Gallery: Silver Travel Awards
Reviews site hands out 17 accolades at Madame Tussauds event. Report by Amie Keeley.
Riviera Travel and Shearings Holidays both scooped two gongs at this year’s Silver Travel Awards.
The awards, which recognise travel companies that best cater for the over-50s market, were handed out by singer and presenter Aled Jones at a ceremony at Madame Tussauds last week.
A record 55,000 consumers voted for their favourite travel brands in 17 categories for the awards, for which Travel Weekly is trade media partner.
Riviera Travel was named best city breaks operator and best escorted touring operator for Europe and long-haul tours. Shearings Holidays won best UK breaks operator and best escorted touring operator for UK tours.
Two special awards were judged by a panel of senior travel industry figures, including Travel Weekly news editor Amie Keeley.
Wendy Atkin-Smith, managing director of Viking Cruises UK, won the exceptional achievement award for her lifetime contribution to the over-50s travel market.
The Classic FM 25-year anniversary travel company award went to Kirker Holidays, with Inghams named runner-up.
Debbie Marshall, managing director of Silver Travel Advisor, said: “Our winners have been voted for by a record number of the Great British public. These awards are a real endorsement of how well these companies are addressing the opportunities in the over-50s market to deliver inspiring and insightful holidays.
“It has been wonderful to recognise Wendy Atkin-Smith of Viking Cruises. She has helped nurture a new sector of service-driven, 50s-friendly travel.”
Atkin-Smith saluted with lifetime award
Viking Cruises managing director Wendy Atkin-Smith was recognised for her long-time support for the mature traveller.
Judges acclaimed Atkin-Smith for the “insight and creative thinking” in Viking’s marketing messages that they said were “bespoke and crafted purely for the silver audience”.
Sponsorships and partnerships with the V&A Museum, Royal Horticultural Society and the British Museum, and a move into TV sponsorship, were highlighted as “bold moves” that had paid off.
Atkin-Smith has more than 30 years’ experience in travel, including 20 in cruising, having started as a junior in a travel agency at 16.
Other nominees for the exceptional achievement award included: Francis Torrilla, Kuoni Specialist Businesses; David Clemson, Riviera Travel; Jo Rzymowska, Celebrity Cruises; and Mike Collins, Tropical Sky.
Kirker Holidays scoops Classic FM anniversary award
To mark Classic FM’s 25-year anniversary, a special award recognising a travel company with at least a quarter of a century’s experience in selling holidays to mature customers was also handed out.
Nine companies nominated themselves and a panel of judges selected the winner, which was Kirker Holidays.
Set up in 1986, the European short-haul operator said it had always “endeavoured to take particular care of more experienced travellers”.
Kirker beat Inghams, Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line, Somak, CV Villas, Solos, Explore and HF Holidays. Joint managing director Ted Wake said: “Kirker has been aiming to please discerning silver travellers for more than 30 years and we are delighted to be recognised.”
Gallery: Silver Travel Awards