Idiot wins award from Holiday Extras
TV’s most reluctant traveller, Karl Pilkington, has been crowned Travel Personality of the Year by voters in the Holiday Extras Customers’ Awards 2012.
The Idiot Abroad beat Joanna Lumley, Ben Fogle and Billy Connolly to the top spot with his unconventional travel programmes.
In his acceptance speech, straight-talking Pilkington said: "Good that, well chuffed with that. I’ll pop that on the shelf, probably right next to my new book I’ve brought out…"
HolidayExtras.com CEO Matthew Pack said: "Karl’s distinctive style has obviously made him very popular with our customers, and he certainly makes me laugh a lot. It’s great that he has taken the time to say thank you to the travellers who voted for him – and we wish him all the best with the sales of his new book!"
Now in its fourth year, the annual Customers’ Awards attracted votes from 101,000 HolidayExtras.com customers who travelled via a UK airport between April and August 2012.
Travellers voted in categories including Best Airline, Best Travel Agent, Best UK Airport, Best Airport Hotel and Best Airport Car Park.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Global tourism exceeds 1.5 billion travelers announces UN-Tourism
Qatar Airways offers reduced timetable to over 60 destinations
WTTC global tourism reached record economic impact of 11 trillion in 2025
Hands In, UATP join forces for airline multi-card payments
Suspension of all regional trains in Catalonia following two new rail accidents in Spain