SPAA ANNUAL TRAVEL AWARDS 2016

SPAA Todayspecial

From the President

OH WHAT A NIGHT!

The biggest night in the Scottish Travel Trade diary has come and gone - and what a night it was at the beautifully refurbished DoubleTree Hilton Glasgow.

Thanks to our sponsors: Royal Caribbean International, Amadeus, STAR Alliance, Jet2holidays, Glasgow Airport, If Only... and Travel Weekly - it was certainly a night to remember, as the pictures in this special edition, and on the SPAA website and our Facebook and Twitter platforms will show!

Thanks, too, to the SPAA social events crew - Jo Dooey, Janice Hogarth and Gayle Gordon - for all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes to make a superb evening - this year, for more than 600 guests - and of course to our fantastic MC - the multi-talented Graham Balmforth.

We had some excellent entertainment on the night and getting the evening off to a cracking start was the fabulous swing band 'Jack Pack' (courtesy of Royal Caribbean International), who had the dance floor full before dinner was even served! I've never seen that before - so I knew that we were on to something special early on.

This was followed by a wee bit of Elvis Carpool Karaoke, which is worth seeing again (If only to see Danny Giles in a blond wig, singing the theme song from Frozen!).....

After the awards, we had the superb dance band Epic followed by jazz funk singer Robert McIntosh who kept the after party (sponsored by Jet2holidays and the SPAA) going till 4am!

But most importantly - the Awards themselves, with the highest voting turnout so far, were very closely contested and produced a few surprises! Personally, I would just like to thank everyone who turned up on the night - winners, runners up, nominees, agents and suppliers alike, who all came together to make this one of the most enjoyable and successful awards nights ever!

A special mention and congratulations to our good friend and past President Roddie Macphee on his Lifetime Achievement Award. Well done Roddie and richly deserved.....

Alan Glen, SPAA President

07 November 2016

AWARDS GUESTS DO SPAA CHARITIES PROUD!

The generosity of SPAA Members and guests was more than evident on Thursday evening, when a call for donations to the Association's two designated charities - the National Autistic Society and Strathclyde Autism realised a record-breaking total of more than £5,000! Cheques for £2,600 were presented to the charities on behalf of the Awards guests.

THE WINNERS & RUNNERS-UP

HOLIDAY AWARDS

Best Mainstream Short Haul Operator : Jet2holidays

Runner-up : Thomas Cook

Best Independent Short Haul Operator : Classic Collection

Runner-up : Balkan Holidays

Best Ski Operator : Inghams

Runner-up : Crystal Ski

Best Mainstream Long Haul Tour Operator : Travel 2

Runner-up : Funway

Best Independent Long Haul Operator : If Only...

Runner-up : Beachcomber Tours

Best Overall Operator : Jet2Holidays

Runner-up : If Only...

EDINBURGH AIRPORT - CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD : Qatar Airways

CRUISE & FERRY AWARDS

Best Mainstream Cruise Company : Royal Caribbean International

Runner-up : Celebrity

Best Luxury Cruise Company : Celebrity

Runner-up : Silversea

Best Specialist Cruise Company : Hurtigruten

Runner-up : Silversea Expeditions

Best River Cruise Company : Viking River Cruises

Runner-up : Scenic & Emerald

Best Ferry Operator : DFDS Seaways

Runner-up : Stena Line

HOTELS/SHORT BREAKS & UK HOLIDAYS

Best Bedbank /Hotel Booking Company : SuperBreak

Runner-up : TravelCube

Best Hotel Group : Sandals Resorts

Runner-up : Hilton

Best UK Holiday Company : Superbreak

Runner-up : Hoseasons

Best European Short Break Provider : Jet2CityBreaks

Runner-up : Osprey Holidays

TECHNOLOGY/GROUND & SERVICE AWARDS

Best Agency Sales Support Team : Emirates

Runner-up : If Only...

Best Technology Supplier : Travelport

Runner-up : Amadeus

Best Car Hire Supplier : Affordable Car Hire

Runner-up : Avis

Best Holiday Essentials Supplier : Holiday Extras

Runner-up : Attraction World

Best Consolidator : Travel 2

Runner-up : Gold Medal

GLASGOW AIRPORT - AIRLINE OF THE YEAR : Air France/KLM

AIRLINE AWARDS

Best Holiday Airline : Jet2.com

Runner-up : Thomas Cook Airlines

Best Domestic Airline : British Airways

Runner-up : Easyjet

Best European Airline : KLM

Runner-up : Jet2.com

Best Transatlantic Airline : United Airlines

Runner-up : Virgin Atlantic

Best Worldwide Airline : Emirates

Runner-up : Etihad

REPRESENTATIVE AWARDS

Leisure : Martin Maclaren, Beachcomber Tours

Runner-up : Drew Stewart, Drew Stewart Associates

Cruise : Colin Rillie, Royal Caribbean International

Runner-up : John Docherty, Princess Cruises

Airline : Greig White, Etihad

Runner-up : Shirley Saadi, Emirates

TRAVEL AGENCY AWARDS

Best Large Business Travel Agent : Clyde Travel Management

Runners-up : QA Business Travel

Best Small Business Travel Agent : Jigsaw Travel

Runner-up : Kenneth Macleod Travel

Best Home Worker : Fiona Bibby, The Travel Architect

Runner-up : Greg Ewins, Stewart Travel

Best Large Leisure Agency : Stewart Travel, Glasgow Forge

Runner-up : Trailfinders, Edinburgh

Best Small Leisure Agency : Glen Travel

Joint Runners-up : Connoisseur Travel ; Love To Travel

SPAA TRAVEL QUIZ 2016 : The High Flyers (Glen Travel)

SPAA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD : Roddie Macphee

An evening to remember!

click to view What a Fabulous Evening! gallery

PRIZE DRAW WINNERS TAKE THE STAGE!

It was the luck of the draw for four delighted guests, winning business class air tickets - from Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines and United, and an iPad - from Amadeus! Here they are picking up their prizes ...

The winners!

click to view The Presentations! gallery

Members & guests' pictures

Andrew Bolton

Yesterday at 09:34

Very proud award winners and our good friend Mike Evans of Fred Olsen

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MajorTom Sneddon

21 hrs

Lucky 13!! Big thanks to all my travel agent friends who voted United 'Best transatlantic airline' at the SPAA Awards last night, for the 13th consecutive year. It's never taken for granted, and always appreciated - thank you ✈️ ��

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Joanne Langton Dooey

Yesterday at 09:51 Glasgow

Well what can I say so glad everyone enjoyed the SPAA awards last night , it is so gratifying to see everyone enjoying themselves , these awards take lots of time and effort to put together me and Janice Hogarth have had laughs and tears the past few months putting the night together but it was all worth it . Thanks again to our sponsors without you we couldn't do what we do , and my highlight of the evening was being runner up in the small independent agent award in Scotland well done Love To Travel Coatbridge ��

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futureSPAA on Facebook

Audrey Thomson

4 hrs

Thank you so much to the Scottish Travel Trade for voting Affordable Car Hire �� your 2016 winners!

We had a super night and congratulations to all the nominees and winners. All very well deserved ��

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William Young

15 hrs Helensburgh

Don't tell me I was the only one to get a pic with Lawrence - Aye!!!

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Roulston Tim

21 hrs

Thank you Glasgow Airport for nominating Air France-KLM as Glasgow Airport Airline of the Year 2016!!

With your continued support and focus we are confident that we will make these routes a continued success !

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Drew Stewart shared his post.

16 hrs

Drew Stewart
17 hrs Cairndow

Thanks to all who voted for Classic Collection Holidays as always your support is really appreciated by every one of us as Classic Collection!

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... and to finish, a few 'outtakes'!

click here to view The Outtakes! gallery

SPAA Diary 2016

Tuesday 22 November : STAR Exhibition - Glasgow #STARgla

Thursday 08 December : SPAA AGM & Christmas Lunch - Glasgow #SPAAchristmas

NB for details visit www.spaa.org or contact Janice Hogarth at jhogarth@spaa.org

all event details are subject to change