4th Tourism Awards: Greek Industry Champions Announced for 2017

The Tourism Awards 2017 that took place on Tuesday, March 21, at the Athenaeum InterContinental hotel in Athens really was “an experience worth sharing”, just as organizers Boussias Communications and Hotel & Restaurant magazine had promised.

For the fourth consecutive year, some 700 executives and Greek tourism figures attended the glitzy awards ceremony to find out which Greek companies and organizations in the sectors of travel, hospitality and leisure stood out for their best practices and initiatives that encourage innovation and the quality of Greek tourism.

Greek Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura underlined the importance of the Tourism Awards as the event highlights examples of high quality in Greek tourism and all companies and organizations distinguished for their initiatives.

Hosted this year by Greek presenters Dimitris Ougarezos and Jenny Melita, the awards covered initiatives from strategy and innovation to destination management, as well as the best practices applied to improve the hotel experience and architecture tourism projects.

According to the organizers, the nominations this year included a large number of much-talked about new hotel openings and enterprises specializing in marine tourism, luxury travel and digital tourism.

Tourism Awards 2017 hosts: Dimitris Ougarezos and Jenny Melita.

GNTO Secretary General Dimitris Tryfonopoulos underlined the contribution of the winners in creating a high quality tourist product for Greece.

All applications were evaluated by a 25-member judging committee chaired by Greek travel journalist Maya Tsoclis. Among the members of the judging committee were academics, subject-matter experts and eminent personalities with experience in the hospitality sector.

Honorary awards

Honorary awards were given to individuals and institutions for their contribution to the promotion and development of the Greek tourism industry:

• Former Tourism Minister Nikos Skoulas for his overall contribution to Greek tourism.

• H. Mitsotaki from Athens International Airport (AIA) and M. Provopoulou from Doctors Without Borders for the photo exhibition “People on the Move” by renowned Greek photographer Yiannis Bechrakis.

• French journalist Maude Vidale-Nacquet for the international promotional Greece received through her articles.
  

• Athanasios Skouras for his contribution to the international promotion of Greek gastronomy.

• The chairman of the Paraplegics Association of Drama Aglaia Katsigianni for the creation of an accessibility map of Drama.

• The Tinos Food Paths team for highlighting the gastronomy of Tinos.

GTP’s selection of Tourism Awards 2017 winners

• Celestyal Cruises
  Gold Tourism Award for Tourism Season Extension Initiatives (Category: Strategy & Innovation)
  Gold Tourism Award for Guest Service Excellence (Category: Guest Experience)
  Gold Tourism Award for Culinary Tourism (Category: Gastronomy)
  Gold Tourism Award for Branding (Category: Branding / Public Relations / People Strategy)
  Silver Tourism Award for an Integrated Communication Campaign (Category: Branding / Public Relations / People Strategy)

• Caldera Yachting
  Bronze Tourism Award for Tourism Season Extension Initiatives (Category: Strategy & Innovation)
  Gold Tourism Award for Customer Services (Category: Travel & Transportation, sponsored by MINOAN LINES)

• HotelBrain
  Gold Tourism Award for Tourism Development – Agalia Luxury Suites (Category: Strategy & Innovation)
  Silver Tourism Award for Tourism Development – Aeolis Tinos Suites (Category: Strategy & Innovation)
  Gold Tourism Award for Hotel Development, Management & Consulting – HotelBrain S.A. (Category: Strategy & Innovation)
  Bronze Tourism Award for Hotel Residences – Naxian Utopia Luxury Villas (Category: Hotels & Resorts)
  Gold Tourism Award for Traditional Guesthouse – Crossroads Inn (Category: Hotels & Resorts)
  Bronze Tourism Award for Guest Service Excellence – Mykonos Princess (Category: Guest Experience)
  Gold Tourism Award for Welcome Experience – Varos Village Hotel & Suites (Category: Guest Experience)
  Silver Tourism Award for 360° Guest Relationship Management – Porto Kea Suites (Category: Guest Experience)
  Silver Tourism Award for Family Tourism – Thalatta Seaside Hotel (Category: Specialty Travel)
  Gold Tourism Award for Advertising Campaign – HotelBrain S.A.  (Category: Branding / Public Relations / People Strategy)

• Siva Travel Services
  Bronze Tourism Award for Tourism Development (Category: Strategy & Innovation)
  Silver Tourism Award for Social Media Usage (Category: Digital Tourism)

• Aldemar Resorts, Sympossio Greek Gourmet Touring
  Gold Tourism Award for Tourism Interface with other sectors of the Greek Economy (Category: Strategy & Innovation)

• Dinner in the Sky Greece
  Silver Tourism Award for Innovative Concept (Category: Strategy & Innovation)
  Silver Tourism Award for Guest Service Excellence (Category: Guest Experience)
  Gold Tourism Award for Restaurant Concept (Category: Gastronomy)

• Axia Hospitality
  Silver Tourism Award for Hotel Development, Management & Consulting (Category: Strategy & Innovation)

• Aqua Vista Hotels
  Bronze Tourism Award for Hotel Development, Management & Consulting (Category: Strategy & Innovation)
  Silver Tourism Award for Luxury Villas (Category: Hotels & Resorts)
  Silver Tourism Award for Adults-only Hotel – Art Hotel Santorini (Category: Hotels & Resorts)
  Bronze Tourism Award for Wedding Tourism – Alta Vista Suites (Category: Specialty Travel)
  Gold Tourism Award for Eco-friendly Resort – Kassandra Bay Resort & Spa (Category: Hotels & Resorts)

• Wyndham Grand Athens, managed by Zeus International
  Gold Tourism Award for Strategic Investment & Innovation (Category: Strategy & Innovation)
  Gold Tourism Award for City Hotel (Category: Hotels & Resorts)

• Grace Santorini
  Silver Tourism Award for Boutique Hotel (Category: Hotels & Resorts)
  

• Porto Carras Grand Resort
  Gold Tourism Award for Luxury Resort (Category: Hotels & Resorts)
  Silver Tourism Award for Spa Resort (Category: Hotels & Resorts)
  Gold Tourism Award for Golf Resort (Category: Hotels & Resorts)
  Silver Tourism Award for Gastronomy & Wine Tourism (Category: Gastronomy)

Sani/Ikos Group

• Sani Resort
  Bronze Tourism Award for Apps for Smartphones & Tablets (Category: Digital Tourism)
  Gold Tourism Award for Environmental Protection Initiatives (Category: Sustainability / Facilities Μanagement)
• Ikos Resorts
  Gold Tourism Award for All-inclusive Resort (Category: Hotels & Resorts)

• Hilton Athens Hotel
  Gold Tourism Award for Business Hotel (Category: Hotels & Resorts)
  

• Kassandra Bay Resort & Spa, by Aqua Vista Hotels
  Gold Tourism Award for Eco-friendly Resort (Category: Hotels & Resorts)

• Ideales Resort
  Silver Tourism Award for Eco-friendly Resort (Category: Hotels & Resorts)

• Out of the Blue Capsis Elite Resort
  Silver Tourism Award for Facilities Excellence (Category: Guest Experience)

• Ikies Traditional Houses
  Silver Tourism Award for Guest Service Excellence (Category: Guest Experience)

• Varos Village Hotel & Suites, by HotelBrain
  Gold Tourism Award for Welcome Experience (Category: Guest Experience)

• Mideast Travel Worldwide
  Gold Tourism Award for VIP & Luxury Services (Category: Guest Experience)

• Porto Kea Suites, by HotelBrain
  Silver Tourism Award for 360° Guest relationship management (Category: Guest Experience)

• Navigator Travel & Tourist Services Ltd
  Bronze Tourism Award for Cultural Event (Category: Tourist Attractions)

• Globe One Digital, Bond Business & Life Events
  Gold Tourism Award for Sports Tourism: Athens Marathon Authentic, a 360 experience (Category: Specialty Travel)
• EY ZHN Greece
  Silver Tourism Award for Congress Tourism (MICE) (Category: Specialty Travel)

• Elite City Resort
  Bronze Tourism Award for Congress Tourism (MICE) (Category: Specialty Travel)

• Minoan Lines
  Silver Tourism Award for Customer Services (Category: Travel & Transportation, sponsored by MINOAN LINES)
  Silver Tourism Award for Greek Cuisine (Category: Gastronomy)
  Gold Tourism Award for Online Presence & Communication (Category: Digital Tourism)
  Gold Tourism Award for Local Communities Support (Category: Branding / Public Relations / People Strategy)

• Turkish Airlines, Communication Effect
  Gold Tourism Award for New Destinations (Category: Travel & Transportation, sponsored by MINOAN LINES)
  Bronze Tourism Award for Storytelling Excellence (Category: Branding / Public Relations / People Strategy)

• Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO)
  Gold Tourism Award for Social Media Usage (Category: Digital Tourism)

• Grand Resort Lagonissi, Travelworks Public Relations
  Bronze Tourism Award for Social Media Usage (Category: Digital Tourism)

• Goody’s Burger House – Blue Star Ferries – SingularLogic: Skip The Line
  Silver Tourism Award for Apps for Smartphones & Tablets (Category: Digital Tourism)

• Poseidonion Grand Hotel, Travelworks Public Relations
  Silver Tourism Award for Advertising Campaign (Category: Branding/Public Relations/People Strategy)
  

• TEMES S.A., Costa Navarino
  Gold Tourism Award for Monitoring Environmental Indicators (Category: Sustainability / Facilities Μanagement)

To see the whole list of winners of the Tourism Awards 2017, press here.

The Tourism Awards were held under the auspices of the Greek Tourism Ministry and the GNTO.

GTP was among the main communication sponsors of the event.

Photo Source: Boussias Communications/Hotel & Restaurant magazine