NTIAs set for major boost

THE joint sponsorship of four new Council of Australian Tour Operators-backed categories in the 2019 National Travel Industry Awards (TD breaking news) marks a new era of collaboration in the travel industry supplier sector.

The inaugural CATOs will honour front-line travel agents, with Consultants of the Year to be named in categories including Group Touring, Adventure, Ski and Independent Travel.

In a unique industry first, rather than individual sponsorships, the CATOs as a whole are being jointly sponsored by The Travel Corporation, G Adventures, Intrepid and Globus.

Council of Australian Tour Operators MD Brett Jardine said the organisation’s formal NTIA involvement “delivers an opportunity for us to highlight the significant value of the land supply sector to a very engaged trade audience”.

The 2019 NTIAs will also see considerable consumer exposure through the new AFTA partnership with Sydney Morning Herald & The Age’s Traveller brand (TD

09 Nov), while Travel Daily and travelBulletin will also continue their longstanding support of the event as Major Media Sponsor, ensuring widespread coverage.

AFTA CEO Jayson Westbury said the move to enhance the NTIA program and “call out travel professionals working with CATO members, all within the high standard set by NTIA is yet another fantastic celebration of the Australian travel industry”.

Nominations for the 2019 National Travel Industry Awards will open on 21 Jan next year, with nominees to be announced in Mar followed by the voting and judging period.

The process culminates in the industry night of nights at the Sydney International Convention Centre on Sat 20 Jul 2019.