Awards of Excellence Dinner Highlights First Day of Luxury Travel Expo

Best Private Jet Company
Blue Star Jets

Luxury Travel Expo 2009 kicked into full gear at the MGM Grand Conference Center Tuesday with the second annual Awards of Excellence dinner at The Mirage.

“Luxury Travel Advisor hosts its second annual Awards of Excellence, which will bring together more than 130 luxury travel advisors and suppliers as we celebrate the best in the industry and raise money for a travel industry scholarship,” says Ruthanne Terrero, editorial director of the Questex Travel Group, which includes Luxury Travel Advisor and Travel Agent magazine.

All day Tuesday, agents were showing up to the MGM Grand by the dozens to register before the dinner swept everyone off their feet at night. Nominees for the awards were hand-selected by a nomination board comprised of influential voices in the travel industry including; Priscilla Alexander of Protravel International, Barbara Gallay of Linden Travel Bureau, Inc. and Bob Malmberg of Malmberg Travel Group. Winners were decided upon by the readers of the Luxury Travel Advisor Publication.

"This is an amazing week in Las Vegas for the luxury travel market,” Terrero says. “Travel agents and suppliers have already begun flooding into the city for the many educational and networking events that are being held. Vdara, the first hotel to debut in CityCenter, opened this morning and it looks amazing. All of this is going on as Luxury Travel Expo, the top luxury travel event in the industry, is being held at MGM Grand and the Las Vegas Convention Center.”

The 2009 Awards of Excellence Winners are:

Airline With The Best First-class Service
Singapore Airlines

Airline With The Best Business-class Service
Virgin Atlantic

Best Private Jet Company
Blue Star Jets

Best Cruise Line For Luxury Ocean Cruises
Crystal Cruises

Best Cruise Line For Luxury Small Ships
Silversea

Best Hotel Bar Worldwide
American Bar, The Stafford Hotel, London

Best Luxury River Cruise Provider
Viking River Cruises

Best Luxury Tour Operator/Wholesaler
Abercrombie & Kent

Best Luxury Car Rental Company
Hertz

Best City Center Luxury Hotel in Europe
Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris

Best Luxury Hotel/Resort In North America
Montage Laguna Beach

Best Luxury Hotel/Resort in Asia
Amanpuri Phuket, Thailand

Best Luxury Hotel/Resort in South Pacific/Australia
St. Regis Bora Bora

Best Luxury Hotel/Resort in Caribbean/Bermuda/Bahamas
One&Only Ocean Club, Paradise Island, The Bahamas

Best Luxury Resort Hotel in Mexico/Central/South America
One&Only Pamilla Resort, Cabo San Lucas

Best Luxury Hotel/Resort in the Middle East
Burj Al-Arab, Dubai

Best Luxury Hotel/Resort in Africa/Indian Ocean
Cape Grace, Cape Town

Best Luxury Hotel Group
Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts

Best Resort Beach Worldwide
St. Regis Bora Bora

Top Luxury Suite in a Hotel/Resort Worldwide
Royal Suite, Burj Al Arab

Top Villa in a Luxury Hotel/Resort Worldwide
The Sanctuary, Parrot Cay, Turks and Caicos

Best City Center Luxury Hotel Spa Worldwide
Bellagio, Las Vegas

Top Luxury Destination Management Company Worldwide
Abercrombie & Kent

Top Concierge Worldwide
Frank Laino, The Stafford, London

Top General Manager of a Luxury Hotel/Resort Worldwide
Aaron Kaupp, Palazzo Sasso, Ravello, Italy