Travel Weekly Group’s luxury brand Aspire has honoured the UK’s top luxury agencies and suppliers during its annual awards ceremony on Thursday (November 20).
More than 400 people attended the event at Kimpton Clocktower Hotel in Manchester, held once again in partnership with headline sponsor Celebrity Cruises.
Carrier (pictured) was the big winner of the night, with the tour operator taking home three accolades.
The brand won Luxury Tour Operator of the Year and Trade Initiative of the Year, both for the sixth consecutive year, as well as Luxury Team of the Year.
Lee Marshall, Carrier’s head of trade partnerships, said: “I’m speechless. We never take being recognised for granted – it means the world to us.
“We put our heart and soul into everything we do with our trade partners, and to be recognised among such esteemed company leaves me completely humbled.”
Grecotel Hotels & Resorts was also honoured, with the brand picking up the award for Luxury Hotel Group of the Year: Large.
The group’s sales director of UK and luxury, Kostas Sinis, also retained his title of Luxury Salesperson of the Year and was recognised as Aspire Supporter of the Year: Supplier.
Sinis commented: “I feel blessed and honoured. It’s a true privilege to have won these awards and be recognised by agents.
“The trade are the experts of their fields so to be able to get constructive feedback from them is invaluable.”
Jac Murray, Lusso’s product operations manager, was recognised as Unsung Hero of the Year.
She said: “The luxury market has seen huge changes and it’s so different to any other, so it works best when we all come together.
“I see this industry as a little family and it’s so nice to be recognised.”
In the agent categories, Swords Travel won the Independent Luxury Agency of the Year award, while Ross Johnson from Travlux was named Luxury Seller of the Year.
Swords Travel founders Stuart and Mark Swords said: “We’re super proud and obviously we’ve got an amazing team that supports us and helps bring this to life.”
Johnson added: “It’s really nice to take a moment to feel proud and enjoy what we’ve achieved and share that with our clients, because it’s very much about them as it is about the team.”
New bespoke agency Whalley & Ross was named Rising Star of the Year, while Alicia Sharpe of Luxeco Holidays took home the prize for Sustainability Champion of the Year.
Ten Lifestyle Group was victorious in the Concierge Agency of the Year category for the sixth year running.
Emma Frearson, founder of Luxury Travel by Emma, was named Aspire Supporter of the Year: Agent.
She said: “I’m really thrilled. It’s an amazing thing to be surprised with, because I really had no idea.”
New categories for this year saw One&Only Resorts named Luxury Hotel Group of the Year: Small and The Nautilus Maldives recognised as Luxury Hotel of the Year: Independent.
Two Outstanding Contribution to Luxury awards were also presented. Corinthia Hotels’ chief executive Simon Casson was honoured in the supplier category, while 360 Private Travel’s founder and chief executive James Turner took home the title of Outstanding Contribution to Luxury: Agent.
Full list of award winners:
Agent categories
Outstanding Contribution to Luxury: Agent – James Turner, 360 Private Travel
Concierge Agency of the Year – Ten Lifestyle Group
Rising Star of the Year – Whalley & Ross
Inclusivity Champion of the Year – Inclu Group
Sustainability Champion of the Year – Alicia Sharpe, Luxeco Holidays
Luxury Cruise Agency of the Year – SixStarCruises
Independent Luxury Retail Business of the Year – Oasis Portfolio of Luxury Travel
Luxury Homeworking Business of the Year: Large – Not Just Travel (Highly commended: Travel Counsellors)
Luxury Homeworking Business of the Year: Small – Guru Travel Group
Independent Luxury Agency of the Year – Swords Travel
Luxury Seller of the Year – Ross Johnson, Travlux
Aspire Supporter of the Year: Agent – Emma Frearson, Luxury Travel by Emma
Supplier categories
Outstanding Contribution to Luxury: Supplier – Simon Casson, Corinthia Hotels
Luxury Hotel Group of the Year: Small – One&Only Resorts
Luxury Hotel Group of the Year: Large – Grecotel Hotels & Resorts
Luxury Hotel of the Year: Independent – The Nautilus Maldives
Expedition Cruise Line of the Year – AE Expeditions
Luxury River Cruise Line of the Year – AmaWaterways
Luxury Cruise Line of the Year – Oceania Cruises
Ultra-Luxury Cruise Line of the Year – Explora Journeys
Premium Tour Operator of the Year – If Only
Luxury Tour Operator of the Year – Carrier
Specialist Luxury Tour Operator of the Year – CV Villas
Luxury Tourist Board of the Year – Royal Commission for AlUla
Luxury Adventure Brand of the Year – Abercrombie & Kent
Sustainability Initiative of the Year – The Datai Langkawi
Inclusivity Initiative of the Year – Sea Breeze Beach House
Trade Initiative of the Year – Carrier
Sales Representation Company of the Year: Small – The Wellwind Collection
Sales Representation Company of the Year: Large – SLC Representation
Luxury Salesperson of the Year – Kostas Sinis, Grecotel Hotels & Resorts
Unsung Hero Award – Jac Murray, Lusso
Luxury Team of the Year – Carrier
Aspire Supporter of the Year: Supplier – Kostas Sinis, Grecotel Hotels & Resorts
