The Association of Touring and Adventure Suppliers is calling on travel agents to enter its 2023 awards scheme.
The Atas Recognition Awards scheme honours agents who have showcased touring and adventure holidays in the most innovative or successful ways.
The winners will be crowned during a glittering ceremony at the Atas Annual Conference, which will take place at the Rum Warehouse, Titanic Hotel in Liverpool (October 10-11).
Claire Brighton, Atas director, said: “There was great excitement among delegates at last year’s conference at the British Motor Museum as we presented the awards to the winners.
“The agents who won the honours were delighted to have their dedication to our sector being celebrated.
“Now we’re asking agents to take part again this year, by nominating themselves or a colleague who has distinguished themselves during 2023 – and we’d like to see as many agents as possible join us in Liverpool as we recognise the winners’ fantastic achievements at our conference.”
The awards for 2023 are:
• Touring & Adventure One to Watch
This category is open to any individual agent or agency which has made strides to start selling the touring and adventure product in the last 12 months. Entries should highlight their route to promoting and selling touring and adventure holidays, the successes they have seen as well as plans for future growth. This award can be self-nominated or nominated by someone else from the wider travel industry.
• Social Media Star
This category is open to any individual agent or agency which has promoted touring and adventure holidays via social media over the last 12 months. Entries should briefly describe your social media strategy and include details on followers and engagement levels as well as detailing the success seen as a result of the strategy. This award can be self-nominated or nominated by someone else from the wider travel industry.
• Sustainability Champion
This category is open to any individual agent or agency who prides themselves on putting sustainable practices at the forefront of their business. Entries should highlight a passion for sustainable/responsible travel and examples of how you put issues around sustainability front and centre to ensure clients are having as little impact as possible when travelling. Agents entering this category must be engaging with the touring and adventure sector. This award can be self-nominated or nominated by someone else from the wider travel industry.
• Regional categories are nominated and voted for by suppliers:
Agency of the Year – Southeast England
Agency of the Year – Southwest England
Agency of the Year – Northeast England
Agency of the Year – Northwest England
Agency of the Year – Central England
Agency of the Year – Scotland & Northern Ireland
Agency of the Year – Wales
Agency of the Year – High Street
Agency of the Year – Homeworking
Agency of the Year – Online/Call Centre
Touring & Adventure Agency of the Year
To enter or nominate, please contact Claire Brighton on claire.brighton@touringandadventure.com. The closing date is August 11.
Winners last year included Once in a Lifetime Holidays, Darryl Gardner (Cartwright Travel), ArrangeMY Escape, Miles Morgan Travel, Aspen Travel, Millington Travel, Fiona Bibby (Travel Architect), Cartwright Travel, Travel Counsellors and Travel Club Elite.
Click here for pictures from last year’s Atas conference.
Pictured: Award winners at the Atas Conference 2022 held at the British Motor Museum, Warwickshire. Photograph by Steve Dunlop