by Joachim Fischer, Bangkok

76 of Asia-Pacific’s finest travel trade organisations were recognised in style at the 20th TTG Travel Awards 2009 Ceremony & Gala Dinner. For the 3rd year running, the awards and gala event was held at Centara Grand and Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld as readers of TTG Asia, TTG China, TTGmice and TTG-BTmice China, acknowledged the crème de la crème of the industry.

This year saw an attendance of over 670 esteemed travel trade professionals. The award titles for the evening spanned across four main categories, consisting of two voting, and two non-voting categories. Recipients of the Outstanding Achievement Awards were hand-picked by TTG’s editorial team for their noteworthy contributions and accomplishments to the industry while honoraries in the Travel Hall of Fame were conferred after having won an award at the TTG Travel Awards more than 10 times.

Mr Eugene Yau (center), Director Sales and Marketing of Sutera Harbour Resort, winner of a TTG Asia Award

In a bid to keep up with the competitive landscape of the travel trade industry, the TTG Travel Awards in 2008 introduced 12 new titles under the Travel Supplier Awards category. Continuing this spirit of honouring and prestige, a new award was unveiled this year under the Outstanding Achievement Award category.

Tonight’s ceremony also saw new honorary, Abacus International inducted into the Travel Hall of Fame, joining five other Travel Hall of Fame Honoraries in Asia-Pacific. The complete list of winners for the TTG Travel Awards 2009 is detailed below.

All readers of TTG Asia, TTG China, TTGmice, TTG-BTmice China, and TTGTravelHub.net Daily News were invited to vote for their favourite travel and tourism organisations under the Travel Supplier and Travel Agent Awards Category over a period of three months, between June and August, 2009. More than 43,000 votes were received from TTG readers across Asia-Pacific who participated in the print and online voting exercise this year.

Tourism-Insider’s Joachim Fischer (right) and Ilja Pankow (center) attending the TTG Travel Awards Ceremony

TTG Asia Media’s Managing Director, Mr Darren Ng, said, “TTG is delighted with the demonstration of fortitude and foresight of the industry. The addition of new awards underscores TTG’s continual efforts to remain ahead with new trends amidst challenges, while maintaining a benchmark for industry excellence.”

The 20th TTG Travel Awards 2009 Ceremony and Gala Dinner was held on the last day of Asia Pacific’s foremost MICE and corporate travel events, IT&CMA and CTW. More than 1,600 international attendees converged in one single location for the Doublebill event, to seek new products, services and resources through a series of breakout sessions, conferences, workshops and an exhibition.

About TTG Asia Media
Established in Singapore since 1974, TTG Asia Media Pte Ltd is the leading publisher and organiser of events in travel and tourism in the Asia Pacific region. Its publications and trade shows provide the best access and solutions to marketing travel and tourism in the Asia Pacific.

Publications are targeted at distinct segments: TTG Asia for travel agents and tour operators; TTG China (Chinese edition) for the travel trade and travel agents in China; TTGmice for the meetings, incentive, convention and exhibition planners (MICE); and TTG BTmice China (Chinese edition) for both MICE planners and corporate travel buyers in China.

TTG Asia Media is also the leading organiser and manager of two major travel events in Asia and China – IT&CMA (Incentive Travel & Conventions, Meetings Asia) and IT&CM China (Incentive Travel & Conventions Meetings China) are Asia and China’s only dedicated MICE exhibitions. CTW (Corporate Travel World Asia-Pacific) and CT&TW China (Corporate Travel & Technology World China) are conferences and exhibitions that focus on the management of business travel and entertainment expenditure.