Dive in and reveal your travel heroes
Vote in the UK’s 2020 holiday ‘Oscars’ and you could win a luxury river cruise for two people worth almost £6,000.
Clearly the Covid-19 pandemic has made it an incredibly tough year for the nation’s holiday industry, but the British Travel Awards are going ahead – giving the public a chance to support their favourite firms and look forward to a better 2021.
The awards will now have 51 categories, rather than the usual 84, covering the likes of tour operators big and small, destination specialists and coach, rail, camping and luxury businesses.
Importantly, consumers can also vote for companies that gave exemplary customer service in this unprecedented period – whether for re-bookings, refunds or cancellation of getaways hit by coronavirus.
That public ballot, for what are regarded as the gold standard travel trade awards, starts tomorrow and runs to November 22, with a virtual awards night being held in December.
As a thank you for taking the time to join in the biggest consumer-voted programme in the UK, everyone who submits a vote is entered into a draw to win a luxury Nicko river cruise for two people on the Rhine or Danube in 2021.
The all-inclusive seven night voyage, valued at £5,190, is courtesy of Light Blue Travel (lightbluetravel. co.uk) and comes with flights, transfers, wi-fi and excursions, with certain blackout dates.
There will also be an opportunity for voters to bid for fabulous holidays in an online auction in aid of NHS Charities Together, the official NHS registered charity.
Despite the severe effect of the pandemic on the UK travel industry, companies have rallied round to thank NHS staff for being there when we needed them the most – and to remind you of the great holidays that await in 2021.
When the vote opens at britishtravelawards.com you’ll find a link to view the lots in the British Travel Awards/Reach plc Great Big Online Travel Auction where you can see what’s on offer and enter a bid, or just make a donation.
■ Reach plc, publisher of the Mirror, Express and Star national titles, the Daily Record and Sunday Mail in Scotland, 240 regional newspapers and more than 70 websites, is the official media partner of the 2020 British Travel Awards.
HOW IT WORKS
Register online at britishtravelawards.com and make a choice in as many of the 51 categories as you like.
You do not have to vote in them all – just opt for as many or as few as you wish, and you can return to the form to make changes up to November 22. Full T&Cs are there too.
Look out on Twitter for updates at @BritTravAwrds #VoteBTA20 @TravelEdNigel