Online Travel Training (OTT) has revealed the winners of the OTT Pop Awards 2024, recognising the most in-demand courses of 2023.
The training provider has also named six travel professionals as ‘OTT Gurus’ after their dedication to learning last year.
The most popular course across all categories was ‘Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Dubai’, while Clarity Business Travel’s Molly Ritchie was the Guru who completed the most courses – she finished a total of 206 courses last year.
OTT managing director Julia Feuell said: “My congratulations to all the popular courses and thanks to everyone who took the time to take these courses to improve their product knowledge and sales skills.”
It is the second year in a row that a hotel course had been named as the most popular, with Atlantic, The Palm coming out on top in last year’s awards.
“As OTT announces these awards based on course data, we just never know which course will be top,” said Feuell.
She added: “Behind the most popular courses are often the most active brands, who work hard to engage the travel trade with tantalising fam trips or prizes as well as keep them up to date with the latest news, product launches and event invites.”
In addition to Ritchie, this year’s OTT Gurus are: Vanessa Cole, Hays Travel (164 courses); Samantha Grow, Grow Through Travel (148 courses); Liberty Wilson, Scenic Travel (146 courses); Kerry Elliot, Travelling Dreams affiliated with Inteletravel (89 courses); and Isla Stenning, Hays Travel (78 courses).
Ritchie joined Clarity Business Travel in May last year, having previously risen through the ranks at a hotel. She gained an ‘A’ in the HND travel and tourism course she took at the City of Glasgow College from 2019-2021.
“My career has just started in the tourism industry and I am very excited to see what comes,” she said. “I will keep on developing my skills and knowledge, I will keep meeting incredible people, I will keep experiencing amazing opportunities, I will keep gaining achievements and I will work my way up within the industry.”
She added: “As you can see from the 206 courses I have completed, I really enjoy OTT training. It’s fun, interactive, interesting and always available.”
The OTT Gurus have been invited to a winners’ lunch on June 5.
Full list of course winners and runners-up
Airline
Winner: Air Canada
Runner-up: United Airlines
Runner-up: Royal Brunei Airlines
Destination
Winner: Ras Al Khaimah
Runner-up: Algarve
Runner-up: Visit Cyprus
Accommodation
Winner: Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Dubai
Runner-up: Atlantis the Palm, Dubai
Runner-up: The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts Course
Sustainability
Winner: The Lufthansa Group
Runner-up: All Nippon Airways
Attraction
Winner: Kennedy Space Center and Visitors Complex
Tour operator
Winner: Intrepid
Cruise
Winner: Hurtigruten
Webinar
Winner: Peru – Cultural Immersion and Sustainable Activities
Most popular international course
Winner: Atlantic Canada (US website)
Most popular UK course
Winner: Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Dubai
Agents’ choice award
Winner: Iberostar