The travel industry’s top brands have been unveiled at the final of the World Travel Awards (WTA), as the epic comeback of travel was confirmed in 2022.
The winners of the awards’ regional events went head-to-head for the prized ‘best in world’ titles at the WTA Grand Final Gala Ceremony 2022 in Muscat, Oman, where travel and hospitality leaders also gathered to celebrate the global return of tourism.
Among the big winners was Qatar Airways, which won the prestigious World’s Leading Airline 2022 award, and best airline brand and inflight entertainment winner Emirates.
Other major airline awards went to Oman Air for best business class, customer experience and business class lounge (Muscat), Etihad Airways for best economy class and first class lounge (Abu Dhabi), Air France for best premium economy and Singapore Airlines for best first-class product.
Dubai International won the gong for world’s top airport, while the world’s leading airport operator was Malaysia Airports. Star Alliance won the award for best airline alliance.
In hospitality, Marriott Hotels won leading hotel brand in 2022, with UAE’s Jumeirah Al Naseem winning the prestigious World’s Leading Hotel 2022 award.
Meanwhile, Maldives claimed the honour of World’s Leading Destination with Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) taking the title of World’s Leading Tourist Board – 50 years after the island nation welcomed visitors to its shores.
Elsewhere, Jamaica won awards for best cruise destination, family destination and wedding destination, while Dubai took home the gong for best business travel destination.
Vietnam won five major prizes, including best city break (Hanoi) and best heritage destination.
WTA founder Graham Cooke said, “I would like to personally thank all of the winners tonight. You have been recognised by our global voting audience as the leaders of tourism excellence.”
“I know that your commitment to becoming the very best will in turn serve to drive up standards across the industry and will raise the collective benchmark,” he added.
Oman the biggest winner?
Oman Airports said that hosting the gala would help tourism officials put Oman on the map of major global events.
“We are confident that the presence of the best travel and tourism companies from around the world, and the accompanying media coverage, will reflect positively on these efforts,” Oman Airports CEO Sheikh Aimen Ahmed Al Hosni said.
Voting for the awards is done online by “qualified executives working within travel and tourism and the consumer travel buyer”, says the World Travel Awards website.
Despite the downturn in travel, a record 2.3 million votes were cast in 2021. For the full list of winners, click here.
