UK holiday firms honoured for top service in a very difficult year
STAYCATION specialists who put out the welcome mat for postlockdown breaks last summer have been honoured at the 2020 holiday ‘Oscars’, writes NIGEL THOMPSON.
July 4 was the Super Saturday when we were finally allowed to take a break in the UK and it’s been getaway gold for family favourites and self-catering stars in this year’s prestigious British Travel Awards.
Best UK Family Holiday Company gongs went to Haven and Parkdean Resorts, while Best UK Cottage Holiday Company prizes went to Coquet Cottages, Coast & Country Cottages and Sykes Holiday Cottages.
In the key battle for Best UK Parks & Lodges Holiday Company the cream of the crop were Waterside Holiday Group, Verdant Leisure and Parkdean Resorts.
In other categories, gold went to Stewart Travel for Best High Street Travel Agency, the Post Office took the Best Foreign Exchange/Travel Money Retailer title and Best Travel Insurance Provider was Staysure.
Perhaps the performer of the year was Best Airport Parking Company winner APH (Airport Parking & Hotels) who grabbed gold for an outstanding 11th year.
While Covid made it an incredibly tough year for holidays, the public still turned out in force with more than 244,000 votes, making the BTAs still the largest UK consumer voted programme across any industry, not just travel.
The usual glamorous awards gala night this week was replaced by a virtual event broadcast online from a rooftop bar in Canary Wharf, London, and hosted by Alex Jones of BBC’s The One Show.
This year’s more modest awards for 2020 featured 51 categories instead of the normal 84 because of the effect of the pandemic.
Everyone who submitted a vote in the BTAs was entered into a draw to win a 2021 luxury Nicko river cruise for two people on the Rhine or Danube, worth £5,190 and courtesy of Light Blue Travel. The winner was Julie Crawshaw of Halifax, West Yorkshire.