A celebratory night filled with excitement and surprises marked the second annual American Group Travel Awards. Presented by HotelPlanner.com, the event attended by over 300 group travel industry professionals was held on November 9 at the Diamond Horseshoe Theatre in New York City’s Paramount Hotel.
The black-tie affair included a sit-down dinner, live acrobatic performances from Queen of the Night and one of the top DJs in New York City. The evening’s master of ceremonies, Dylan Ratigan, is a former CNBC host and New York Times best-selling author. Throughout the evening Ratigan ushered presenters on to the stage to recognize highachievers in 20 different categories from top hotels, cruises, ground transportation, airlines and more.
“These awards represent not only unwavering dedication of leading group travel organizations, but have also impacted the continuous growth of group travel by providing the finest experiences.” – HotelPlanner CEO Tim Hentschel
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“These awards represent not only unwavering dedication of leading group travel organizations, but have also impacted the continuous growth of group travel by providing the finest experiences,” stated HotelPlanner CEO Tim Hentschel. During the evening Hentschel urged guests to bequeath funds to students attending Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration.
Leisure Group Travel readers have a say in selecting the winners as the magazine invites readers to vote for their favorite suppliers in early fall. “We are proud to be a sponsor of American Group Travel Awards,” stated Jeff Gayduk, publisher of Leisure Group Travel. “It’s a first-class event with A-list attendees, an energetic pulse and there’s always a few surprises.” The 2016 event is scheduled for November 14.
2015 Group Travel Award Winners
Best Group Hotel Brand – Boutique Winner: W Hotels Runner-up: Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants
Best Leisure Group Hotel Brand Winner: Holiday Inn Runner-up: Comfort Inn & Suites
Best Sports Team Travel Hotel Brand Winner: Quality Inn Runner-up: Holiday Inn Express
Best Group Casino Hotel Winner: Bellagio Las Vegas Runner-up: Caesars Palace Las Vegas
Best Airline for Group Travel Winner: United Airlines Runner-up: Delta Air Lines
Best Cruise Line for Group Travel Winner: Carnival Cruise Lines Runner-up: Royal Caribbean International
Best Independent Hotel Brand Winner: Loews Hotels & Resorts Runner-up: Ayres Hotels
Best Live Stage Performance for Groups Winner: The Phantom of the Opera Runner-up: Cirque du Soleil
Best Theme Park for Groups Winner: Universal Orlando Runner-up: Disneyland
Best City Destination for Groups Winner: Las Vegas Runner-up: Washington, DC
Best Beach Destination for Groups Winner: The Island of O’ahu, Hawaii Runner-up: Cancun, Mexico
Best State for Group Travel Winner: New York Runner-up: California
Best Online Travel Agency for Group Travel Winner: Hotels.com Runner-up: Expedia
Best Group Shopping Winner: Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino Runner-up: Mall of America
Best Group Ground Transportation & Tours Winner: SuperShuttle Runner-up: BusBank
Best Golf and Spa Resort for Groups Winner: Streamsong Resort Runner-up: The Breakers Palm Beach
Best Extended Stay Brand Winner: Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Runner-up: Cambria hotels & suites
