NEW YORK -- Travel Weekly presents the winners of its 19th annual Readers Choice Awards. The awards represent what Travel Weekly's audience of travel advisors considers the best of the best in 79 categories of travel.
The awards presentation returned to a live event this year, and the black-tie, gala ceremony was held Dec. 16 at the Conrad New York.
An open ballot phase of the voting was conducted during the summer, and readers were invited to write in the names of any company they believed best exemplified a particular category. The leading vote recipients were identified as finalists, and a second round of voting on those names took place in the fall.
Travel Weekly also recognized six people with Lifetime Achievement Awards: Bradley and Jeffrey D. Tolkin, the co-CEOs and co-chairmen of World Travel Holdings; Gloria Bohan, the president and CEO of Omega World Travel; Dolores Lopez Lira and Jose Luis Martinez, the owners and co-founders of Grupo Lomas; and Paula Hayes, vice president of sales for the Globus family of brands. The award pays tribute to individuals whose efforts have led to extraordinary results within an organization and who have also made significant contributions to the industry as a whole.
This year also saw the creation of the Travel Weekly Sustainability Award, and the first award was given to Sven-Olaf Lindblad, the founder of Lindblad Expeditions.
The Readers Choice Awards winners in each category are below. For a complete list of finalists, scroll down on our Readers Choice Finalists page.
Travel Weekly's 2021 Readers' Choice winners are:
Best in Airlines
- Domestic: Delta Air Lines
- International: Delta Air Lines
- Business/First Class: United Airlines
- Global Network: American Airlines
- Sales & Service: Delta Air Lines
- Overall: Delta Air Lines
Best in Car Rentals
- Domestic: Enterprise Rent-A-Car
- International: Hertz
Best in Hotel Chains
- Domestic: Marriott International
- Asia: InterContinental Hotels Group
- Caribbean: Sandals Resorts
- Europe: Hilton Worldwide
- Mexico: Playa Resorts/Hyatt
- Hawaii/South Pacific: Marriott International
- All-Inclusive: Sandals Resorts
- Luxury: Ritz-Carlton Hotels & Resorts
- Upscale: Westin Hotels & Resorts
- Mid-Priced: Hampton Inn
- Boutique: Karisma Hotels & Resorts
- Sales & Service: Marriott International
- Overall Hotel Group: Marriott International
Best Resort Worldwide
Best in Tour Operators
- Domestic Packaged: Delta Vacations
- Domestic Escorted: Collette
- International: Trafalgar
- Adventure: Adventures by Disney
- Africa: Abercrombie & Kent
- Asia/Pacific: Trafalgar
- Canada: Tauck
- Caribbean: Funjet Vacations
- Europe: Globus
- Hawaii: Pleasant Holidays
- Mexico: Apple Vacations
- Luxury: Abercrombie & Kent
- Group, Packaged: GOGO Vacations
- Escorted Sales & Service: Globus
- Packaged Sales & Service: Delta Vacations
- Escorted Overall: Globus
- Packaged Overall: Funjet Vacations
Best in Cruise Lines
- Domestic: Carnival Cruise Line
- Alaska: Princess Cruises
- Caribbean: Royal Caribbean International
- Europe: Celebrity Cruises
- Hawaii/Pacific: Norwegian Cruise Line
- Under 500 Berths: Windstar Cruises
- 500 to 1,000 Berths: Seabourn
- Premium: Celebrity Cruises
- Luxury: Regent Seven Seas Cruises
- River Cruising: Viking River Cruises
- Expedition: Celebrity Cruises
- Best World Cruise Itinerary: Holland America Line
- Best Family Cruise Line: Carnival Cruise Line
- Best Cuisine: Oceania Cruises
- Best Entertainment: Royal Caribbean International
- Best Private Island/Destination: CocoCay, Royal Caribbean International
- River Cruise Sales & Service: Viking River Cruises
- Sales & Service: Royal Caribbean International
- Overall: Royal Caribbean International
Best in Cruise Ships
- River Cruising: AmaMagna, AmaWaterways
- New: Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Cruises
- Premium: Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Cruises
- Luxury: Seabourn Ovation, Seabourn
- Overall Individual: Symphony of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International
Best in Destinations
- Africa: South Africa
- Asia/Pacific: Australia
- Canada: Vancouver
- Caribbean: St. Lucia
- Central/South America: Costa Rica
- Europe: Ireland
- Hawaii: Maui
- Mexico: Riviera Maya
- U.S. State: Hawaii
- U.S. City: Las Vegas
Best Travel Advisor Educational Program
- Royal Caribbean University, Royal Caribbean International
Best Advisor Loyalty Program
Best Rail Vacation
Best Travel Technology Provider
Best Insurance Provider
- Allianz Global Assistance
Best Theme Park