Travel Weekly sister publication Aspire honoured the UK’s top luxury agencies and suppliers at its annual awards ceremony on Wednesday (October 9).
More than 400 people attended the event at Kimpton Clocktower Hotel in Manchester, held once again in partnership with headline sponsor Celebrity Cruises.
Explora Journeys and Carrier were the big winners of the evening, with each brand picking up two accolades. Carrier won Luxury Tour Operator of the Year and Trade Initiative of the Year, while Explora Journeys (pictured) was named Ultra-Luxury Cruise Line of the Year and Luxury Team of the Year. The line’s head of sales for UK & Ireland, Priti Mehta, was also recognised as Aspire Supporter of the Year: Supplier.
Mehta said: “I feel incredibly proud of what we have achieved so far and there’s only more to come with four more ships on their way. A phenomenal land-side and onboard team are to thank for the success we’ve had this evening, but we couldn’t have done any of it without the incredible support of our partners.”
She added: “I feel incredibly honoured to have won the award for Aspire Supporter of the Year. I have supported Aspire for more than 10 years and really value our partnership and wholeheartedly believe in the value of everything you do for the industry.”
Carrier’s head of trade partnerships Lee Marshall said: “We focus so much and think so carefully about everything we do and, in a really crowded marketplace, to win awards like this means the world.
“We never lose the magic of winning an award and we never take it for granted. It’s just a lovely testament to our relationship with the trade. To be recognised for the work that we do doesn’t really carry words for us.”
Outstanding Contribution to Luxury awards went to Alex Cheatle, founder of Ten Lifestyle Group – which was also named Concierge Agency of the Year for the fifth year running – and Valentina De Santis, owner and chief executive of famed Italian hotels Grand Hotel Tremezzo and Passalacqua.
In the agent categories, Select World Travel won the highly coveted Independent Luxury Agency of the Year award, while Jennifer Lonergan was named Luxury Travel Seller of the Year for the third year running.
Lonergan said: “It’s such a prestigious award and I’d say the Aspire Awards are my favourite event. For my company to be recognised in this category with so many other amazing people means absolutely everything.
“We have a genuine love for the industry, and we love our clients – they’re the most important people within the business. I’m friends with a lot of my clients now because they’re just wonderful people and they’re so loyal.
“Going forward, we have plans to expand and possibly bring a couple of people into the business in the future, but really our goal is just to maintain what we’re doing and continue delivering a really good service to our clients.”
Harry Wignall, founder of new luxury independent agency Wimeya, was named Rising Star of the Year.
He said: “I can’t really put into words what it means to have won this award having been operating for less than a year. To be recognised by my peers is such a lovely thing and is testament to what an amazing industry this is to work in. Everyone is so collaborative and the support I’ve had from everyone has just been phenomenal on both the supplier side and from my fellow agents.”
New categories for this year saw Inclu Travel named Inclusivity Champion of the Year and Visit Malta recognised for Inclusivity Initiative of the Year.
Kosta Sinis, director of sales for UK and luxury at Grecotel Hotels & Resorts, was named Aspire’s first Luxury Salesperson of the Year. The hotel brand also picked up the gong for Luxury Hotel Brand of the Year: Large.
Full list of award winners:
Agent categories
Outstanding Contribution to Luxury: Agent – Alex Cheatle, Ten Lifestyle Group
Concierge Agency of the Year – Ten Lifestyle Group
Inclusivity Champion of the Year – Inclu Travel
Independent Luxury Agency of the Year – Select World Travel (Highly commended: Andara Travel)
Independent Luxury Retail Business of the Year – Travel By Hannah
Luxury Cruise Agency of the Year – Mundy Cruising
Luxury Homeworking Business of the Year: Large – Designer Travel
Luxury Homeworking Business of the Year: Small – Once in a Lifetime Holidays
Luxury Travel Seller of the Year – Jennifer Lonergan, The Luxury Traveller (Highly commended: Nadine Lear, Lear Travel)
Rising Star of the Year – Wimeya
Sustainability Champion of the Year – Travel Matters (Highly commended: Travel Counsellors)
Aspire Supporter of the Year: Agent – Andara Travel
Supplier categories
Outstanding Contribution to Luxury: Supplier – Valentina De Santis, Grand Hotel Tremezzo & Passalacqua
Expedition Cruise Line of the Year – Scenic
Luxury Cruise Line of the Year – Celebrity Cruises
Ultra-Luxury Cruise Line of the Year – Explora Journeys
Luxury River Cruise Line of the Year – Scenic & Emerald Cruises
Luxury Hotel Brand of the Year: Boutique/Small – Sani/Ikos Group
Luxury Hotel Brand of the Year: Large – Grecotel Hotels & Resorts
Luxury Salesperson of the Year – Kostas Sinis, Grecotel Hotels & Resorts
Luxury Team of the Year – Explora Journeys (Highly commended: Carrier)
Luxury Tour Operator of the Year – Carrier
Premium Tour Operator of the Year – If Only
Specialist Tour Operator of the Year – Simpson Travel
Sales Representation Company of the Year: Small – Bespoke Earth
Sales Representation Company of the Year: Large – Van Isacker Exclusive
Trade Initiative of the Year – Carrier (Highly commended: Explora Journeys)
Luxury Tourist Board of the Year – Switzerland Tourism
Luxury Adventure Brand of the Year – Aqua Expeditions
Sustainability Initiative of the Year – AE Expeditions
Inclusivity Initiative of the Year – Visit Malta
Unsung Hero of the Year – Lorraine Norcross, Carrier
Aspire Supporter of the Year: Supplier – Priti Mehta, Explora Journeys