by Tim Wood
Last updated: 7:17 PM ET, Fri December 11, 2015
PHOTO: The All-Inclusive Hard Rock Hotels, like Cancun pictured above, lead the hotels and resorts nominees for 2016 Travvys. (courtesy Hard Rock Hotel Cancun)
Which hotels and resorts truly wow'ed travel professionals in 2015? We're less than a month away from seeing who shined bright enough to take home a 2016 Travvy Award.
All-Inclusive Hard Rock Hotels and Sandals lead the 2016 hotels and resorts category contenders with a total of eight nominations apiece. Blue Diamond Resorts and AMResorts each scored six noms each with Karisma Hotels & Resorts the next most nominated brand with five nominations.
Fiesta Americana Hotels & Resorts and St. Regis Hotels each garnered four nominations, while the JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Barcelo Hotels & Resorts, Outrigger Resorts and Best Western collected three nominations apiece.
The show that has quickly become one of the biggest nights of the year for travel industry professional will be held Wednesday, Jan. 6 at New York City's Gotham Hall, two days before the annual New York Times Travel Show.
In a change from last year's event, award winners will be announced for the first time live at the Travvys. Travel industry professionals have quickly gravitated toward the uniqueness of the awards where travel agents and insiders vote on the winners.
More than 39,000 agents and travel professionals voted for this year's winners, a 20 percent increase in voters from the inaugural event in 2015. Due to popular demand from last year's attendees, Travvy officials have expanded the list of categories significantly for this year's awards.
The gala will precede the New York Times Travel Show, so if you're in town for the show you won't want to miss one of the biggest nights in travel. Come network at our cocktail reception, get your picture taken on the red carpet, enjoy a lavish dinner and celebrate with the industry's winners.
If you didn't attend last year's gala, see what you missed here. And get ready, as travAlliancemedia CEO Mark Murphy says the show promises to once again be the watercooler buzz of the industry.
Make sure you grab your seat or table now - the event is sure to sell out with only limited seating still available. Early bird pricing has expired, but there are still individual seats available for $450 per person. So make sure you act now to get your favorite travel professional a holiday gift that will let them network with the industry's elite stars.
If you're interested in more information on the gala or to inquire about availability of the $4,000 VIP tables, contact travAlliancemedia Marketing Director Courtney Love at [email protected] or 856-505-1409.
Here's the full list of hotels and resorts finalists for the 2016 Travvys, with the top 3 finalists in each category listed in no particular order:
Best All-Inclusive Resort Chain, Luxury: Sandals, AMResorts, Hyatt Zilara/Ziva
Best All-Inclusive Resort Chain, Mid-Market: All-Inclusive Hard Rock Hotels, Blue Diamond Resorts, Oasis Hotels & Resorts
Best Casino/Gaming Hotel/Resort, Caribbean: All-Inclusive Hard Rock Hotels, Sonesta Resorts St. Maarten, Resorts World Bimini
Best Family Hotel/Resort, Asia: Outrigger Resorts, Club Med Phuket, Centara Karon Resort Phuket
Best Family Hotel/Resort, Australia: Outrigger Resorts Lilianfels, Blue Mountains Resort & Spa, Ashmore Palms Holiday Village
Best Family Hotel/Resort, Caribbean: Atlantis Paradise Island, Sandals, All-Inclusive Hard Rock Hotels
Best Family Hotel/Resort, Central America: JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa, RIU Palace Costa Rica, Hotel Real Intercontinental
Best Family Hotel/Resort, Hawaii: Ka'anpali Beach Hotel, Turtle Bay Resort, Disney's Aulani
Best Family Hotel/Resort, Mexico: AMResorts, IBEROSTAR, Palace Resorts
Best Family Hotel/Resort, US & Canada: Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel, Universal Orlando, Portofino Bay
Best Family Hotel/Resort Overall: Karisma Hotels & Resorts, Blue Diamond Resorts, Barcelo Hotels & Resorts
Best GM, All Inclusive: AMResorts, Sonesta Resorts St. Maarten, Fiesta Americana Grand Los Cabos
Best GM, US & Canada: St. Regis New York, Aloft, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
Best Hawaiian Cultural Hotel: Ka'anapali Beach Hotel, Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa, Outrigger Resorts
Best Honeymoon Hotel/Resort, Caribbean: Sandals, Elegant Hotels, Bucuti & Tara Beach Resorts Aruba
Best Honeymoon Hotel/Resort, Mexico: Blue Diamond Resorts, IBEROSTAR, All-Inclusive Hard Rock Hotels
Best Honeymoon Hotel/Resort, Overall: AMResorts, Karisma Hotels & Resorts, Grand Velas Riviera Maya
Best Hotel Chain, Overall: Starwood Hotels & Resorts, All-Inclusive Hard Rock Hotels, Best Western
Best Hotel Chain, Business-International: Best Western, Hilton Worldwide, Four Points
Best Hotel Chain, Economy: Best Western, Red Roof Inn, Holiday Inn
Best Hotel Chain, Luxury: Starwood Hotels & Resorts, ME Ibiza, Excellence Group Hotels & Resorts
Best Hotel Chain, Mid-Market: Barcelo Hotels & Resorts, Room Mate Hotels, Fiesta Americana Hotels & Resorts
Best Luxury Hotel, Caribbean: IBEROSTAR, Casa de Campo, Elegant Hotels Barbados
Best Luxury Hotel, Europe: Hotel Plaza Athenee, Hotel Ta'Cenc & Spa Gozo Malta, Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet
Best Luxury Hotel, Mexico: Palace Resorts, IBEROSTAR, St. Regis Mexico City
Best Luxury Hotel, US & Canada: Sofitel New York, Fairmont Orchid, Montage Kapalua
Best Luxury Hotel/Resort, Caribbean: Sandals, Casa de Campo, Grace Bay Club/Magrino Agency
Best Luxury Hotel/Resort, Mexico: Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, Royal Hideaway Playacar, St. Regis Punta Mita Resort
Best Overall Hotel, Caribbean: All-Inclusive Hard Rock Hotels, Blue Diamond Resorts, Elegant Hotels
Best Overall Hotel, Europe: Room Mate Hotels, Gresham Palace Four Seasons, Europe Hotel Alpin Spa Tuxerhof
Best Overall Hotel, Mexico: Karisma Hotels & Resorts, St. Regis Mexico City, Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancun
Best Resort, Caribbean: Sandals, Hyatt Zilzara/Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall, All-Inclusive Hard Rock Hotels
Best Resort, Central America: Occidental Grand Papagayo, JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa, RIU Guanacaste
Best Resort, Europe: Club Med ,Greco tel Amirandes, Mykonos Grand Hotel & Resort***
Best Resort, Mexico: Karisma Hotels & Resorts, All-Inclusive Hard Rock Hotels, Fiesta Americana Hotels & Resorts
Best Resort, South America: Hotel Paracas, a Liberatador Hotels, Resorts & Spas Peru, Llao llao Hotel & Resort, Golf-Spa
Best Romantic Hotel/Resort, Caribbean: Sandals, Bucuti & Tara Beach Resorts Aruba, Seven Stars Resort
Best Romantic Hotel/Resort, Mexico: Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta, Blue Diamond Riviera Maya
Best Spa & Wellness Hotel/Resort, Caribbean: All Inclusive Collection, Le Sport Body Holiday St. Lucia, The Spa at The One & Only Pamilla
Best Spa & Wellness Hotel/Resort, Hawaii: Grand Hyatt Kaua'I Resort & Spa, Grand Wailea, Travaasa Hana
Best Spa & Wellness Hotel/Resort, Mexico: Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, All-Inclusive Hard Rock Hotels, Blue Diamond Riviera Maya
Best Theme Park, International: Xcaret Park, Disneyland Toyko, Universal Studios Japan
Best Villa Rental: WIMCO Villas, IdleAwhile Villas
Best Water Park, International: Atlantis Paradise Island, Slam Park in Adeje Spain, Beach Park in Aquiraz, Brazil
Best Water Park, Overall: Xcaret Park, Blue Diamond Resorts, Dolphin Discovery
Best Wedding Hotel/Resort, Caribbean: Sandals, All-Inclusive Hard Rock Hotels, Blue Diamond Resorts
Best Wedding Hotel/Resort, Central America: Hotel Bahia del Sol, RIU Guanacaste Costa Rica, JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa
Best Wedding Hotel/Resort, Mexico: AMResorts, All-Inclusive Hard Rock Hotels, Barcelo Hotels & Resorts
Best Wedding Hotel/Resort, Overall: Sandals, AMResorts, Karisma Hotels & Resorts
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