World Travel Awards Issues Call for Nominations

World Travel Awards (WTA), 'the Oscars of the travel industry', is issuing a call to those organizations that aspire to be the best in their sector to participate in its 2012 program.

Established 19 years ago, WTA is recognized globally as the highest accolade in travel and tourism, and serves to raise the standards of customer service and business performance throughout the tourism industry.

Self nominations for its 2011 Grand Tour rose an outstanding 28 percent compared to the previous year, and in 2012 the competition is set to be the fiercest yet as growing numbers of companies and destinations realize the commercial benefits and kudos that accompany winning a WTA.

Entry is now open for categories in Africa, Asia, Australasia, Caribbean, Europe, Indian Ocean, Middle East, and North, South & Central America.

Entry forms can be completed online or downloaded from www.worldtravelawards.com/nominate and the nomination submission deadline will be 29 February 2012.

The complete list of nominations will be announced in time for ITB in March. Voting will then open and be carried out by an audience of 213,000 travel agents and tourism professionals from 164 countries, including visitors to WTA's website who are encouraged to submit their votes via the online voting system.

WTA's 2012 Grand Tour will include regional legs in Dubai, the Algarve, South Africa, Miami and Thailand. The winners of these regional heats will progress to the Grand Final, which will take place in India.

The 2011 WTA nominations featured more than 5,000 companies in 1,000 categories across 164 countries, and WTA ceremonies were attended by more than 3,000 guests from 92 countries, as well as media from 192 TV channels and publications.

World Travel Awards was launched in 1993 to acknowledge and recognize excellence in the world's travel and tourism industry. Now celebrating its 18th anniversary, the awards are regarded as the very highest achievement that a travel product could ever hope to receive.

Votes are cast by 213,000 travel professionals, including travel agencies, tour and transport companies and tourism organizations in over 160 countries. Votes are cast globally by industry professionals in over 1,000 categories.

Attended by senior executives from major travel companies, operators and destinations, WTA events are universally respected as providing established, top level networking opportunities, regionally and globally.