The 2023 World Travel Awards have unveiled their prestigious winners, recognizing excellence in the tourism, airline, hotel, and hospitality sectors.
Dublin's Guinness Storehouse has been awarded the title of Europe's leading tourist attraction. Meanwhile, Miami Beach has secured the position of the leading city destination in North America.
Catherine Toolan, Managing Director of Diageo Irish Brand Homes, expressed her delight, stating that this recognition is a fantastic achievement for Irish tourism. She praised the Home of Guinness team for creating a world-class visitor experience and offering a warm welcome to thousands of visitors daily.
The Guinness Storehouse, known for its immersive brewery experience that narrates the history of Ireland's beloved beer, also earned the title of Europe's leading beer tour visitor experience for the second consecutive year.
Other notable winners in the European regional awards include Portugal, which was recognized as the leading destination for 2023. The picturesque Algarve region in Portugal was awarded the title of leading beach destination. The Madeira islands of Portugal secured the leading island escape award.
Additionally, Spain's adrenaline capital, Huesca La Magia, was honored as the leading adventure tourism destination in Europe, while Batumi, Georgia's second-largest city, was named the top all-season destination.
In the hospitality sector, the Ciragan Palace Kempinski hotel in Istanbul, Turkey, was named the leading hotel on the continent. Forete Village in Sardinia, Italy, earned the title of leading resort.
Air France was celebrated as Europe's leading airline overall. Lufthansa received the award for best business class, and Virgin Atlantic was recognized for offering the best economy class.
The regional awards for England included accolades for The Savoy in London (best hotel), The Biltmore Mayfair (best luxury hotel), Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons (best boutique hotel), and Manchester United (best stadium experience).
Welsh winners included the Celtic Manor (best hotel) and Chateau Rhianfa (best boutique hotel), while Scotland had its own share of winners, such as Gleneagles Townhouse (best boutique hotel) and Highland Explorer Tours (best tour operator).
Separate award ceremonies were held for the Caribbean and the Americas, where Miami Beach celebrated a double victory. The Florida-based island city was named the best city destination and also secured the title of the best beach escape in North America.
Graham Cooke, the founder of the World Travel Awards, praised Miami Beach for its unique blend of city attractions and classic beach holiday elements, including a thriving art scene, historic districts, vibrant nightlife, museums, iconic hotels, and restaurants along its world-class beach. Photo by Dieglop, Wikimedia commons.