News

Winners of 2023 SPAA Awards unveiled

The winners of the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association (SPAA) awards have been revealed at a ceremony in Glasgow.

The sell-out event at The Doubletree by Hilton hotel saw suppliers and agencies honoured in front of 600 guests, based on the votes of agent and supplier partners respectively.

The awards were presented by radio and TV broadcaster Robin Galloway alongside SPAA vice-president Jacqueline Dobson, while entertainment was provided by a Motown cover band and a poem dedicated to the headline sponsors by SPAA president Mike Tibbert.

The supplier categories included companies specialising in mainstream and specialist holidays, cruise, air travel, hotels, individual representatives and airlines, all of which are SPAA associates.

The travel agency categories include large and small business and leisure agencies and homeworker of the year.

Tibbert described the awards as “the highlight of our events calendar”.

The 2023 winners were:

Holiday Awards               

  • Luxury Tour Operator of the Year: If Only…
  • Touring & Adventure Operator of the Year: Newmarket Holidays
  • Ski Company of the Year : Inghams
  • Short Haul Operator of the Year: Jet2holidays
  • Long Haul Operator of the Year: Gold Medal

Cruise & Ferry Awards                 

  • Mainstream Cruise Company of the Year : Virgin Voyages
  • Premium Cruise Company of the Year: Celebrity Cruises
  • Luxury Cruise Company of the Year: Silversea
  • Specialist Cruise Company of the Year: Azamara Cruises
  • River Cruise Company of the Year: Scenic & Emerald Cruises
  • Ferry Company of the Year: DFDS

Hotels, Short Breaks, Ground & Holiday Essentials Awards          

  • Accommodation Only Supplier of the Year: bedsonline
  • Hotel & Resort Operator of the Year: Beachcomber Hotels
  • European City Break Operator of the Year: Jet2 City Breaks
  • Holiday Essentials Supplier of the Year: DoSomethingDifferent.com
  • Rail Operator of the Year: LNER

Airline Awards                

  • Domestic Airline of the Year: Loganair
  • European Airline of the Year: Jet2.com
  • Transatlantic Airline of the Year: Virgin Atlantic
  • Worldwide Airline of the Year: Emirates

Representative Awards                              

  • Airline Representative: Greig White, Loganair
  • Cruise Representative: Kerry Buchanan, Virgin Voyages
  • Leisure Representative: Martin Maclaren, Beachcomber

Agency Awards               

  • Large Business Agency of the Year: Clyde Travel Management
  • Small Business Agency of the Year: Stewart Travel
  • Homeworker the Year: Muriel Morgan, Travel Counsellors
  • Large Leisure Agency of the Year: Barrhead Travel
  • Small Leisure Agency of the Year: Glen Travel

Special Awards

  • Edinburgh Airport Airline Sustainability Award: Ryanair
  • Glasgow Airport Airline of the Year: Icelandair

Share article

View Comments

Jacobs Media is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more.