Well, well, dear readers, it’s an exciting day today! The Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) today revealed the 2017 National Travel Industry Award (NTIA) Finalists.

More than 3,200 votes were cast throughout the three-week voting period and today AFTA has let go of the suspense and lifted the curtain on the highest-ranked nominees across the 38 award categories who proceed through to Finalist status.

For the judged categories, presentations to the NTIA Judging panel will take place at Qantas Headquarters in Mascot, Sydney between Tuesday 30 May – Wednesday 7 June 2017.

“AFTA is proud to continue its long-standing partnership with Qantas. Finalists are in for a real treat this year as they’ll get to experience the Australian Airline’s modern campus during the judging process,” said Jayson Westbury, AFTA Chief Executive.

AFTA once again welcomes Bob Lunnon as NTIA Chief Judge. Lunnon will lead the exceedingly qualified judging panel of 12 experienced men and women. To see the full list of judges click here.

But enough chitchat – let’s meet your 2017 NTIA finalists!

CATEGORY 1 – BEST TRAVEL AGENCY GROUP (50 OUTLETS OR MORE)

• Flight Centre
• Helloworld Travel
• Travellers Choice

CATEGORY 2 – BEST NON BRANDED TRAVEL AGENCY GROUP

• ATAC
• Independent Travel Group
• Helloworld Business Travel
• Magellan Group
• My Travel Group

CATEGORY 3 – BEST TRAVEL AGENCY RETAIL – SINGLE LOCATION

• Bicton Travel
• FBI Travel
• helloworld Lane Cove
• Out and About Travel
• Wentworth Travel

CATEGORY 4 – BEST TRAVEL AGENCY RETAIL – MULTI LOCATION

• Destination HQ
• helloworld Hunter Travel Group/RACT Travel
• MTA – Mobile Travel Agents
• Phil Hoffmann Travel
• TravelManagers Australia

CATEGORY 5 – BEST TRAVEL AGENCY CORPORATE – SINGLE LOCATION

• Anywhere Travel
• CCM Travel
• helloworld Newcastle Corporate
• Spencer Travel
• Sanford International Travel

CATEGORY 6 – BEST TRAVEL AGENCY CORPORATE – MULTI LOCATION

• Corporate Traveller
• Goldman Travel Corporation
• Platinum Travel Corporation
• Stage & Screen Travel Services
• The Travel Authority

CATEGORY 7 – BEST NATIONAL TRAVEL MANAGEMENT COMPANY

• American Express Global Business Travel
• Carlson Wagonlit Travel
• Corporate Travel Management
• FCM Travel Solutions
• QBT

CATEGORY 8 – COMING IN 2018 (how mysterious!)

CATEGORY 9 – BEST ONLINE TRAVEL AGENCY (OTA)

• Cruise Guru www.cruiseguru.com.au
• Fly365.com www.fly365.com
• Global Journeys www.globaljourneys.com.au
• Luxury Escapes www.luxuryescapes.com
• TripADeal www.tripadeal.com.au

CATEGORY 10 – BEST BUSINESS EVENTS TRAVEL AGENCY

• All Occasions Travel
• American Express Global Business Travel
• Event Travel Management
• Platinum Event Solutions
• The Events Authority

CATEGORY 11 – BEST TRAVEL CONSULTANT – RETAIL

• Giselle Pennington- Spencer Travel Southside NSW
• Jake Hodges- Flight Centre Cardiff NSW
• James Jang- Where2travel NSW
• Jo Kennedy- Kennedy & Turner Travel Associates QLD
• Lena Nielson- Flight Centre Sydney International Airport NSW

CATEGORY 12 – BEST TRAVEL CONSULTANT – CORPORATE

• Alison Irwin- Stage & Screen Travel Services NSW
• David Phillips- Platinum Travel Corporation VIC
• Samantha Lake- Show Group Enterprise Pty Ltd NSW
• Selena Byrnes- Corporate Traveller QLD
• Vicky Woolnough- The Travel Authority NSW

CATEGORY 13 – BEST TRAVEL AGENCY MANAGER – RETAIL SINGLE LOCATION

• Danny Englman- FBI Travel VIC
• Darian Foot- Phil Hoffmann Travel Norwood SA
• Debbi Ashes- helloworld Lane Cove NSW
• Phillip Boniface- helloworld Carlingford NSW
• Rane Reguson- Jetsetter Travel QLD

CATEGORY 14 – BEST TRAVEL AGENCY MANAGER – RETAIL MULTI LOCATION

• Gina Maitland- Alpha Travel WA
• Lori Kirk- italktravel Hornsby & italktravel Castle Hill NSW
• Louise Dann- Hunter Travel Group NSW
• Pauline Grummit- Escape Travel QLD
• Stuart Ingram- Destination HQ VIC

CATEGORY 15 – BEST TRAVEL AGENCY MANAGER – CORPORATE SINGLE LOCATION

• ChŽrie Drummond- Corporate Travel Management NSW
• Chris Cheyne- Goldman Travel Bondi Junction NSW
• Donna Meads- Barlow DBT Corporate Travel NSW
• Kevin Headings- Sanford International Travel NSW
• Tina Killeen- Spencer Travel NSW

CATEGORY 16 – BEST TRAVEL AGENCY MANAGER – CORPORATE MULTI LOCATION

• Andre Moten- Corporate Travel Management QLD
• Mariam Alkhal- Carlson Wagonlit Travel NSW

CATEGORY 17 – YOUNG AGENT OF THE YEAR

• Courtney Ashes- helloworld Lane Cove NSW
• Jemma Longley- Flight Centre Wagga Wagga NSW
• Klara Illuzzi- Flight Centre Woollahra NSW
• Megan Laureau- helloworld Toowoomba city QLD
• Millicent Rusby- Carlson Wagonlit Travel SA

CATEGORY 18 – BEST DOMESTIC AIRLINE

• Jetstar
• Qantas Airways
• Virgin Australia

CATEGORY 19 – BEST INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE – ONLINE

• Air New Zealand
• Emirates
• Etihad Airways
• Qantas Airways
• Singapore Airlines

CATEGORY 20 – BEST INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE – OFFLINE

• Air Serbia
• Finnair
• Lufthansa
• Swiss International Airlines

CATEGORY 21 – BEST CRUISE OPERATOR – DOMESTIC DEPLOYMENT

• Carnival Cruise Lines
• Celebrity Cruises
• P&O Cruises Australia
• Princess Cruises
• Royal Caribbean International

CATEGORY 22 – BEST CRUISE OPERATOR – INTERNATIONAL DEPLOYMENT

• Celebrity Cruises
• Princess Cruises
• Royal Caribbean International
• Seabourn
• Silversea

CATEGORY 23 – BEST RIVER CRUISE OPERATOR

• APT
• Avalon Waterways
• Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours
• Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection
• Viking Cruises

CATEGORY 24 – BEST TOUR OPERATOR – DOMESTIC

• AAT Kings
• APT
• Contiki
• Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours
• Topdeck Travel

CATEGORY 25 – BEST TOUR OPERATOR – INTERNATIONAL

• APT
• Insight Vacations
• Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours
• Topdeck Travel
• Trafalgar

CATEGORY 26 – BEST CAR/CAMPERVAN RENTAL OPERATOR

• Avis
• Britz Campervan Rentals
• Europcar
• Hertz
• Thrifty Car Rental

CATEGORY 27 – BEST TOURIST OFFICE – INTERNATIONAL

• Dubai Tourism
• Singapore Tourism Board
• Tourism Fiji
• Tourism New Zealand
• Visit California

CATEGORY 28 – BEST SPECIALTY WHOLESALER

• Asia Escape Holidays
• Bench Africa
• DriveAway Holidays
• Infinity Cruises
• Wendy Wu Tours

CATEGORY 29 – BEST WHOLESALER – AUSTRALIAN PRODUCT

• Excite Holidays
• Infinity Holidays
• Qantas Holidays & Viva Holidays
• Sunlover Holidays
• TravelCube

CATEGORY 30 – BEST WHOLESALER – INTERNATIONAL PRODUCT

• Excite Holidays
• Infinity Holidays
• Intrepid Travel
• Qantas Holidays & Viva Holidays
• TravelCube

CATEGORY 31 – BEST AGENCY SUPPORT SERVICE

• Air Tickets
• Cover-More Travel Insurance
• Express Ticketing
• Qantas Industry Centre (QIC)
• Travelport

CATEGORY 32 – BEST SALES EXECUTIVE – INDUSTRY SUPPLIER

• Elizabeth Hutchinson- Air New Zealand NSW
• Kim Knight- Qantas Holidays & Viva Holidays QLD
• Lee Evanson- Insight Vacations WA
• Richard Waugh- P&O Cruises QLD
• Zoe Gentle- Contiki QLD

CATEGORY 33 – YOUNG SALES EXECUTIVE – INDUSTRY SUPPLIER

• Luke Cousins- Contiki WA
• Stephanie Hu- Fantasea NSW

CATEGORY 34 – BEST HOTEL/RESORT GROUP

• AccorHotels
• One&Only Resorts
• Outrigger Resorts
• Shangri La Hotels and Resorts
• Starwood Hotels & Resorts

CATEGORY 35 – BEST REGISTERED TRAVEL INDUSTRY TRAINING INSTITUTION

• Franklyn Scholar
• TAFE NSW – Sydney Travel and Tourism
• TAFE Western NSW
• The Learning Collaborative (Travel Training Australia)
• William Angliss Institute

CATEGORY 36 – BEST TRAVEL WRITER – CONSUMER

• Andrew Bain
• Beverley Malzard
• Christine Retschlag
• Julie Miller
• Katrina Lobley

CATEGORY 37 – BEST TRAVEL AGENT TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION

• New Air Tickets Website Air Tickets
• Q-Push roomsXML
• Custom Designed Group Management System Travel & Sports Australia
• tramadaš Onyx CenterSource Integration Tramada
• Branded Fares and Ancillaries Travelport

CATEGORY 38 – EMIRATES TRAVEL CONSULTANT SCHOLARSHIP

• James Berechree- Intrepid Travel VIC
• Lauren Purcell- Phil Hoffmann Travel SA
• Shannon Threlfall- italktravel, Belmont NSW
• Stefania Lasek- Travel by Design NSW
• Toby Bradshaw- Flight Centre Manuka ACT

Finalists can register for the NTIA Judging Webinar which will take place on Wednesday 17 May at 11am and registrations are available here. Ticket request forms to attend the Gala Dinner will be available on the AFTA website from tomorrow, Friday 5 May 2017.