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Award Categories

Specialist Wholesaler of the Year

This category is for travel companies that package together specialist holidays using the products of third party suppliers, which are sold to consumers either via a travel agent or direct.

This category is for companies that specialise in niche sectors rather than companies who offer a wide range of different specialisms.

In submitting your entry, we ask you to think about the period of business from the financial year of 2018/2019 — from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

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Adventure Travel Wholesaler of the Year

This category is for travel companies that package together adventure travel holidays using the products of third party of suppliers, which are sold to consumers either via a travel agent or direct.

For the purposes of this award Adventure Travel is defined as: “A type of tourism involving travel to remote or exotic locations and / or taking part in physically challenging outdoor activities while on vacation.” The judges accept that there is crossover with this category and the Specialist Wholesaler of the Year category, which focusses more on niche wholesalers.

In submitting your entry, we ask you to think about the period of business from the financial year of 2018/2019 — from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

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Marketing Campaign of the Year

This category is for travel companies or their marketing/advertising/PR agency that have released a marketing campaign in the past 12 months.

Examples include a television, radio, print, video, online, social media or multi-platform campaign. Both trade and consumer campaigns are accepted.

Your campaign must have been active in market during the financial year of 2018/2019 — from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

Entries can be submitted by either the travel company or by their marketing/advertising/PR agency, on behalf of their client.

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PR Campaign of the Year

This category is for travel companies or their PR agencies that have released a PR campaign in the past 12 months.

Examples include a television, radio, print, video, online, social media or multi-platform campaign. Both trade and consumer campaigns are accepted.

Your campaign must have been active in market during the financial year of 2018/2019 — from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

Entries can be submitted by both the travel company; or by their PR agency, on behalf of their client.

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Social Media Campaign of the Year

This category is for travel companies or their social media/advertising agency that have released a social media campaign in the past 12 months.

Examples of types of applications include but are not limited to social commerce, social networking, location based services, entertainment, advertising campaigns, reviews and opinion, information aggregators, blogging sites as well as product and services.

Your campaign must have been active in market during the financial year of 2018/2019 — from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

Entries can be submitted by both the travel company; or by their social media/advertising agency, on behalf of their client.

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Tourism Board of the Year

This category is for tourism boards both big and small. It is designed to reward the great work done amongst trade and consumers in an effort to raise a destinations’ profile and ultimately visitation.

In submitting your entry, we ask you to think about the period of business from the financial year of 2018/2019 — from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

Entrants into Tourism Board of the Year may also enter Destination of The Year, should they wish.

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Trade Sales Team of the Year

This category is for travel companies that have a dedicated trade-facing sales team.

In submitting your entry, we ask you to think about the period of business from the financial year of 2018/2019 — from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

This category will measure the cohesiveness and effectiveness of trade sales teams. There is no limit on the size of nominated sales teams.

Sales teams will be judged on results relative to the size of the teams and operations. A larger bottom line is not necessarily a winning criteria, rather, the winning team will demonstrate how they have shown initiative, innovation and teamwork to achieve a specific set of goals.

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Destination of the Year

This category is for the destination that is riding a wave of consumer sentiment. The winner will not necessarily be the destination with the highest visitation. Judges will be looking for the destination that everyone is talking about, the destination that is offering diverse and exciting experiences, a range of product for all, while giving holidaymakers the trip of a lifetime.

In submitting your entry, we ask you to think about the period of business from the financial year of 2018/2019 — from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

Entrants into Destination of The Year may also enter Tourism Board of the Year, should they wish.

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Luxury Travel Brand of the Year

This category is for travel brands that identify themselves as being providers of luxury experiences. This could be for a destination or an individual company.

Examples include, but are not limited to, luxury hotels, luxury touring, luxury wholesaler, luxury cruising, private jet flights, luxury or boutique experiences and luxury destinations which offer a large amount of high-end product.

In submitting your entry, we ask you to think about the period of business from the financial year of 2018/2019 — from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

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River Cruise Line of the Year

This category is for River Cruise Lines that operate either in Australian waters or overseas.

In submitting your entry, we ask you to think about the period of business from the financial year of 2018/2019 — from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

This category is for companies that specialise in and whose primary line of business is river cruise. This is distinct from companies whose primary line of business is ocean, small ship or expedition cruising, for which there are other specific categories to enter in The Travel Awards.

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Ocean Cruise Line of the Year

This category is for Ocean Cruise Lines that operate either in Australia or overseas.

In submitting your entry, we ask you to think about the period of business from the financial year of 2018/2019 — from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

This category is for companies that specialise in and whose primary line of business is ocean cruise. This is distinct from companies whose primary line of business is river, small ship or expedition cruising, for which there are other specific categories to enter in The Travel Awards.

This category is open to operators of vessels with a passenger capacity of over 250.

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Expedition Cruise Line of the Year

This category is for Expedition Cruise Lines that operate either in Australia or overseas.

In submitting your entry, we ask you to think about the period of business from the financial year of 2018/2019 — from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

This category is for companies that specialise in and whose primary line of business is expedition cruise. This is distinct from companies whose primary line of business is river, ocean or small ship cruise for which there are other specific categories to enter in The Travel Awards. It typically, but not exclusively, will relate to expedition cruise ship operators who sail to polar regions, Alaska, Canada, Greenland, the Kimberley, Papua New Guinea, the wider Pacific Ocean and other remote ocean regions.

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Small Ship Cruise Line of the Year

This category is for Small Ship Cruise Lines that operate either in Australia or overseas.

In submitting your entry, we ask you to think about the period of business from the financial year of 2018/2019 — from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

This category is limited to operators of vessels with a maximum passenger capacity of 250.

This category is for companies that specialise in and whose primary line of business is small ship cruising. This is distinct from companies whose primary line of business is river, expedition, or ocean cruising, for which there are other specific categories to enter in The Travel Awards.

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Business Class Airline of the Year

This category is for airlines with a specific focus on business class product.

In submitting your entry, we ask you to think about the period of business from the financial year of 2018/2019 — from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

This category is open to airlines that have a distinct business class product. This is in contrast from first class, premium economy and economy classes. Judging will focus purely on the business class offering, irrespective of the inclusive nature of an airline’s complete passenger offering. There are distinct categories for premium economy, economy and low cost carriers in The Travel Awards.

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Economy Class Airline of the Year

This category is for airlines with a specific focus on economy class product.

In submitting your entry, we ask you to think about the period of business from the financial year of 2018/2019 — from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

Judging will focus purely on the economy class offering, irrespective of the inclusive nature of an airline’s passenger offering. There are other distinct categories for premium economy, business class and low cost carriers in The Travel Awards.

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Premium Economy Class Airline of the Year

This category is for airlines with a specific focus on premium economy class product.

In submitting your entry, we ask you to think about the period of business from the financial year of 2018/2019 — from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

This category is open to airlines that have a distinct premium economy class product. This is in contrast from first class, business class and economy classes. Judging will focus purely on the premium economy class offering, irrespective of the inclusive nature of an airline’s complete passenger offering. There are other distinct categories for business class, economy and low cost carriers in The Travel Awards.

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Low Cost Airline of the Year

This category is for airlines that classify themselves a low cost carrier.

In submitting your entry, we ask you to think about the period of business from the financial year of 2018/2019 — from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

This category is open to airlines that sell airfares at a lower rate than mainstream carriers. It includes carriers that do not include meals, extras, or surplus baggage allowance as part of a ticketed price.

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Vehicle Hire of the Year

This category is for vehicle hire companies.

In submitting your entry, we ask you to think about the period of business from the financial year of 2018/2019 — from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

This category is for companies that classify themselves as car hire and motorhome operators and rent/hire vehicles as aggregators. This can be more broadly defined as vehicle hire companies and can include companies that hire small and large cars, vans, campervans, caravans and motorhomes.

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Hotel of the Year

This category is for an individual hotel or resort property of any size operating domestically or internationally.

There are no restrictions on whether the hotel/resort is owned by a large group, a boutique chain or a single entity. Judges will consider service, satisfaction, product offering, marketing and innovation.

In submitting your entry, we ask you to think about the period of business from the financial year of 2018/2019 — from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

Entrants may enter one or all of the hotel categories listed, so long as they fit the criteria set out.

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Boutique Hotel of the Year – 10 properties or less

This category is for boutique hotels with 10 or less properties within its network.

For the purposes of the judging process a boutique hotel is defined as, “A high quality small hotel or resort that has between 10 and 100 rooms in unique, high end or unusual settings.”

In submitting your entry, we ask you to think about the period of business from the financial year of 2018/2019 — from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

Entrants may enter one or all of the hotel categories listed, so long as they fit the criteria set out.

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Travel Insurance Provider of the Year

This category is for travel insurance providers based in Australia.

In submitting your entry, we ask you to think about the period of business from the financial year of 2018/2019 — from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

Specifically, this category is for companies that classify themselves as travel insurance providers and provide travel insurance to the general public via travel agents or direct to consumers in Australia for domestic and overseas travel.

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Escorted Touring Company of the Year

This category is for Escorted Touring Companies with a base of operations in Australia.

In submitting your entry, we ask you to think about the period of business from the financial year of 2018/2019 — from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

Specifically, this category is for companies with a base of operations in Australia that retail and operate touring holidays involving group accommodation, transport, experiences and tour guides, both domestically and overseas.

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Employer of Choice

This category is for any company with employees and an office in Australia working within the travel industry.

In submitting your entry, we ask you to think about the period of business from the financial year of 2018/2019 — from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

This category is to showcase the great employers that the travel industry possesses and presents an opportunity for the winner and finalists to exhibit themselves positively for future talent acquisition.

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Sustainable Tourism Company of the Year

This category is for travel companies that see themselves as offering the best in Sustainable Tourism practices. The judges are specifically looking for companies operating within the travel sector that are creating ongoing environmental, social, economic and cultural benefits for the local people and places these trips visit.

There are no limits as to who can enter this category and the judges welcome submissions from all sectors of the industry, including but not limited to wholesalers, resorts, tour operators, niches travel businesses, major hotel chains, airlines and parent companies.

In submitting your entry, we ask you to think about the period of business from the financial year of 2018/2019 — from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

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Social Responsibility Award

This category is for travel companies and tourism boards that have coordinated a program or initiative that makes a genuine, lasting positive impact on the people and places where it has been deployed.

The award is for a specific initiative, within that initiative there can be a number of phases or processes and the initiative can be deployed across a number of locations. The initiative should be an example of best practice that the rest of the travel industry can admire, with the hope to spur others on in a similar vein.

In submitting your entry, we ask you to think about the period of business from the financial year of 2018/2019 — from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

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Innovation of the Year

This category is designed to showcase and encourage innovative businesses, technology, strategies or campaigns. The judges are looking for innovations that have been brave, well thought out and exhibit unique, forward thinking solutions.

This category is not limited to technology companies, although they may very well enter. Traditionally non-tech based businesses may also enter as the focus is on innovation, which should span all facets of the industry.

In submitting your entry, we ask you to think about the period of business from the financial year of 2018/2019 — from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

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