British Travel Awards winners announced

The best in travel have been honoured at the 2023 British Travel Awards.

Winners have been announced and awarded at a gala event, held in London

More than 1.5 million votes were cast, made by 420,000 + consumer voters, which is a record in the 15-year history of the BTAs.

This year there were 76 award categories, with 41 awards graded by company size – small, medium, or large operator.

The company winning the most first place awards was Jet2.com/Jet2holidays, with an impressive 11 Gold Awards in categories including Best Large Travel Company for Summer Sun Holidays, Winter Sun Holidays, Family Holidays and Luxury Holidays.

It also won Best Airline for Short-haul Flights and Best Airline for Economy Class Travel.

Medium travel company Newmarket Holidays took home eight Gold Awards in categories that included Best Travel Company for Escorted Group Holiday; Best Touring Holidays and Best for Safari Holidays.

They also picked up Gold Awards for holidays to destinations including Central / Northern Europe; Italy/ Western Med islands; Sub-Saharan Africa, Canada and USA.

Solmar Villas carried off seven Gold Awards including Best Medium Travel Company for Summer Sun, Winter Sun, Family, Villa and Tailor-Made Holidays.

Two new awards were popular with voters – Best Airport Retailer for Consumer Goods, won by Boots and from a shortlist of fifteen, Wetherspoons was voted Best Airport Retailer for Food and Beverage.

Also in the aviation world, London Heathrow was voted Best Large UK Airport for Leisure Travel; with East Midlands winning in the medium category.

Best Airline for Low-Cost Flights was easyJet, with Emirates taking Best Airline for Long Haul Flights and Best Airline for Business Class Travel.

For the13th year running APH (Airport Parking & Hotels) won Best Company for Airport Parking.

In ground transportation, Avis took Gold for Best Company for Car Hire after missing out last year.

Shearings picked up three Golds for Best large Company for Coach Holidays, Best Large Travel Company for Touring Holidays, and Best Large Company for UK Coach / Touring Holidays.

In the medium category Leger Holidays held on to Best for Coach Holidays and also won Best for Special Interest Holidays.

Brightwater Holidays won Best Travel Company for Coach Holidays in the small company category.

In rail, Eurostar won Best Large Travel Company to Western Europe and The Railway Touring Company took Best Small Travel Company for Rail Holidays.

Brittany Ferries won Best Medium Travel Company to Western Europe; while P & O Ferries took Best Operator for Short Sea / Mini Cruises;

Hurtigruten (now HX) won Best Cruise Line for Expedition Voyages, Viking won Best Cruise Line for River Cruise Holidays and Cunard won Best Cruise Line for Ultra-Luxurious Holiday

In other categories, Travelzoo won Best Travel website for Travel Deals; Hays Travel won three Gold Awards for Best National Travel Retailer, Best Agency for Cruise Holidays and Best Retailer of Forex/ Travel Money.

In a surprise, nominated for their first British Travel Awards, Lapland Specialist tour operator, Santa Claus Trips, was voted Best Small Travel Company for Family Holidays and Best Small Travel Company to Central / Northern Europe.

BTA director of events and partnerships, Lorraine Barnes Burton, said: “A record has been set in the fifteen-year history of the British Travel Awards, both in the number of consumers voting and the votes cast.”

“It is the largest travel industry awards’ programme and this year the winners were decided by more than one and a half million votes.”

Since 2008 the British Travel Awards has been polling public opinion on leisure travel companies.

The British Travel Awards has no affiliation or stakeholder interest with any travel business.

The award accreditations are determined solely by the number of public votes cast.

A total of 420,453 voters cast 1,561,370 votes.

A full list of award winners, including silver and bronze awards, will be posted on the British Travel Awards website.