AND THE WINNERS OF THE 2017 #WORLDTRAVELAWARDS ARE …
(Posted 11th October 2017)
Kenya’s national airline Kenya Airways retained their trophies at the World Travel Awards for Africa held in Kigali last night, when the carrier once again walked away proud after being named as Africa’s leading airline and Africa’s leading Business Class.
Not to be outdone this year was Ethiopian Airlines which took the awards for being voted Africa’ leading airline in Economy Class and as Africa’s leading airline brand.
Auric Air of Tanzania won the award as that country’s leading safari airline.
Fastjet was once again recognized as Africa’s leading low cost airline.
The Kenya Tourism Board, just coming out of hosting their most successful Magical Kenya Travel Expo ever, once again claimed the award for being Africa’s leading Tourism Board.
Diani, home to some of Kenya’s most fancied resorts, also once again took home the trophy as Africa’s leading beach destination.
Sarova Hotels took the trophy for being named Africa’s leading hotel brand while Heritage Hotels, and much credit for that goes to Mohammed Hersi for the work he did there as CEO, took the trophy as Kenya’s leading Safari Camp brand.
Pollmans Tours claimed the win as Kenya’s best incoming agency.
Serena Hotels did it again at the World Travel Awards 2017 when East Africa’s leading hotel company walked away with five awards, making it five years in a row that they are returning triumphantly from the event.
Voters from around the world expressed their confidence in them when they cast thousands of votes in Serena’s favour and as a result were the following properties of the group honoured last night:
Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort & Spa – Uganda’s leading Presidential Suite
Kampala Serena Hotel – Uganda’s leading hotel
Polana Serena Hotel – Mozambique’s leading Hotel and Suites
Kigali Serena Hotel – Rwanda’s leading Hotel and Suites
Zanzibar Serena Hotel – Zanzibar’s leading hotel
Also recognized was the host hotel and venue, the Radisson Blu Hotel and Conference Centre as Rwanda’s leading Conference Hotel while also scooping the award as Rwanda’s leading new hotel for 2017. A third trophy came Radisson’s way when their Kigali property was also named as Africa’s leading Conference Hotel.
The Marriott Kigali took home two awards as Kigali’s leading business hotel and as Rwanda’s leading city hotel.
Closer to home, in Uganda, did besides the two Serena properties notably Roadtrip Uganda, Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge and Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp take trophies home.
For Lydia Nandudu of Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge it was the second time she was able to lift this trophy which she brought home to Nkuringo already last year and retained it in 2017. See a brief interview she gave last year when for the first time ever she was rewarded for her hard work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMrJMkkjSQk
The event was held last night on the sidelines of two conferences running concurrently at the Kigali Convention Centre, AVIADev and AHIF which provided a befitting venue and added crowd to the event.
Congratulations are extended to all winners who cannot be named individually here but the full list of winners for Africa and for the respective countries is shown below, courtesy of World Travel Awards:
Africa
Algeria
| Algeria’s Leading Hotel 2017 | Le Méridien Oran Hotel & Convention Centre |
|---|
Angola
| Angola’s Leading Car Rental Company 2017 | Avis |
|---|---|
| Angola’s Leading Hotel 2017 | EPIC SANA Luanda Hotel |
Benin
| Benin’s Leading Hotel 2017 | Benin Marina Hotel |
|---|
Botswana
Burkina Faso
| Burkina Faso’s Leading Hotel 2017 | Laico Ouaga 2000 |
|---|
Burundi
| Burundi’s Leading Hotel 2017 | Roca Golf Hotel |
|---|
Cameroon
| Cameroon’s Leading Hotel 2017 | Hilton Yaounde |
|---|
Cape Verde
| Cape Verde’s Leading Hotel 2017 | Meliá Tortuga Beach |
|---|---|
| Cape Verde’s Leading Resort 2017 | IBEROSTAR Club Boa Vista |
Cote d’Ivoire
| Cote d’Ivoire’s Leading Car Rental Company 2017 | Avis |
|---|---|
| Cote d’Ivoire’s Leading Hotel 2017 | Sofitel Abidjan Hotel Ivoire |
Democratic Republic of Congo
Egypt
Ethiopia
| Ethiopia’s Leading Hotel 2017 | Hilton Addis Ababa |
|---|
Gabon
| Gabon’s Leading Car Rental Company 2017 | Avis |
|---|---|
| Gabon’s Leading Hotel 2017 | Radisson Blu Okoume Palace Hotel, Libreville |
Gambia
| Gambia’s Leading Hotel 2017 | Ngala Lodge |
|---|
Ghana
Kenya
Malawi
| Malawi’s Leading Hotel 2017 | President Walmont Hotel |
|---|
Mali
| Mali’s Leading Hotel 2017 | Radisson Blu Hotel, Bamako |
|---|
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Nigeria
Rwanda
São Tomé & Príncipe
| São Tomé & Príncipe’s Leading Hotel 2017 | Pestana São Tomé |
|---|---|
| São Tomé & Príncipe’s Leading Resort 2017 | Pestana São Tomé |
Senegal
| Senegal’s Leading Car Rental Company 2017 | Sixt |
|---|---|
| Senegal’s Leading Hotel 2017 | Radisson Blu Hotel, Dakar Sea Plaza |
South Africa
Sudan
| Sudan’s Leading Hotel 2017 | Al Salam Rotana Hotel |
|---|---|
| Sudan’s Leading Hotel Suite 2017 | Presidential Suite @ Corinthia Hotel Khartoum |
Swaziland
| Swaziland’s Leading Car Rental Company 2017 | Avis |
|---|---|
| Swaziland’s Leading Hotel 2017 | The Royal Villas Swaziland |
Tanzania
Togo
| Togo’s Leading Car Rental Company 2017 | Hertz |
|---|---|
| Togo’s Leading Hotel 2017 | Radisson Blu Hotel 2 Février, Lomé |
Tunisia
| Tunisia’s Leading Car Rental Company 2017 | Sixt |
|---|---|
| Tunisia’s Leading Hotel 2017 | La Cigale Hôtel Tabarka |
| Tunisia’s Leading Hotel Suite 2017 | Presidential Suite @ Regency Tunis Hotel |
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Zanzibar
| Zanzibar’s Leading Hotel 2017 | Zanzibar Serena Hotel |
|---|---|
| Zanzibar’s Leading Resort 2017 | Diamonds La Gemma dell’Est |
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