Tourism royalty convened for the spectacular World Travel Awards (WTA) Europe Gala Ceremony 2024 at the Ritz-Carlton, Berlin to find out who amongst them had been voted the continent’s best of the best.
The red-carpet reception marked the opening leg of WTA’s Grand Tour 2024, a global search for the finest travel and tourism organizations, covering six continents.
Greece made the headlines by claiming the accolade for ‘Europe’s Leading Destination’. Portugal also enjoyed a glittering evening, with the Atlantic archipelago of Madeira winning ‘Europe’s Leading Island Destination’, Braga named ‘Europe’s Leading Emerging Tourism Destination’, and Azores collecting ‘Europe’s Leading Adventure Tourism Destination.’
In the newcomer categories, the stylish grandeur of The Peninsula London was acknowledged as ‘Europe’s Leading New Hotel’. The captivating coastal hideaway of One&Only Aesthesis, Athens was hailed ‘Europe’s Leading New Resort’. Spain’s Casa Palacio Don Ramón took ‘Europe’s Leading New Boutique Hotel’. And Berlin’s Deutschlandmuseum – an immersive journey through 2,000 years of German history – was voted ‘Europe’s Leading New Tourist Attraction’.
Hospitality sector winners included Istanbul’s Çırağan Palace Kempinski, voted ‘Europe’s Leading Hotel’, whilst Sardinia’s Forte Village took ‘Europe’s Leading Resort’. Seven Visions Resort & Places, The Dvin – the fascinating new attraction in the heart of Armenia’s capital Yerevan – was declared ‘Europe’s Leading Entertainment Hotel’. Savoy Palace, Madeira won ‘Europe’s Leading Luxury Hotel’. The Convention Centre Dublin claimed ‘Europe’s Leading Meetings & Conference Centre’. Brand winners included Citadines (‘Europe’s Leading Serviced Apartment Brand’); Kaizen Hoteles (‘Europe’s Leading Independent Hotel Group’); and Delphina Hotels & Resorts (‘Europe’s Leading Green Independent Hotel Group’).
Aviation winners included Lufthansa collecting ‘Europe’s Leading Airline’, whilst Zurich Airport was voted ‘Europe’s Leading Airport’. British Airways claimed ‘Europe’s Leading Airline – Business Class’ and Turkish Airlines won ‘Europe’s Leading Airline – Economy Class’. TAP Air Portugal also enjoyed a fruitful evening, taking Europe’s Leading Airline to South America. Europe’s Leading Airline Lounge went to THE LOFT by Brussels Airlines and Lexus @ Brussels Airport.
Graham Cooke, Founder, WTA, says: “It has been a privilege to host the opening ceremony of our 2024 Grand Tour in Berlin for an incredible evening acknowledging the pinnacle of Europe’s travel and tourism economy. I congratulate each and every one of our winners for helping to raise the collective benchmark to even greater heights.”
Other winners included La Clef Champs-Elysées Paris (‘Europe’s Leading Serviced Apartments’); THE VIEW Lugano (‘Switzerland’s Leading Design Hotel’); Johnnie Walker Princes Street (‘Europe’s Leading Spirit Tourism Experience’).
