Operator, USA/Canada
Tauck
Tour Operator Providing the Best Travel Agent Support
Globus Family of Brands
Best Airline, Domestic
Delta Air Lines
Best Airline, International
Singapore Airlines
Car Rental Company Providing the Best Travel Agent Support
Enterprise Rent-a-Car
Best North American Rail Vacation Provider
Rocky Mountaineer
Official International Tourist Board Providing the Best Travel Agent Support
Mexico Tourism Board
Best Travel Insurance Company
Travel Guard
WRITE-IN CATEGORIES:
Favorite Individual Hotel Sales Representative
Diane Fraser
Aston Hotels & Resorts
Favorite Individual Tour Operator Sales Representative
Megan Gillespie
Pleasant Holidays
Favorite Individual River Cruise Sales Representative
Michael Weldon
Viking River Cruises
Favorite Individual Cruise Sales Representative
Randall Raudt
Royal Caribbean International
TravelAge West 2013 Trendsetter Award Recipients
Best Group Booking Sales Effort
Winner: Debra Kerper, Easy Access Travel}
Runner Up: Tammy Selee, Harmon Travel / Concerts at Sea
Upward Bound, RockStar Agent Under 40
Winner: Jonathan Alder, TravelStore
Runner Up: Andres Zuleta, Global Basecamps
Industry Activist, Notable Achievements in Support of Travel Agents
Winner: Ryan McGredy, Moraga Travel
Runner Up: Daniela Harrison, Avenues of the World Travel
Best Use of Social Media
Winner: Montrose Travel
Runner Up: Avoya Travel
TravelAge West Excellence in Leadership Award
Susan Tanzman
President
Martin’s Travel & Tours