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Introduction

Welcome to the 20th Guardian, Observer and Guardian

Unlimited Travel Awards. When the Observer launched these
awards two decades ago, they were the first reader awards of
any kind to feature in a national newspaper. They were fairly
basic, with only five categories: best tour operator (Thomson),
favourite airline (British Airways), favourite UK destination (Lake
District), short-haul (France) and long-haul destination (US). But
then so was the way we travelled back then: take a break in the
UK, or book a package deal with a travel agent to somewhere
sunny.
These days, were much more likely to put together our own
holidays to any destination in the world with cheap online
flights than we are to visit a high street travel agent
(interestingly, the winner of this years travel agent prize, Travel
Counsellors, a network of travel specialists, will come to your
home). As a result, over the years, weve expanded and refined
the categories in the awards to reflect this. For example, we
introduced the notion of rating the quality of service over sheer
quantity of votes; we introduced a section for online booking
service; the best short-haul airline category reflects the
spectacular growth in weekend breaks abroad, and is now
dominated not only by the low-cost airlines but also by more
established airlines, such as British Airways, that have had to
compete for this market.
In terms of destinations, France and the US, were the old
favourites, but over the years, our readers have become much
more adventurous, and countries from Iceland to Slovenia, and
Chile to New Zealand have since topped these categories.
This year, weve introduced the ethical tourism prize as a
reflection of readers growing appetite for sustainable travel.
We want to reward companies and schemes that are making a
real effort to protect and sustain the assets the pristine

Andy Pietrasik,
Travel editor,
The Guardian

beaches, ancient ruins, mountains and, most importantly, the

communities on which this industry so heavily relies.
We also wanted to give a special mention to larger operators
that, despite our scoring system, sometimes get overlooked in
certain categories as they are providing a high level of service to
such a large number of people; those categories are tour
operator and short break company. Therefore, for these
categories we have awarded two winners, one mainstream
operator and one specialist operator. Mainstream companies
were those who had 3% or more of the total votes, specialist
companies those that had less.
For the 2006 awards, we received 15,000 completed
questionnaires (there were 9,000 in the first year). The coupon
was published for three weeks in the Guardian, the Observer
and on Guardian Unlimited earlier this year asking readers
about their holidays. An independent company recorded the
data and, in the following pages, you can see how the
responses have been translated into table results. The scoring is
straightforward, with readers being asked to rate the quality of
the service they received on their holidays by ticking four boxes:
excellent, good, fair or poor. Each companys score was
translated into a percentage, allowing us to compare small
companies assessed on fewer holidaymakers ratings with
larger rivals.
When we set up these awards two decades ago, nobody could
have predicted how much would change in the way we travel.
But one thing remains certain: word of mouth is always the best
guide to where to go on holiday, who to go with and where to
stay. Which is why asking the readers of the Guardian, the
Observer and Guardian Unlimited Travel for their personal
recommendations remains as relevant today as it was 20 years
ago.

Joanne OConnor
Travel editor,
The Observer

Liane Katz,
Travel editor,
Guardian Unlimited

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Best travel agent

Best online booking service

After three years at the top, Trailfinders have been pipped by Travel
Counsellors, who use an innovative system of travel agents working
by phone from home.

Direct Holidays have made an impressive leap from 14th place in last
years awards to take victory this year, while the airlines have shown a
big improvement with British Airways, Easyjet and Jet2.com all
making it into the top six.

rankings

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18

Travel Counsellors
Trailfinders
Travelcare
Co-op Travel
Dial A Flight.co.uk
British Airways Holidays
STA Travel
Expedia.co.uk
Opodo
Airline Network
Flight Centre
Travelbag
Going Places
Lunn Poly
Thomas Cook
First Choice
Lastminute.com
Ebookers

Total

last year's
rankings

coupons

% score

1
6

10
12
2
4
15
7
3
8
13
19
9
20
11
17

247
609
101
120
49
44
214
266
55
50
85
103
148
61
469
207
182
60

99.29
90.72
88.37
85
84.69
84.66
84
83.46
82.73
81.5
80.59
80.1
80.07
79.92
79.37
77.17
75.55
74.17

3,070

82.9

rankings

1 directholidays.co.uk
2 explore.co.uk
3 exodus.co.uk
4 jet2.com
5 easyjet.com
6 britishairways.com
7 travelbag.co.uk
8 firstchoice.co.uk
9 virginholidays.co.uk
10 airline-network.co.uk
11 expedia.co.uk
12 opodo.co.uk
13 travelocity.co.uk
14 airmiles.co.uk
15 thomson.co.uk
16 thomascook.com
17 lastminute.com
18 ryanair.com
19 eurostar.com
20 ebookers.com

Total

last year's
rankings

coupons

% score

14
5
1
2
13
17
18
21
4
9
10
22
24
28
26
7
25
30
23
29

90
63
84
68
566
397
70
134
110
111
1241
263
74
74
193
129
643
420
102
229

90.56
90.08
88.69
87.87
85.16
85.14
85
84.33
82.95
82.88
82.7
81.56
81.42
81.08
80.18
78.88
78.69
78.33
78.19
75.76

5,061

82.9

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Best tour operator

Best short break company

Best ski company

Best cruise line

This year weve split this category into two mainstream and
specialist to acknowledge the very different type of market they
serve. Heading the mainstream category is long-haul operator Audley
Travel, while in the specialist category tailor-made Africa operator
Rainbow Tours hangs onto its lead for the third consecutive year.

Again were using two categories, which has opened up the way for
online travel agent Expedia to grab the top spot in the mainstream
category. In the specialist category, last years winner, Inntravel, takes
the title for the fourth year running.

Once again a specialist company takes the best ski company title
Waymark operate cross-country, telemark and snowshoeing trips
among others, which prove hugely popular among their loyal
clientele. Inghams comes top among the big ski operators, just
pipping Neilson to the post.

With its unstuffy cruise product aimed at a younger, more active

clientele, Ocean Village has beaten off competition from more
traditional cruise lines to take this years number one slot.

rankings

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Mainstream operators
Audley Travel
Trailfinders
Explore
Kuoni
Virgin Holidays
British Airways Holidays
Thomas Cook
Thomson
First Choice

last year's
rankings

coupons

% score

10
17
27
25
42
38
48
49

423
304
215
250
206
187
425
641
430

99.23
90.87
88.14
86.4
84.71
82.49
77.29
75.66
73.9

3,081

84.3

Total

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16

Specialist operators
Rainbow Tours
Laskarina Holidays
Tapestry Holidays
Exodus
Saga Holidays
Canvas Holidays
Eurocamp
Voyages Jules Verne
Direct Holidays
Eurostar
STA Travel
Inghams Travel
Cosmos Travel
Airtours Holidays
Mytravel
Crystal Holidays

1
3
5
12
20
7
30
26
43
40
22
35
50
53
54
46

89
81
83
145
94
73
71
165
75
90
115
99
72
167
85
96

98.03
95.99
93.07
90.52
89.36
89.04
87.68
86.36
82.67
82.22
82.17
78.28
76.04
73.8
70.88
69.27

rankings
rankings

1
21
23
34
45
56
67
78
89
10
9
11
12

last year's
year's
last
rankings
rankings

Trailfinders operators
Mainstream
STA Travel
Expedia
Flight Centre
Eurostar
Expedia.co.uk
The
Airmiles Travel Company
Bath Travel
Thomson
Travelcare
Cresta
Holidays
Airline Airways
NetworkHolidays
British
Travelbag
City
Breaks
Thomas Cook
Cook
Thomas
Dial A Flight.co.uk
Lastminute.com
Lastminute.com
British Airways
Total
Holidays
13 Specialist
Going Places
operators
141 Inntravel
Bridge The World
15
Opodo
2 VFB
Holidays
16
MyTravelFerries
3 Brittany
17
Airmiles Travel
4 Voyages
Jules Verne
Company
5 Short
Breaks
18
Thomson
6 STA
Travel
19
Lunn
7 Virgin Poly
Holidays
20
Choice
8 First
Aer Lingus
21
Ebookers
9 Superbreak
22 KLM
Airtours Holidays
10
Total
11 Air
France
12 P&O Ferries

Total

1
8
9
12
7
17
218154
20
55
14
6
13
13
2164
12
6
311
10
7
15
10
17
14
22
18
19

coupons
coupons

% score
score
%

739
945
135
194
561
365
95
54
137
507
101
57
242
182
104
1,041
109
72
98
302
1,582
123
289
61
46
62
80
52
59

90.6
88.6
84.07
86.9
82.89
86.4
81.58
85.7
81.2
85.4
81.19
84.2
79.96
84.1
78.37
83.1
76.15
82.6
75.51
82.0
80.1
80.7
80.0
79.5
89.67
79.4
88.75
79.3
84.75

55
72
67
271
52
420
41
266
89
129
82
78
75
6,281
49

84.55
79.2
82.84
78.8
82.69
78.6
81.71
78.2
81.46
74.8
80.79
70.8
80.33
83.9
76.53

86

76.16

781

82.5

rankings

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

Waymark Holidays
Eurostar
Equity Travel
Virgin Holidays
Iglu
Inghams Travel
Neilson
Mark Warner
Ski World
Airtours Holidays
Thomas Cook
Thomson
Crystal Holidays
Panorama
First Choice

last year's
rankings

coupons

% score

2
9
13
4
12
11
3
6
8
18
10
17
14
15
16

40
21
23
21
42
153
107
54
59
26
39
78
182
22
80

90
85.71
83.7
80.95
80.36
79.41
79.21
77.31
76.69
75.96
73.08
69.9
69.51
68.18
65

rankings

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

Ocean Village
Thomson Cruises
Royal Caribbean International
DFDS Seaways
Princess Cruises
Celebrity Cruises
P&O Cruises
Norwegian Cruise Line
Fred Olsen Cruise Lines
Voyage of Discovery
Cunard Line
Carnival Cruise Lines
Swan Hellenic

Total
Total

947

last year's
rankings

14
15
4
13
8
1
9
6
3
7
5
11
2

coupons

% score

21
44
66
24
43
14
140
64
39
21
52
27
25

79.76
69.89
63.64
62.5
60.47
58.93
58.39
54.69
53.85
53.57
53.37
50.93
50

580

59.2

76.9

Airlines included where it is possible to book flights and

accommodation
Total

1,600

84.1

Airlines included where it is possible to book flights and

accommodation.

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Best short-haul airline

Best long-haul airline

With its rapidly expanding network of cheap flights from UK regional

airports, Jet2.com has made big in-roads into the no-frills market
since it launched its first low-cost flight from Leeds Bradford to
Amsterdam three years ago. It climbs from third place to take the title
from Air Berlin.

For years this category has been dominated by just two carriers,
Singapore Airlines and Emirates, and this year is no exception. Virgin
deserves credit too: up from eighth place two years ago to third.

rankings

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16

Jet2.com
Aer Lingus
Lufthansa
British Airways
BMI
Flybe
KLM
Thomsonfly
Easyjet
Monarch
Excel Airways
First Choice
Thomas Cook
Ryanair
Iberia
MyTravel

Total

last year's
rankings

coupons

% score

3
11
12
9
13
17
20
23
16
24
26
28
6
27
31
-

270
113
142
1214
1599
229
225
587
2553
408
174
213
152
2001
116
52

81.2
80.53
79.4
77.66
77.2
76.53
76.33
74.66
73.1
69.98
69.83
68.9
68.09
64.24
58.41
79.3

9,996

68.5

rankings
rankings

11
22
33
44
55
66
77
88
99
10
10
11
11
12
12
13
13
14
14
15
15
16
16
17
17
18

TrailfindersAirlines
Singapore
STA Travel
Emirates
Flight Centre
Virgin
Expedia.co.uk
Air
New Zealand
Bath Travel
Malaysia
Airlines
Travelcare
Cathay
Pacific
Airline
Network
Thai
Airways
Travelbag
Qantas
Thomas Cook
SriLankan
Airways
Dial A Flight.co.uk
British
Airways
Lastminute.com
Kenya
Airways
British
KLM Airways
Holidays
Air
Canada
Going
Places
First Choice
Bridge
The World
South African
Airways
Opodo
Air
France
MyTravel
United
Airlines
Airmiles Cook
Travel
Thomas
Company
19 Lufthansa
18 Continental
Thomson Airlines
20
19
Lunn
PolyAirlines
21 American
20
First
Choice
22 ThomsonFly
21 Monarch
Ebookers
23
22 MyTravel
Airtours Holidays
24
Total
25 Iberia

Total

last year's
year's
last
rankings
rankings

coupons
coupons

% score
score
%

11
28
49
117
5964
10
5
13
1514
17
16
6
24
13
40
3
25
29
21-

739
358
945
443
194
919
365
140
54
262
507
149
57
211
182
421
1,041
111
72
2095
302
96
362
123
202
289
136
61
151
62
174
52
156

90.6
93.99
88.6
89.45
86.9
85.66
86.4
84.11
85.7
83.68
85.4
82.72
84.2
81.64
84.1
81.12
83.1
78.83
82.6
78.17
82.0
77.86
76.66
80.7
75.25
80.0
72.43
79.5
72.19
79.4
69.97
79.3
69.39

14
12
18
11
22
10
26
15
34
17
41
39

122
72
127
271
196
420
357
266
99
129
214
78
111
6,281
212

69.26
79.2
69.09
78.8
68.24
78.6
66.95
78.2
63.89
74.8
60.75
70.8
59.91
83.9
48.35

7,824

74.4

43

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Best business airline

Best ferry company

Best train company

Best car hire

Emirates and Virgin swap places at the top, while Easyjet is rising
through the ranks as business travellers tighten their belts.

Speed Ferries, who operate fast boats between Dover and Boulogne,
only launched in May 2004, but have made it to the top, albeit by the
slightest of margins.

Proving that the British love affair with France is still going strong,
the two top places are taken by Eurostar and Eurotunnel. Chiltern
Railways is the best of the UK regional rail operators.

This years winner is Carjet, an online car rental broker which has
won praise for its upfront pricing policy, with no hidden extras, and
user-friendly web booking system.

rankings

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

Emirates
Virgin
Lufthansa
British Airways
BMI
KLM
United Airlines
Easyjet
Flybe
American Airlines
Ryanair

Total

last year's
rankings

coupons

% score

1
2
3
5
4
8
6
10
7
9
11

60
182
66
1596
267
148
35
372
76
52
124

92.92
89.56
84.85
78.02
77.15
73.14
72.14
71.77
69.74
68.75
62.9

2,978

76.4

rankings

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16

Speed Ferries
Swansea Cork Ferries
North Sea Ferries
Caledonian Macbrayne
Brittany Ferries
DFDS Seaways
Norfolkline
Hoverspeed
Stena Line
Wightlink
Seacat
Seafrance
Red Funnel Ferries
Irish Ferries
P&O Ferries
Condor Ferries

Total

last year's
rankings

coupons

% score

2
4
-

151
46
47
146
652
81
99
71
278
82
132
157
67
161
1072
67

84.93
84.24
84.04
81.85
81.25
79.01
78.79
78.17
76.71
76.52
76.33
76.27
76.12
74.22
72.5
68.66

5
7
11
3
10
13
14
15
8
12
16

3,348

rankings

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19

Eurostar
Eurotunnel
Chiltern Railways
GNER
Midland Mainline
First Great Eastern
First Scotrail
Virgin Trains
South West Trains
Southern
South Eastern Trains
First Great Western
London Underground
First North Western
Silverlink Trains
One
Central Trains
Thameslink
Arriva

coupons

% score

1
5
8
11
12
15
18
24
23
17
19
21

797
114
192
749
503
799
214
2415
786
291
291
880
149
177
106
263
127
219
170

84.07
83.33
78.39
70.79
69.48
68.74
65.19
64.89
62.25
59.45
59.45
58.81
58.39
57.77
57.55
56.27
55.91
55.48
54.12

9,242

67.8

10
25
20
22

rankings

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

Carjet
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Dollar Rent-A-Car
Alamo Rent A Car
Thrifty Car Rental
Holiday Autos
Sixt
Hertz
Avis
Auto Europe
Europcar
Budget
National Car Rental
Easycar

Total

last year's
rankings

coupons

% score

3
5
8
11
6
4
7
13
9
1
14
10
12
15

80
258
100
375
106
428
105
1222
1120
90
886
367
152
148

86.56
78.39
78.25
78
77.59
75.7
74.52
74.45
74.08
73.89
73.87
73.77
73.52
69.09

5,437

75.8

78.1

Total

10

last year's
rankings

11

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Page 14

Best UK hotel

Best overseas hotel

The slow and steady expansion of the Hotel du Vin chain is obviously
not diluting the winning formula: it takes first prize for the third year
running.

Four Seasons have ended Shangri-Las three-year winning streak,

edging them off the top spot. It's a close run thing again, but the 70
hotels in 31 countries that make up the Four Seasons chain have
finally edged Shangri-la from the top spot after three consecutive
years. Spain's Paradors are consistently popular, taking third again.

rankings

last year's
rankings

1 Hotel du Vin & Bistro

2 City Inn
3 Radisson Hotels & Resorts
4 Malmaison
5 De Vere Hotels
6 Marriott
7 YHA
8 Crowne Plaza Hotel & Resorts
9 Novotel
10 Hilton
11 Copthorne Hotels
12 Moat House Hotels
13 Best Western
14 Premier Travel Inn
15 Holiday Inn
16 Jurys Doyle Hotels
17 Thistle Hotels
18 Ibis
19 Travelodge
20 Ramada Jarvis
21 Comfort Inn
22 Britannia Hotels

Total

1
7
12
5
6
11
8
14
15
16
13
26
20
18
17
19
21
25
29
24
23
29

rankings
rankings

% score

236
83
208
353
156
362
140
109
175
641
84
79
257
313
580
173
281
173
656
91
73
63

92.37
84.64
83.05
83
82.69
82.25
81.25
79.36
76.86
76.13
73.81
73.1
71.5
71.25
70.99
70.81
70.46
69.22
67.49
66.76
64.73
61.9

Trailfinders
11 Four
Seasons Hotels & Resorts
STA Travel Hotels and Resorts
22 Shangri-La
Flight Centre
33 Paradors
of Spain
Expedia.co.uk Hotels
44 InterContinental
Resorts
5 &Bath
Travel
56 Hyatt
Travelcare
67 Sofitel
Airline Network
78 Le
Meridien
Travelbag
89 Renaissance
Hotels & Resorts
Thomas Cook
9
Sheraton
Hotels
10 Dial A Flight.co.uk& Resorts
10
Hotels & Resorts
11 Westin
Lastminute.com
11
Plaza Hotels & Resorts
12 Crowne
British Airways
Holidays Hotels & Resorts
12 Iberostar
13 Hilton
Going Places
13
14 Marriott
Bridge The World
14
15 Luxor
OpodoLas Vegas
15
16 Radisson
MyTravel Hotels & Resorts
16
17 Jurys
Airmiles
Travel
17
Doyle
Hotels
Company
18 YHA
18 Ramada
ThomsonWorldwide
19
19
Lunn
20 GoldenPoly
Tulip Hotels
20
First Choice
21 Novotel
21 Mercure
Ebookers
22
22 Holiday
AirtoursInn
Holidays
23
Total
24 Campanile

3,748

75.2

25 Best Western
26 Ibis
27 Comfort Inn

Total

12

last year's
year's
last
rankings
rankings

coupons

21
8
1
39
7
8412114
95
166
14
13
56
13
15
83
171423
12
22
11
27
10
18
15
19
17
21
20
28
24
25
26

coupons
coupons

% score
score
%

739
105
945
131
194
85
365
114
54
128
507
114
57
132
182
41
1,041
203
72
64
302
128
123
57
289
455
61
296
62
60
52
239
50
72
132
271
52
420
46
266
143
129
76
78
280
6,281
45

90.6
95.48
88.6
94.66
86.9
92.06
86.4
91.67
85.7
90.82
85.4
90.79
84.2
90.34
84.1
90.24
83.1
88.92
82.6
87.11
82.0
86.33
80.7
85.96
80.0
85.7
79.5
85.22
79.4
85
79.3
84.52
84.5
79.2
82.77
78.8
82.69
78.6
81.52
78.2
81.29
74.8
79.61
70.8
78.57
83.9
75.56

251
266
55

74.9
72.65
69.55

4,138

84.8

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Favourite UK city

Favourite overseas city

Favourite European country

Favourite long-haul country

Nothing it seems will loosen this citys grip on the title. Yes, its
Edinburgh again for the seventh year running. Cambridge, Cardiff and
Leeds make their top 10 debut while London limps home in 17th
position.

The Aussies are out. After dominating the top two spots for the last
few years, the country has been trumped by Hong Kongs exotic
charms. Seville is the top-ranked European city, closely followed by
Venice.

The Scandinavian countries traditionally fare well in this category and

this year is no exception, with Sweden winning on satisfaction rating,
but dont overlook the massive number of votes, and impressively
high score for Italy.

New Zealands blend of scenery, food and wine take it back to the
top. Japan, long feared for its high prices and indecipherable menus,
jumps ten places to second.

rankings

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19

Edinburgh
Glasgow
Bath
Newcastle upon Tyne
York
Cambridge
Brighton and Hove
Chester
Cardiff
Leeds
Norwich
Manchester
Belfast
Oxford
Bristol
Liverpool
London
Birmingham
Nottingham

Total

last year's
rankings

coupons

% score

rankings

last year's
rankings

coupons

% score

1
5
7
3
4
15
10
8
14
17
11
13
2
20
18
19
23
24
29

1462
558
616
441
597
211
583
147
321
394
151
666
147
313
414
313
2680
419
146

89.88
86.29
85.71
85.6
85.13
84.72
83.75
83.16
82.94
82.3
82.12
81.94
81.46
81.39
81.04
80.83
79.61
77.98
73.97

10,579

82.6

1 Hong Kong
2 Sydney
3 Melbourne
4 Cape Town
5 Seville
6 Venice
7 Buenos Aires
8 Berlin
9 New York
10 San Francisco
11 Barcelona
12 Florence
13 Bruges
14 Prague
15 Bangkok
16 Rome
17 Lisbon
18 Madrid
19 Budapest
20 Amsterdam
21 Marrakech
22 Paris
23 Dublin
24 Brussels

3
2
18
6
19
26
7
30
13
16
27
43
32
23
37
36
44
42
50
59
58
56
67

150
279
123
280
141
375
125
269
530
151
851
189
136
412
269
463
130
181
232
384
173
874
224
161

96.5
95.7
95.53
95.36
94.86
94.73
94
93.68
93.58
92.72
92.27
92.06
91.54
91.44
91.36
91.31
90.96
90.88
90.84
88.8
88.73
88.7
87.28
86.02

7,102

92.0

Total

14

rankings

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19

Sweden
Italy
Norway
Switzerland
Austria
Poland
Czech Republic
Croatia
Greece
Germany
Portugal & Madeira
Republic of Ireland
Spain & Canaries
France & Corsica
Turkey
Netherlands
Hungary
Belgium
Cyprus

Total

last year's
rankings

coupons

% score

4
9
7
6
8
10
5
17
18
14
20
21
11
19
13
23
22

147
2123
173
260
282
158
430
244
837
586
515
205
2511
2703
325
279
233
302
164

92.69
91.33
91.33
90.38
90.25
90.19
89.94
89.65
89.58
89.38
89.37
88.78
87.68
87.29
87.23
86.65
86.37
86.18
82.77

12,477

88.8

rankings

1 New Zealand
2 Japan
3 Maldives
4 Australia
5 Malaysia
6 Peru
7 South Africa
8 Cambodia
9 Canada
10 Thailand
11 Vietnam
12 Argentina
13 Brazil
14 China & Hong Kong
15 Sri Lanka
16 India
17 Kenya
18 Barbados
19 Mexico
20 Cuba
21 Dubai & UAE
22 USA
23 Egypt
24 Morocco

Total

last year's
rankings

coupons

% score

3
12
4
9
20
10
14
8
16
13
6
7
21
31
15
29
26
30
28
17
34
36
35
33

525
181
114
970
222
144
498
115
592
465
134
156
176
361
193
682
139
120
176
272
137
2152
316
149

97.29
97.1
96.93
95.31
95.16
95.14
94.83
94.78
94.68
94.68
94.4
94.07
93.47
92.45
92.36
92.27
91.01
90.21
90.2
89.71
87.59
87.48
87.18
86.74

8,989

92.7

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Ethical travel award

Winner: Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa www.fairtourismsa.org.za
Highly commended: Sustrans, Jordan's Royal Society for the
Conservation of Nature, Harlem Spirituals Gospel and Jazz Tours
(New York)

The inaugural winner of this award is Fair Trade in Tourism

South Africa, a non-profit organisation that is bringing the
concept of fair trade into tourism. It vets South African travel
businesses and provides a trademark label for those that pass
its stringent conditions for providing fair wages and working
conditions for employees. It has so far recognised 21 ethical
companies, including a Country Lodge on the Garden Route,
a five-star Game Reserve in the Kruger National Park and an
adventure travel company in the Eastern Cape. What the
judges like about this scheme is that it is the first attempt
worldwide to introduce the concept of fair trade in tourism
and to provide a benchmark for customers to judge the
ethical standards of travel companies.
Highly commended by the judges was Feynan Wilderness
Lodge and Dana Guesthouse and Nature Reserve, which are
managed by Jordan's Royal Society for the Conservation of
Nature to help promote the country's natural heritage as well
as provide local employment for the Bedouin, linking
conservation and ecotourism. These ventures deserve
particular merit in a region where international chain hotels
are the norm.
Also commended was Sustrans, the UK's leading sustainable
transport charity, which over the past decade has completed
10,000 miles of the National Cycle Network.
Less obvious, perhaps, is Harlem Spirituals Gospel and Jazz
Tours. For the past 20 years, this group has been leading
tours that capture the flavour and excitement of Harlem
through its music. As such, they've been integral to the
regeneration of a neighbourhood that was long considered a
no-go zone for tourists and many city residents alike.
Judges: Joanne OConnor, travel editor, The Observer; Andy
Pietrasik, travel editor, the Guardian; Richard Hammond, the
Guardians eco travel columnist and editor of Alastair
Sawday's Green Places to Stay and Tom Hall, travel
information manager, Lonely Planet

16

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Best brochure of the year

Best travel website of the year

Winner: Exclusive Escapes, Hidden Turkey

Runner up: Original Travel

Winner: Black Tomato www.blacktomato.co.uk

This years competition was a close-run thing but the judges

felt that Exclusive Escapes had the edge because it
succeeded in taking a destination which is normally
associated with cheap package holidays and presented it as
an aspirational, luxury product. The brochure makes the
reader question their preconceptions about Turkey and is
inspirational and practical in equal measures.

Our best website winner is Black Tomato

(www.blacktomato.co.uk) the relative newcomer specialising
in experience-led short breaks.

The front cover image is inviting and sets the tone for what is
a high quality production, from the quality of the paper to the
outstanding photography.
On a practical level, the layout is airy and easy to use. We
particularly liked the fact that you dont have to turn to the
back of the brochure or to a separate price pamphlet to find
out what your holiday will cost. If the purpose of a brochure is
to make you want to book a holiday then Exclusive Escapes
succeeds.

Our judges particularly liked their innovative website design

and use of pulldown menus to display a huge range of trips at
a single click. We were impressed by the panic button feature
allowing last-minute advice and tailor-made bookings.
Although the product is high-end in terms of cost, it is well
tailored to its market and the responds to well popularity of
short breaks and adrenalin experiences.
Our design team also commended www.explore.co.uk for
being clean, colourful and easy to navigate while
www.inntravel.com, www.theadventurecompany.co.uk and
www.discover-antarctica.com were among those shortlisted.

Last years winner Original Travel is still an attractive

proposition with its innovative and stylish design (now being
copied by other tour operators, we noticed) and neat
compact size which make it stand out from the rest of the
crowd. However, we did notice that it seems to have shrunk
since last year which inevitably means that they have had to
cut back on some of the trip information. A good example of
a company which knows its customers and gives them
exactly what they want.

Judges: Joanne OConnor, travel editor, The Observer; Tom

Robbins, deputy travel editor, The Observer; Andy Pietrasik,
travel editor, The Guardian; Rachel Beard, production
assistant, Guardian Unlimited Travel; Tom Hall, travel
information manager, Lonely Planet

18

Judges: Akemi Takagi, senior designer, Guardian Unlimited,

Liane Katz, travel editor, Guardian Unlimited, Joanne
OConnor, travel editor, The Observer; Andy Pietrasik,
travel editor, The Guardian.

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Team Contacts

Editorial
The Guardian
The Observer
Guardian Unlimited

020 7713 4411

020 7713 4068
020 7713 4328

Advertising
Display
London
Manchester
Edinburgh

020 7239 9551

0161 908 3823
0131 272 2751

Classified

020 7611 9010

Guardian.co.uk/travel
Guardian.co.uk/adinfo

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