The winners of NTIA 2025 came, saw… and spoke to Karryon straight after picking up their prestigious prizes. Here, we catch up with the cool kids, capturing the first-hand reactions of the winners of the ‘Most Popular’ category awards, from genuine joy to gratitude and a few happy tears.
To let the newly crowned champs return to their teams and keep the celebrations rolling, we kept it simple with just two questions: How do you feel and why did you win? Here’s what they said:
Most Popular Tourism Office – Tourism New Zealand | Manaakitanga Aotearoa
Tourism New Zealand Trade Marketing Executive Lexy Wildash
- We’re all smiles. We are so stoked to win it two years in a row. So thank you so much to everyone for the support. We are so happy!
- I think for us it’s just a consistent approach to trade engagement, just trying to show up as much as we can with training and resources for the travel trade.
Tourism New Zealand Trade Development Manager Australia Sandra Etter
- We absolutely love the travel trade, and we believe that we are quite an approachable team, and down to earth, and we love to lean into it. And maybe our self-famil program as well, our Explore New Zealand program, hopefully some of them love that too, which we’re always promoting.
Most Popular Accommodation Group – Chain Club Med
Club Med General Manager – Pacific & New Emerging ESAP Markets Michelle Davis
- Oh my goodness, I feel ecstatic, so proud… all the syllables and words that you probably shouldn’t feel, but ultimately do! It’s just an incredible moment.
- The secret to our success is a little bit of kindness, innovation, creativity and listening!
Most Popular Airline (Online) – Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines General Manager Agency Sales Greg McJarrow
- We’re feeling fantastic, of course… how could we not be? It’s been a very humbling and very proud moment, once again.
- I think we have a very collaborative approach with the trade – we do that on purpose. And secondly, it’s our team, and I have an amazing team… a very dedicated, very loyal, very talented team. So those two things combined puts me in the spotlight, but it’s actually about them, and this is a credit to them.
Most Popular Airline (Offline) – Finnair
Finnair Regional Manager Australia/New Zealand Sue Watts
- Amazing… I can’t believe it! I’m still in shock, in an amazing way. Just thankful, grateful. It’s a great airline… it deserves it.
- Teamwork from the head office in Finland; everyone’s got each other’s back. We’re one crew, and we’ll always continue that way.
Most Popular Ocean Cruise Operator – Viking
Viking Director of Sales and Revenue Keira Smith
- It’s surreal. We didn’t expect to win this one. We’ve won it two years in a row, but to do it three years… it’s beyond words. We’re super proud.
- I could tell you 1,000 reasons why, but we have really great trade support; we have an awesome team, and our product is brilliant, I’m just going to say that.
Most Popular River Cruise Operator – Viking
Viking Director of Sales and Revenue Keira Smith
- We have a very excited Viking table! It was unexpected, but we’re so thrilled – and it’s a super competitive category, and everyone does a really great job. But I’m super happy to be taking this back home to Sydney.
- I would have to say our trade support has been incredible. They’re super supportive. We have a great team on board. We have quite a few ships on the rivers. We have a great team, both here and in Europe.
Most Popular Car Rental Operator – Hertz
Hertz Senior Director Sales Asia Pacific Lisa Miller
- We’re absolutely elated. We’re really proud to be taking home the award this year, and I think the team really deserves it. They’ve done an incredible job in making sure they engage with the whole industry and really support every single bit along the way. So very happy.
- I think from an operations point of view, we do extremely well. Our customer care centre – they’re all so supportive when things don’t go right through the GDS, and I just think it’s about everything that we do. We’re a very customer-centric company. Our fleet is high-quality, our EVs – we’ve got the largest fleet of EVs. I’m very proud of the team and our accomplishments tonight.
Most Popular Reservations/Groups Team – ANZCRO
Reservations Team Leader Karma Clark
- It’s amazing! Thank you so much to everyone who voted for us. Very happy to represent ANZCRO here today.
- I attribute the win to my agents. Thank you so much for booking with us… taking the time to work with us, to collaborate with your clients and make the most amazing experiences in New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific.
People’s Choice Award – Expedition Cruise Specialists
Expedition Cruise Specialists Director Andrew Castles
- It’s a real thrill! I didn’t expect to be lucky enough to win tonight – particularly an award that’s voted for by the traveller, which is really important, because we weren’t expecting it… and we received such great feedback. So it’s a real validation of what we do.
- We just try to treat the client like we’d hope our families are treated. So it’s being transparent, offering great advice and really tailoring products to each particular client that comes through the door.
The dazzling NTIA gala brought together over a thousand travel professionals and stakeholders to honour excellence, innovation and resilience – and, of course, to party in true travel style. Read our wrap of the event and more here.
Check out the reactions of the travel industry’s brightest individual stars after taking home top honours.
For more info on the travel industry awards, click here.
All images by Pat Brunet / Event Photos Australia.
