BID TO HELP HEROES
Covid-19 has made it an incredibly challenging year for the UK travel industry and holidaymakers alike. From a national lockdown with cruises and flights cancelled to hokey cokey in-out country quarantines, it’s all added up to crippling chaos.
But this year the British Travel Awards – the holiday ‘Oscars’ – are not just giving the public a chance to support their favourite companies.
They’re also offering the opportunity to land a brilliant holiday while helping our wonderful health service heroes at the same time.
In The Great Big Online Travel Auction, voters can bid online for fabulous holiday lots in aid of NHS Charities Together, the official NHS service registered charity.
It’s open until November 22 – the same day consumer voting for this year’s BTAs closes.
For that, there are now 51 categories, rather than the usual 84, covering the likes of tour operators, destination specialists and coach, rail, camping and luxury businesses. Consumers can also back businesses who gave exemplary customer service in this difficult coronavirus year.
As a thank you for taking the time to join in the biggest consumervoted programme in the UK, everyone who submits a vote is entered into a draw to win a 2021 luxury Nicko river cruise for two people on the Rhine or Danube.
It’s worth £5,190 and courtesy of Light Blue Travel.
BTA chief Lorraine Barnes Burton said: “Travel companies have generously donated holidays, cruises and more for an online auction, with funds raised going to the NHS Charities Together. We can’t thank the incredible NHS enough.”
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 and you can return to the form to make changes up to November 22.
Full T&Cs and the auction link are there too. Look out on Twitter for updates at @BritTravAwrds #VoteBTA20 @TravelEdNigel. Holidays to bid for include the following, with more being added weekly...
Viking Cruises Provence 8-day cruise for two, worth £3,190
Sail between Lyon and Avignon on the River Rhone. The trip includes all meals, most drinks and seven guided tours. Travel March-November.
Cornish Gems 3nt break, worth
£850 Stay at luxury Harbour Heights House (sleeps six), set in a prime location above the harbour in Mevagissey, Cornwall.
Travelzoo 2nt break at Tregenna Castle, Cornwall worth £400
The trip comes with accommodation in an 18th century castle set in 72 acres of private grounds in St Ives. Full English breakfast both days and dinner on the first night.
Parkdean Resorts 7nt staycation, worth up to £1,000
Choose a deluxe family lodge at one of more than 60 parks with great facilities from Scotland to Cornwall.
Fred Olsen 5nt cruise for two, worth £2,200
Stay in a superior ocean view cabin on Balmoral for a Springtime Fjords sailing departing from Newcastle on May 1. Comes with meals and an upgrade to an all-inclusive drinks package.
Verdant Leisure 7nt lodge staycation, worth £1000
Choose from five holiday parks in Scotland and northern England for a 2021 break in a deluxe lodge (sleeps four).
FAMILY
FUN
Reach plc, publisher of the Express, Mirror, People 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.