Silver Travel Advisor has moved its annual awards ceremony to later in the year.
The event will now take place on September 15 at The Wallace Collection in London.
The awards, which will be hosted by hosted by TV presenter Gyles Brandreth, had been scheduled to take place on June 25.
The deadline for consumers to vote for their favourite travel companies and destinations has been extended to May 31.
More than 110,000 public votes have been cast so far, and is set to exceed the total of 140,000 achieved last year.
Three new ‘Silver-i’ awards for achievement in the 50s-plus market have been added, to be assessed by independent panels of judges.
These will recognise the travel company or destination that has delivered best for the mature traveller since June 2019 in terms of an idea, initiative or innovation as follows:
Breakthrough
Product Innovation or development
Footprint
Responsible/sustainable travel initiatives
Paper
Outstanding print advertising in either the UK trade or consumer press.
Nominations for the Silver-i Awards are being sought from travel companies throughout the industry, on a self-nominating or nominated, free-to-enter basis.
Companies are being asked to submit their entry in no more than 500 words, together with supporting images, by May 29.
Interested parties should contact service@silvertraveladvisor.com to request an entry form.
The Silver-i awards will be judged by two panels of travel industry veterans including:
- Derek Jones, managing director, Kuoni
- Mark Palmer, travel editor, Daily Mail
- Sally Winfield, chief executive, Accord
- Nicola Bradley, head of travel – client category development, Global
- Nicole Mason – Just You
- James Clarke – Travelzoo
- Derek Moore, Aito chairman
- Jane Atkins, managing director, Shearings Holidays
- Laurence Hicks – Tourhound
- David Winterton, head of marketing and global brand curator, Emerald Waterways
- Lynette Dungey, head of travel, international global travel & partnerships, Avis
- Amie Keeley, head of news, Travel Weekly
Judges will not adjudicate on awards that their companies have entered.
Silver Travel Advisor managing director Debbie Marshall said: “We’re excited to be announcing these three new awards that focus more specifically on the year’s best achievements in terms of product development, sustainability initiatives and press advertising.
“Over the last 12 months we have seen some great innovations coming through – some large, some much more modest – but all powered by clever thinking with the needs of the older traveller very much in mind.
“The ‘Breakthrough’ and ‘Footprint’ awards look to reward companies for their understanding of and responsiveness to the 50-plus market, in terms of new ideas that facilitate or add depth to the travel experience – or enhance their holiday in some other way – or that make a real contribution, on whatever scale, to the need for more responsible and sustainable travel.
“The ‘Paper’ award is a nod of recognition to the media consumption of older travellers. Whilst increasingly digitally-savvy and huge users of social media, the 50-pluses are the biggest consumers of printed newspapers and magazines and press advertising remains an important channel by which to reach and influence them.”
Vote for the awards here.