by Tim Wood
Last updated: 10:22 AM ET, Fri January 23, 2015
PHOTO: travAlliancemedia founder Mark Murphy talks with keynote speaker Andy Cohen during the 2015 Travvy Awards. (photo by Courtney Love)
The travel industry's best and brightest were on hand Thursday night to celebrate the inaugural Travvy Awards at the Marriott Marquis Ballroom in New York City's Time Square.
The idea behind the industry's newest awards was simple: to honor the dedication and innovation of the top travel professionals leading the industry through an ever-changing marketplace.
"This is truly a celebration of the travel agents, the efforts in the trenches to innovate and excel and power a resurgence and awareness that travel agents are more vital than ever," Murphy told the gathering of hundreds of travel industry stars. "It's an honor to work with all of you, to have been part of this talented group of professionals for 25 years and we look forward to this being a great new annual tradition."
Keynote speaker and host of Bravo's "Watch What Happens Live" Andy Cohen entertained the crowd with stories of his 25 years in the television industry. Cohen particularly captivated the crowd when he talked about his love for television and for travel and how the two industries have more parallels than he'd even realized.
"Our industries are facing unprecedented changes and evolution as technology and consumer habits are changing at a pace like never before," Cohen said. "Travel is one of my great passions in life, and I know the challenges you all face from an incredibly demanding customer base."
Cohen said vacations are one of our most cherished rights as a workforce and marveled at the travel agents' ability to make those dreams come true.
"You should all celebrate the work you do make lives so much fuller," Cohen said.
The Travvys were chosen by a vote among more than 30,000 travel agents. Congrats to the winners honored at Thursday's event.
CRUISING
Best Cruise Line, Contemporary
Royal Caribbean International
Best Cruise Line, Premium
Celebrity Cruises
Best Cruise Line, Luxury
Regent Seven Seas
Best Cruise Line Overall
Royal Caribbean International
Best River Cruise Line
AmaWaterways
Best Cruise Ship, Contemporary
Norwegian Getaway
Best Cruise Ship, Premium
Celebrity Reflection
Best Cruise Ship, Luxury
Seven Seas Mariner
Best Cruise Ship Overall
Allure of the Seas
Best River Cruise Ship
AmaSonata
TOUR OPERATORS & WHOLESALERS
Best Escorted Tour Operator, Africa & Middle East
Abercrombie & Kent USA
Best Escorted Tour Operator, Europe
Trafalgar
Best Escorted Tour Operator, Mexico & Latin America
Trafalgar
Best Escorted Tour Operator, Pacific Asia
SITA World Tours
Best Escorted Tour Operator, U.S. & Canada
Collette
Best Tour Operator, Adventure Travel
G Adventures
Best Tour Operator, Caribbean
Delta Vacations
Best Escorted Tour Operator Overall
Abercrombie & Kent USA
Best Vacation Packager, Caribbean
Travel Impressions
Best Vacation Packager, Europe
Europe Express
Best Vacation Packager, Mexico & Latin America
Apple Vacations
Best Vacation Packager, Pacific Asia
Down Under Answers
Best Vacation Packager, U.S. & Canada
Delta Vacations
Best Vacation Packager Overall
Travel Impressions
HOTELS & RESORTS
Best Hotel & Resort Chain Overall
Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Best Hotel Chain, Luxury
Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Best Hotel Chain, Mid-Market
Barcelo Hotels & Resorts
Best All-Inclusive Resort Chain
Sandals Resorts International
Best City Hotel, Africa & Middle East
Sun International-Table Bay Hotel
Best City Hotel, Asia
W Hong Kong
Best City Hotel, Europe
Hotel Plaza Athenee Paris
Best City Hotel, Mexico & Latin America
St. Regis Mexico City
Best City Hotel, U.S. & Canada
St. Regis New York
Best Resort, Asia
Club Med Bali
Best Resort, Caribbean
Sandals La Source
Best Resort, Mexico & Latin America
Zoetry Paraiso
Best Resort, U.S. & Canada
Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel
CAR RENTALS
Best Car Rental Company, Domestic
Enterprise Holdings
Best Car Rental Company, International
Hertz
DESTINATIONS
Best Country Tourism Bureau, Africa & Middle East
South Africa Tourism
Best Country Tourism Bureau, Europe
Visit Britain
Best Country Tourism Bureau, Pacific Asia
Tahiti Tourisme
Best U.S. City CVB
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
Best U.S. State Tourism Bureau
Colorado Tourism
AIRLINES
Best Foreign Airline
Air Tahiti Nui
TRAVEL AGENCIES & TRAVEL AGENCY GROUPS
Best Travel Agency Group (Consortium, Coop or Network)
Vacation.com
Best Retail Travel Agency
Tzell Travel Group
Best Host Travel Agency
Avoya Travel
RAIL TRAVEL
Best Rail Travel Company
Rail Europe
Best Train Experience Worldwide
Rocky Mountaineer
TRAVEL INSURANCE
Best Travel Insurance Provider
AIG Travel Guard
TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY
Best Travel Technology Provider
VAX VacationAccess
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Most Innovative Africa & Middle East Tourism Executive
Sthu Zungu, South African Tourism North America
Most Innovative All-Inclusive Resort Executive
Gordon "Butch" Stewart
Most Innovative Car Rental Executive
Greg Stubblefield, Enterprise Holdings
Most Innovative Consortia or Agency Group Leader
John Lovell, Vacation.com/Travel Leaders Group
Most Innovative Cruise Executive
Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian
Most Innovative Escorted Tour or FIT Executive
Kensington Tours Private Guided Tours Division
Most Innovative Europe Tourism Executive
Carl Walsh, Visit Britain
Most Innovative Host Agency Leader
Brad and Van Anderson, Avoya Travel
Most Innovative Hotels Executive
Chris Austin, Starwood
Most Innovative Rail Travel Executive
Randy Powell, Rocky Mountaineer
Most Innovative River Cruise Executive
Rudi Schreiner, AmaWaterways
Most Innovative Travel Agent
Tammy Levent, Elite Travel
Most Innovative Travel Insurance Executive
Ellison Scudder, AIG Travel Guard
Most Innovative Vacation Wholesale Executive
Jeff Adam, Down Under Answers
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We'll have continued coverage and profiles of the 2015 Travvy Awards winners on TravelPulse throughout the coming weeks, all leading up to the launch of the voting for the 2016 Travvys!
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