British Travel Awards gives independent operators the chance to shine
Independent operators will have the chance to be recognised by a new series of categories at this year’s British Travel Awards.
BTA has joined together with the Association of Independent Tour Operators to create additional awards to honour specialist operators.
As well as the Gold winner for each of the BTA categories, there will also be an award for Best Independent Operator for each of the specialist awards.
So far, more than 50 members of AITO have been shortlisted covering 128 nominations for a award in 2011.
BTA chief executive Lorraine Barnes Burton said: “Last year we introduced a fairer voting process for the tour operator destination awards, this gave the small guys a chance against the big boys.
“What it means is those companies who specialise in one particular destination or theme can be recognised for their excellence without the need to compete against the larger companies operating across many of the destinations or themes within the group region.
“This year, by announcing the best independent operator in the specialist categories – we aim to give the smaller companies the same valuable marketing tools that a nominee and eventual winner logo from the BTAs has historically given the bigger companies.”
She urged shortlisted independent operators to get their lobbying campaigns together.
They can, for example, request a BTA Nominee click to vote button to use on their websites and other online marketing material.
The shortlisted independent companies collect votes from the consumer in the usual way but when the votes are collated, as confirmed by independent auditors Deloitte, the votes for the independents will be separated to give Best Independent Operator in that category.
It would still be possible for an independent operator to win the overall British Travel Award for the category and also the silver, if enough votes are received to beat the large operators.
The new Best Independent Operator Award replaces the bronze that is awarded in all other categories.
AITO executive director Kate Kenward said: “It’s incredible to see our small/medium sized specialist operators and agents in the same categories as some of the big, mass market companies."
Tables and seats for the 2011 The British Travel Awards taking place on 2 November 2011 are available to reserve online at www.britishtravelawards.com click on the “Awards Night Tickets” button at the top of the home page.
by Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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