 The 2008 Australian Travel Awards went off with a bang in early March when agents from all over the country gathered for a gala evening in Sydney’s Darling Harbour to celebrate their exceptional achievements.
Designed to highlight the achievements of individual travel agents throughout Australia the Travel Weekly Australian Travel Awards are the most prestigious and comprehensive awards programme for travel consultants across the industry.
This year no rock was left unturned in our quest for Australia’s top travel agents. All the major retail groups, wholesalers and tourist boards were contacted and their top performers recommended. On top of that, Travel Weekly ran a six month campaign to encourage consultants to enter themselves and their colleagues.
As a result hundreds and hundreds of nominations poured in, but there could only be one highly commended and one winning agent in each category. The recipients of these awards really are the best in the business.
Here are the results of who came up trumps on the night:
Best Travel Consultant, Africa
Winner: April Selby, Jetset Waurn Ponds, Vic
Highly Commended: David Livermore, Jetset Bendigo, Vic
Runners up: Gemima Robey, Benchmark Travel and Travelscene Kogarah, NSW; Liane Harrison, Travel Dreamers, Terry Hills, NSW; Tammi Sirett, Flight Centre Carindale, Qld
Sponsors: South African Tourism and South African Airways
Best Travel Consultant, Asia
Winner: James Thompson, Donna Barlow Corporate Travel, North Ryde, NSW
Highly Commended: Rebecca Solomon, Jetset Pennant Hills, NSW
Runners up: Tracy Cosgriff, Travel Managers Australia, Palm Beach, Qld; Fadi El Haje, Travel Ezy Australia, Bass Hill, NSW; Jason Sartori, Travelscene Wonthaggi, Vic
Sponsor: Travel Weekly
Best Travel Consultant, Cruise
Winner: Debra Abraham, Cruise Vacations, Northcote, Vic
Highly Commended: Mike Clark, Jetset Hyde Park, Unley, SA
Runners up: Natalie Jeffers, Firstclass.com.au, Sydney, NSW; Ali Vivien, Cruise Magic at Jetset Frankston, Vic; Veronica Baillie, Noosa Cruise and Travel, Noosaville, Qld
Sponsored: Travel Today
Best Travel Consultant, Domestic
Winner: Amanda Moore, Seniors Holiday Travel, Brisbane, Qld
Highly Commended: Ebony Reeve, Trans Otway Corio, Corio, Vic
Runners up: Dinah Mantle, Australian Holiday Centre, Melbourne, Vic; Sally Wareham Jones, RAA Travel, Adelaide, SA; Krystle Trueman, Donna Barlow Corporate Travel, North Ryde, NSW
Sponsor: AAT Kings
Best Travel Consultant, Europe and the UK
Winner: Anita Wenn, Harvey World Travel Oaklands Park, SA
Highly Commended: Sarah Hackett, Donna Barlow Corporate Travel, North Ryde, NSW
Runners up: Julie Trott, Jetset Belgrave, Vic; Marina Dimitropoulos, Travelworld Hornsby, NSW; Alyson Mackinnon, Travelscene Manuka, ACT
Sponsor: Trafalgar Tours
Best Travel Consultant, North America
Winner: Michael Pound, Jetset Norwood, SA
Highly Commended: Jeanine French, Travelscene Malvern, Vic
Runners up: Marc Randall, Donna Barlow Corporate Travel, North Ryde, NSW; Mark Green, Travelworld Kotara, NSW; Susie Taouk, The Ultimate Traveller, Earlwood, NSW
Sponsor: Drive Away Holidays
Best Travel Consultant, Pacific Islands
Winner: Nicole Place, Travelscene Mt Martha, Vic
Highly Commended: Rebecca O’Connor, Globe IQ Travel, Sydney, NSW
Runners up: Kevin Toye, Donna Barlow Corporate Travel, North Ryde, NSW; Jane Black, Travelworld Paddington, Qld; Enza Francavilla, Jetset Glenelg, SA
Sponsor: Tahiti Tourisme
Best Travel Agency Manager
Winner: Rachel Styring, Harvey World Travel Noosa, Noosa Heads, Qld
Highly Commended: Kate Wilkie, Travellers Choice, Perth, WA
Runners up: Tamara Smith, Harvey World Travel Batemans Bay, NSW; Nadine Kiss, Flight Centre, Geelong, Vic; Philip Smethurst, Bicton Travel, WA
Sponsor: Galileo by Travelport
Best Regional Travel Consultant
Winner: Claire Grantham-Smith, Casino Travel Shoppe, NSW
Highly Commended: Clare O'Keeffe, Harvey World Travel Noosa, Noosa Heads, Qld
Runners up: Kari Boys, Travelscene Bairnsdale, Vic; Tamara Smith, Harvey World Travel Batemans Bay, NSW; Trish Park, Harvey World Travel Nowra, NSW
Sponsor: Qantas Holidays
Best Up and Coming Travel Consultant
Winner: Haydee Payer, Escape Travel Coffs Harbour, NSW
Highly Commended: Andrew Jaffrey, Flight Centre, Pennant Hills, NSW
Runners up: Amy Donald, Lifestyle Travel Ballarat, Ballarat, Vic; Andrea Buller, Jetset Norwood, SA; Guillaume Lefebvre, Harvey World Travel Alice Springs, NT
Sponsor: TMS Asia-Pacific
Travel Agent of the Year
Rachel Styring, Harvey World Travel Noosa, Noosa Heads, Qld
Finalists: Finalists for this award were the winners of the ten individual catgories.
Sponsor: Air China
For photos of the evening click here
For further information and sponsorship opportunities, call Tom Morgan on 02 9422 8606 or email him at tom.morgan@reedbusiness.com.au.
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