Airways Hotel wins top global awards

Business, Normal
Source:

The National,Tuesday17 January 2012

PORT Moresby’s Airways Hotel has scooped two major gongs at this year’s World Travel Awards (WTA).
For the second year running, it has been judged the world’s leading airport hotel and best in Australasia.
The awards ceremony, dubbed “the Oscars of the travel industry” was held last week in Qatar where the best of the best in the holiday market for 2011 were revealed.
Around 1,000 categories (with 5,000 nominated companies) were voted for by 210,000 travel industry professionals and consumers around the world.
In winning its world title, Airways Hotel Port Moresby beat off 16 other rivals including the Hilton Melbourne International Airport, the Holiday Inn Auckland Airport and Stamford Plaza Sydney Airport Hotel for the Australasian award.
Visiting PNG has been described by the Lonely Planet as “stepping into the great unknown” as it has “almost no tourism infrastructure”, the CNN News website noted, adding “but at least they have a kick-ass airport hotel . . . “
No doubt, because in addition to its world and Australasian awards, Airways Hotel Port Moresby has been the WTA’s leading hotel in Papua New Guinea since 2007.
It was edged out this year by Lolohata Island Resort, which regained the award it last held in 2005.
Airways Hotel Port Moresby front desk manager Vera Gavu, who was in Qatar for the awards, said in an interview: “It’s a great honour to win the award and especially, a big thank you to all the staff at Airways Hotel  for the great efforts they put on too.
“Without them, we wouldn’t be able to win this award. “
Airways Hotel is nestled into the mountainside in its own botanical gardens with stunning views from crystal clear waters of Bootless Bay to the majestic mountains of the Owen Stanley Ranges.
 It is located just two minutes from Jacksons International Airport, Port Moresby.
Forte Village in Italy picked up the world’s leading resort as well as the world’s leading green resort, while London and Sydney missed out to India as the world’s leading destination.
Etihad Airways won world’s leading airline and world’s leading first class, while British Airways snapped up the world’s leading airport lounge (first class).
Singapore’s Changi Airport was honoured with the world’s leading airport gong.
Dubai laid claim to a host of awards, including the world’s leading hotel (Burj Al Arab) and the world’s leading new resort (One & Only The Palm), while Abu Dhabi celebrated winning the world’s leading new hotel (Jumeirah at Etihad Towers).