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 clove@travalliance.com 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