Bangkok (Thailand) – September 27, 2019 (travelindex.com) – The annual TTG Travel Awards, celebrating their 30th anniversary, honored 86 outstanding players in the Asia-Pacific travel and tourism industry.

This year's awards ceremony introduces seven new awards, most of which are in the "Travel Services" category. The prestigious "Destination of the Year" award, previously considered "Outstanding Achievement" in a non-voting category, will now be publicly awarded. Other new awards include "Best Luxury Cruise Line," "Best River Cruise Line," and "Best Travel Technology Provider."

For 20 award winners, it was a special moment tonight as they took home the Hermès Trophy, a distinctive symbol of the award, for the first time. This was especially true for TST Tourist (Best Travel Agency – Vietnam), which ended Vietravel's three-year winning streak. Other new winners include Dorsett Hospitality International (Best Mid-Range Hotel Brand), W Kuala Lumpur (Best City Hotel – Kuala Lumpur), and Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection (Best River Cruise Line).

Amidst fierce competition, 16 award winners made their comeback at today's awards ceremony. Two winners stood out in particular: Bali, Indonesia, and Hanjin Travel Service Co., Ltd., both first honored in 1999, made a triumphant return with their titles of "Destination of the Year" and "Best Travel Agency – South Korea," respectively. In addition, seven other organizations won awards again in different categories, including the Grand Hyatt Taipei (Best City Hotel – Taipei), the Changi Airport Group (Best Airport Operator), and Dream Cruises (Best Luxury Cruise Line). The evening's most anticipated category, the "Outstanding Achievement Awards," is the only category without voting. Winners in this category are personally selected by TTG's award-winning editorial team for their outstanding contributions to the industry. This year's winners include Mario Hardy, CEO of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), Jim Qian, Chairman & CEO of the Fosun Tourism Group, and Discova as Travel Personality of the Year, Travel Entrepreneur of the Year and Most Sustainable Travel Company, respectively.

Most of the evening's award winners were organizations that successfully defended their titles. Avis Budget Group (Best Car Rental), Emirates (Best Air Connections), and The Travel Corporation (Best Tour Operator) triumphed again this year, defying all expectations in their respective categories. The established Singapore Tourism Board (Best BT-MICE City) and Frasers Hospitality (Best Provider of Serviced Apartments) are well on their way to being inducted into the TTG Travel Hall of Fame with their consecutive titles.

The prestigious TTG Travel Hall of Fame welcomed two new members this year: Best Western Hotels & Resorts (Best Mid-Range Hotel Brand) and Travelport (Best GDS). Induction into the Hall of Fame is a special honor, as companies must have been among the best in their category for at least ten consecutive years. With these new additions, the total number of honorees rises to 19.

The 30th annual TTG Travel Awards 2019 awards ceremony and gala dinner took place at the Centara Grand at CentralWorld, the official venue sponsor. This annual event coincides with Incentive Travel & Conventions, Meetings Asia (IT&CMA) and Corporate Travel World (CTW) Asia-Pacific – Asia-Pacific's only dual event for MICE and business travel.

About the TTG Travel Awards: Since 1989, the TTG Travel Awards have recognized the best in the Asia-Pacific travel industry. This prestigious annual event honors outstanding organizations and individuals in four categories: Tour Operators, Travel Agencies, Special Achievements, and Travel Hall of Fame. Presented by TTG Travel Trade Publishing, the event is proudly organized by TTG Asia and with the support of TTG India, TTG China, TTGmice, TTGassociations, TTG-BTmice China, and TTG Asia Luxury.

About TTG Travel Trade Publishing: Since 1974, the Travel Trade Publishing Group of TTG Asia Media has connected the Asia-Pacific travel industry with leading trade publications. Its comprehensive portfolio of print and online titles covers leisure travel, business travel, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions), and luxury travel, reaching key decision-makers, opinion leaders, and professionals in each sector. The group's titles are considered industry favorites and are valued by advertisers as effective marketing platforms. Through its online publications, the group reaches readers worldwide. Key titles include TTG Asia, TTG China, TTG India, TTGmice, TTG-BTmice China, TTGassociations, TTG Asia Luxury, and TTG Show Daily.

About TTG Asia Media: Founded in 1974, TTG Asia Media is a leading travel and tourism company in the Asia-Pacific region. The company covers leisure travel, luxury travel, business travel, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, Exhibitions), and industry associations. Through its four business units, TTG Asia Media publishes leading regional trade publications for the travel industry, maps and travel guides for Singapore, organizes international industry events, and develops solutions to promote global business collaborations among travel industry stakeholders worldwide.