The Australian travel industry’s night of nights went off with a bang at Melbourne’s Crown Palladium on Saturday 18th November 2023, preceded the day before with a debut Pre-NTIA Extravaganza.
Excellence was honoured from both travel agencies and industry suppliers, with more than 1,300 people attending the sold-out event which saw 35 winners named from among hundreds of worthy finalists.
Dean Long, CEO of the Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA), hailed the success of the event and confirmed that in 2024 and beyond the National Travel Industry Awards will continue to evolve, including the new multi-night format which proved such a success.
TravelBulletin‘s sister publications Travel Daily and Cruise Weekly broke the news of the big winners on the night, which we have summarised below with photos for each category. Note: the winners are listed in order of presentation – which is different to the actual order of the category numbers.
Category 6: Most Outstanding Sales Executive – Air
Winner: Nick Lewis, Air New Zealand
Finalists: Anthony De Silva, Emirates
Michelle McLennan, Air New Zealand
Nicole Laurie, Delta Air Lines
Peter Lombardi, Lufthansa Group
RIchard Carrick, United Airlines
Zoe Gentle, Air Canada
Sponsor: CVFR Consolidation Services (Ram Chhabra)
Category 7: Most Outstanding Sales Executive – Cruise
Winner: Helen Courias, Holland America Line
Finalists: Chris Catanzariti, Norwegian Cruise Line
Elsa McLean, Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Melinda Wouda, Globus Family of Brands
Sarah-Louise Scales, Quark Expeditions
Sponsor: Stuba (Ruchir Bang)
Category 8: Most Outstanding Sales Executive – Land Supply
Winner:Â Mickey Mann, The Travel Corporation
Finalists: Jacqui Tufala, Abercrombie & Kent
Kat Nitarski, On The Go Tours
Kim Knight, Viva Holidays
Kjirsten Trundle, Collette
Lea Seguier, Lea Seguier
Mary-Jane Devine, Crystalbrook Collection
Michelle Nickelson, Club Med
Sponsor: ATAS (Nina Hedges)
Category 9: Most Outstanding Employee Engagement and Recruitment Program
Winner:Â Flight Centre Travel Group
Finalists: Connected Travel
MyCruises/Ignite Travel Group
Pursers Travel Group
TAG Travel Group
Sponsor: Virgin Australia (Tonia Wilson)
Category 32: Most Outstanding Travel Industry Training Institution
Winner:Â TAFE Queensland (accepted by Clean Cruising’s Jean Summers)
Finalists: CLIA Australasia
Helloworld Travel
TAFE NSW
TAFE SA
Virtuoso
Sponsor: Lufthansa Group (Anil Rodricks)
Category 34: Innovation in Travel Support Services
Winner:Â Cover-More Travel Insurance – Post Pandemic Support
Finalists: Kudos Travel Technology – Kudos Travel Check
The Travel Corporation Tour Brands – Travel Agent Portal
Tour Atlas – Go Touring Platform
Travel Agent Finder – Travel Trade Connect Launch
TravelPay – ALL the ways to pay
Sponsor: American Express (Michael Hampton)
Category 5: Rookie of the Year
Winner:Â David O’Shea, RAA Travel
Finalists: Cherie Manson, Helloworld Travel Albury
Georgia Walk, Helloworld Travel Mackay
Jarrod Sinclair, InsideJapan Tours
Kyle Single, Corporate Travel Management
Rahcel McSorley, Global Journeys
Sponsor: IHG Hotels & Resorts (Chris Waite)
Category 3: Most Outstanding Travel Consultant – Corporate
Winner:Â Lauren Zischke, TAG Travel Group
Finalists: Bec McIntyre, TAG Travel Group
Kristy Moore, Travel Moore
Leanne Ralston, Spencer Travel
Lee Haigh, Corporate Travel Management
Paloma Santos, CWT
Sponsor: Virgin Australia
Category 4: Most Outstanding Travel Consultant – Leisure
Winner:Â Louis Teng, Connelly & Turner Travel Associates
Finalists: Amanda Taylor, Ignite Travel Group
Cherie Manson, Helloworld Travel Albury
Cindy Holsken, Travel by Wyndham
Emma Smith, Back Track Adventures
Karen Tink, Flight Centre
Martine Littlestone, Ignite Travel Group
Rahana Chitre, Saara Holidays
Soctt McGlynn, Helloworld Travel Winston Hills
Sponsor: Royal Caribbean International (Gavin Smith)
Category 31: Most Popular Car Rental Operator
Winner:Â Avis
Finalists: Budget
East Coast Car Rentals
Hertz Australia
Sponsor: ATAS (Richard Taylor)
Category 25: Most Popular Tourism Office
Winner:Â Destination Canada
Finalists: Bundaberg Tourism
Hawaii Tourism Oceania
Singapore Tourism Board
Switzerland Tourism
Tourism NZ | Manaakitanga Aotearoa
Sponsor: Sabre (Simon Roll)
Category 25: Most Popular Airline – Offline
Winner:Â Lufthansa Group
Finalists: Air France KLM
Finnair
Oman Air
Turkish Airlines
Sponsor: PlanPay (Gary Burrows)
Category 30: Most Popular River Cruise Operator
Winner:Â Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
Finalists: APT Travel Group
Avalon Waterways
Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours
Viking
Sponsor: MTA – Mobile Travel Agents (Kerryn Taylor)
Category 29: Most Popular Ocean Cruise Operator
Winner:Â Viking
Finalists: Norwegian Cruise Line
Princess Cruises
Royal Caribbean International
Virgin Voyages
Sponsor: Travel Trade Recruitment (Sarah Johnson)
Category 26: Most Popular Accommodation Group/Chain
Winner:Â IHG Hotels & Resorts
Finalists: Accor
Club Med
Hyatt Hotels
The Ascott Limited, Australia
Sponsor: Expedia TAAP (Stu Udy)
Category 12: Most Outstanding Business Events Travel Agency
Winner:Â Event Travel Management (ETM)
Finalists: Amex GBT
ATPI Events
FCM Meetings & Events
Travel & Sports Australia (TASA)
Sponsor: Air New Zealand (Kathryn O’Brien)
Category 14: Most Outstanding Global Travel Management Company
Winner:Â Corporate Travel Management
Finalists: American Express Global Business Travel
BCD Travel
CWT
FCM Travel
Reed & Mackay
TAG Travel Group
Sponsor: Qatar Airways (Justin Kestel)
Category 1: Most Outstanding Mobile/Home Based Travel Advisor
Winner:Â Wendy Brockbank, MTA Mobile Travel Agents
Finalists: Alley Casey Greville – TravelManagers Australia
Carly Retallack – TravelManagers Australia
Maria Piliouras – TravelManagers Australia
Melanie Whyte – TravelManagers Australia
Rachel Cleary – Luxe Adventures MTA Mobile Travel Agents
Rose Febo – TravelManagers Australia
Sponsor: MSC Cruises (Lisa Teiotu)
Category 2: Most Outstanding Travel Agency Manager
Winner:Â Stacey Brownsey, Helloworld Travel Mt Pleasant
Finalists: Clive Fillingham, Helloworld Travel Rockingham
Georgina Walpole, Global Journeys
Michelle Massey, Amplify – Accessible Travel Specialists
Rebecca McHenry, itravel Liverpool
Sponsor: APT (Scott Ellis)
Category 10: Most Outstanding Online Travel Agency
Winner:Â Webjet
Finalists: flybuys travel
Luxury Escapes
Sponsor: Singapore Airlines (Jonathan Gibson)
Category 11: Most Outstanding Hybrid Online Travel Agency
Winner:Â Ignite Travel Group
Finalists: arrivia – Our Vacation Centre
Egencia Australia
Global Journeys
Travelrite International
Sponsor: Celebrity Cruises (Melanie Cross)
Category 17: Sustainability Award – Business
Winner:Â Corporate Travel Management
Finalists: BCD Travel
CWT
Reho Travel
TAG Travel Group
Sponsor: Qantas (Jaclyn Snell)
Category 33: Sustainability Award – Supplier
Winner:Â Hurtigruten Group
Finalists: G Adventures
Intrepid Travel
Lindblad Expeditions – National Geographic
The Travel Corporation
Sponsor: Amadeus (Kaylene Shuttlewood)
Category 15: Most Outstanding Leisure Travel Agency – Single Location
Winner:Â FBI Travel
Finalists: Back Track Adventures
Bicton Travel
Globetrotters Travel & Cruise
HollyDay Travel
National Travel
Sponsor: Viking (Shaun Kavanagh)
Category 16: Most Outstanding Leisure Travel Agency – Multi Location
Winner:Â Hunter Travel Group
Finalists: Phil Hoffmann Travel
RAA Travel
Travel Associates North Queensland & Central Queensland
Travelcall
Sponsor: Singapore Airlines (Michael Kirkby)
Category 13: Most Outstanding National Travel Management Company
Winner:Â Stage and Screen Travel Services
Finalists: Anywhere Travel
Globetrotter Travel
Goldman Travel Corporation
Sponsor: Singapore Airlines (Hal Balderston)
Category 27: Most Popular Airline – Online
Winner:Â Virgin Australia
Finalists: Air New Zealand
Emirates
Qatar Airways
Singapore Airlines
Sponsor: Cover-More Travel Insurance (Nicky Moorcraft)
Category 21: Most Outstanding Tour Operator – Specialised
Winner:Â Albatross Tours
Finalists: 50 Degrees North
AAT Kings Tours
InsideJapan
Wide Eyed Tours
Sponsor: Visit Qatar (Richard Styles)
Category 24: Most Outstanding Wholesaler – Destination/Experience
Winner:Â ANZCRO
Finalists: Bench Africa
Contours Travel
Sno’n’Ski Holidays
The Africa Safari Co
Sponsor: Silversea Cruises (Adam Radwanski)
Category 22: Most Outstanding Tour Operator – Global
Winner:Â APT
Finalists: Abercrombie & Kent
Contiki
G Adventures
Intrepid Travel
Trafalgar
Sponsor: Gow-Gates Insurance Brokers (Alana Strassmeir)
Category 23: Most Outstanding Wholesaler – Product/Service
Joint Winner:Â Viva Holidays
Finalists: Adventure World
Expedia TAAP
Infinity Holidays
Entire Travel Group (joint winner)
Sponsor: TravelPay (Cath Bisaro)Â
Category 23: Most Outstanding Wholesaler – Product/Service
Joint Winner:Â Entire Travel Group
Finalists: Adventure World
Expedia TAAP
Infinity Holidays
Viva Holidays (joint winner)
Sponsor: TravelPay (Cath Bisaro)Â
Category 23: Most Outstanding Mobile Advisor Network
Winner:Â MTA Mobile Travel Agents
Finalists: 1000 Mile Travel Group
FCTG Independent
itravel
SmartFlyer Australia
TravelManagers Australia
Sponsor: Expedia TAAP (Stu Udy)Â
Category 20: Most Outstanding Non Branded Agency Group
Winner:Â Travellers Choice
Finalists: Australian Travel Agents Co-operative
CT Partners
FCTG Independent
Link Travel Group
Magellan Travel Group
My Travel Group
Virtuoso Australia
Sponsor: Cover-More Travel Insurance (Nicky Moorcraft)Â
Category 19: Most Outstanding Travel Agency Group
Winner:Â Flight Centre
Finalists: Helloworld Travel
itravel
Travel Associates
Sponsor: Singapore Airlines (Greg McJarrow)Â
People’s Choice Award – Favourite Travel Brand
Winner:Â Trafalgar
Finalists: Abercrombie & Kent
Dream Maker Travel
Clean Cruising
Capricorn Travel & Cruise
Sponsor: News Corp Australia (Liz Glover)Â
