New Branch of the Year category added to Agent Achievement Awards

A new category has been introduced for the 2026 Travel Weekly Agent Achievement Awards to celebrate the success of travel agencies and agents on the frontline.

The Agency Branch of the Year award will complement a line-up of company and individual categories which were revamped last year to honour travel agencies of all sizes and sales channels.

The new category will be open to any travel agency with a retail presence, regardless of size, and is designed to celebrate businesses maximising their resources to deliver strong commercial performance and community engagement.

Travel Weekly Group editor-in-chief Lucy Huxley said: “The overhaul of the AAAs in 2025 allowed us to better reflect the changing face of the travel trade and shine a greater light on SMEs as well as larger companies through categories for small, medium-sized and large agencies.

“The addition of the new Agency Branch of the Year category allows us to go even further in celebrating our frontline readers by inviting business owners and branch managers to put themselves forward for recognition.”

Huxley added: “For the past three decades the AAAs have represented the pinnacle of success for travel agencies and individual agents and support staff, and I can’t wait to honour an individual branch for its achievements over the past 12 months.”

The 2026 Agent Achievement Awards will take place at London’s Westminster Bridge Park Plaza hotel on Thursday, July 9, in association with new joint headline sponsors Celebrity Cruises and Virgin Atlantic.

The event will feature the presentation of a range of supplier-voted awards recognising the leading agencies in the UK based on region, sales channel and product specialisms.

Additional self-nominated categories celebrate individuals, including agents working on the high street, from home and in call centres, as well as managers and sales support staff.

The future of the travel trade is recognised with an award for agents under the age of 20, and another for businesses which were formed within the past two years.

Special awards will recognise outstanding contribution to the trade as well as businesses’ commitment to the wellbeing and development of their staff.

Nicki Goldsmith, director of global agency sales at Virgin Atlantic, said: “As a long-term supporter of the AAAs we are delighted to show our ongoing support for our agent partners as we return as headline sponsor alongside Celebrity Cruises.

“The awards are the pinnacle of success within the travel trade and we can’t wait to celebrate alongside the winners on the night.”

Claire Stirrup, managing director EMEA at Celebrity Cruises, said, "Travel agents are absolutely at the heart of everything we do, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to celebrate their incredible achievements as joint headline sponsor of the AAAs alongside Virgin Atlantic.

“This event is always a true highlight of the year - an electric celebration of talent, passion, and excellence - and we’re already buzzing with excitement to honour the standout agents and agencies from across the UK."

For full a full list of categories and details of how to enter and vote in the AAAs

 Visit agentachivementawards.co.uk