Television charmer Craig Doyle is the new host for the Northern Ireland Travel and Tourism

Awards Craig Doyle, former presenter of the BBC 1's Holiday series, is now also making a

name for himself as a sports broadcaster and is currently in Austria and Switzerland

covering the European Soccer Championships. Craig takes over the MC's mantle from

the popular and respected TV and radio personality Angela Rippon, who hosted the

Travel and Tourism awards gala for the past 10 years.

Speaking at the launch of the 2008 Awards in the Chelsea Wine Bar, Belfast, Jonathan

Adair, Director of Northern Ireland Travel News, organisers of the Awards for the past 17

years, said: "We are sorry to lose Angela, but we are confident Craig will be a very worthy

and popular successor."

Craig started his Broadcasting career in local BBC, but made his TV debut as a presenter

on UTV's Disney Club. This led to appearances on shows such as Tomorrow's World and

Fasten Your Seatbelt.

In 1999, Craig became the new presenter of the top travel show Holiday on BBC 1 and five

years in the popular travel series ensured he would be a housewife's favourite. He looks

destined to be equally popular at the Awards in the Slieve Donard.

As last year, the Awards will have six different sponsors - all well-known companies within

the wider travel industry. Two new sponsors this year will be Amadeus and Vertical

Systems, both leading names in the world of travel technology and business solutions.

The four other sponsors of the 2008 Awards, to be held in the Slieve Donard Resort and

Spa on Friday, October 17, are leading UK airline bmi, ferry company Stena Line, cruise

company Royal Caribbean International and Blue Insurances.

"We have widened the competition for the Travel Representative of the Year to include

Managers of companies - perhaps based on the Mainland or the Republic - who serve

the Northern Ireland marketplace," said Jonathan.

There will be a new Award category this year - for the Best Travel Insurance Company.

"This is such an important aspect of the industry that we felt a category for travel insurance

was long overdue."

[more...]

ISSUED ON BEHALF OF THE NI TRAVEL AND TOURISM AWARDS

EMBARGO: 5:30PM, MONDAY, JUNE 23

TV HOLIDAY HOST SET FOR AWARDS

As in previous years, one of the major awards is the Tyrone Crystal World Globe for the

Northern Ireland Travel Agent of the Year. It was won last year by Oasis Travel, the Lisburnbased

independent agency which has won the prestigious accolade more than any other in the

Province. New criteria has been introduced for the 2008 Award.

Other keenly contested awards include those for the Best Tour Operator, Best Ferry Company

and the Best Low Fares Airline. This is also the case in the local tourism section where a

continuing increase in visitor numbers should make competition for awards such as Best Visitor

Attraction and Best Tourist Information Centre all the keener.

The award for the Best Marketing Initiative is always hotly contested, while the NI Special

Achievement Award honours an individual or a organisation judged to have made the biggest

contribution to the tourism industry over the past year.

Up and coming leaders of the industry are recognised in the section for the Travel Student of

the Year, which is sponsored by Northern Ireland Travel News. All the finalists, from Belfast

Metropolitan College, will be invited to the Awards gala, and the winner will be revealed on the

night.

The names of the addition to the Travel and Tourism Industry's Roll of Honour will also be

revealed. Last year, long serving members of the travel industry, Ian Slaughter and Will

Dunlop, were recognised.

A total of 24 awards will be handed over on the night with the methods of determining the

winners varying from readers' votes to anonymous assessments and the verdicts of judging

panels. Confidentiality is one of the keys to the success of the whole evening and the opening

of the sealed envelopes by the host, this year Craig Doyle, is the highlight of the gala.

We will, as in previous years, be offering incentives to encourage readers, whether members of

the Traveling Public or the Trade, to vote in the various categories," added Jonathan Adair.

Tickets for the 2008 Northern Ireland Travel and Tourism Awards will go on sale on Monday,

July 7 at 10.00am with rooms at the Slieve Donard being released for sale at the same time.

As in previous years, the event is expected to sell out in the first few days of the tickets being

made available.

[ends]

MEDIA ENQUIRIES: A full list of awards and sponsors is attached on the following page.

For further information contact Brian Ogle at Northern Ireland Travel News, 028 90666151.

CATEGORY 1 - STENA LINE

BEST TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE

N.I. SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

N.I. MARKETING INITIATIVE

BEST N.I. VISITOR ATTRACTION

CATEGORY 2 - ROYAL

CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL

BEST UK DOMESTIC AIRLINE

BEST WORLDWIDE AIRLINE

BEST CHARTER AIRLINE

BEST LOW FARES AIRLINE

BEST FERRY/SHIPPING COMPANY

CATEGORY 3 - AMADEUS

BEST DESTINATION MARKETING

BEST TRAVEL INDUSTRY INTERNET BOOKING SYSTEM

BEST SALES SUPPORT TEAM TO N.I. TRAVEL TRADE

BEST TRAVEL INSURANCE COMPANY

BEST CRUISE LINE

CATEGORY 4 - BMI

BEST PACKAGE TOUR OPERATOR

BEST LONG HAUL OPERATOR

BEST SPECIALIST OPERATOR

BEST COACH TOUR OPERATOR

BEST SKI OPERATOR

CATEGORY 5 - VERTICAL SYSTEMS

N.I. TRAVEL & TOURISM PERSONALITY

N.I. TRAVEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY'S ROLL OF HONOUR

N.I. MULTIPLE RETAIL GROUP

N.I. TRAVEL TRADE REPRESENTATIVE/

MANAGER OF THE YEAR

CATEGORY 6 - BLUE INSURANCES

N.I. TRAVEL AGENT OF THE YEAR 2008

NORTHERN IRELAND TRAVEL

AND TOURISM AWARDS 2008

NORTHERN IRELAND TRAVEL AGENT OF

THE YEAR 2008 - VOTING CRITERIA

Members of the Travelling Public and Agency Suppliers are being invited to have their say

and vote for Northern Ireland's Travel Agent of the Year.

All types of retail travel agency will be considered for the Award, whether:

Single or multi-branch independents,

Individual shops of UK multiples,

or any one of the increasing number of retail travel home workers.

The agency selected should be judged by its performance and service to clients in the

period October 2007-2008,

The product knowledge of its staff,

The range of product available,

Personal attention,

Impartial advice,

Staff helpfulness, and their ability to process any problems encountered by their clients.

The votes cast by the public will make up 50 per cent of the overall target needed to reach

the final six.

The other 50 per cent will be made up of the votes cast by the suppliers and principal travel

organisations whose products are sold by the Northern Ireland travel agents, and should

reflect:

Commitment to professionalism

Sales performance

Customer service

Product knowledge

As in previous years, the six agencies with the highest number of votes will be visited by

mystery shoppers and tested by anonymous telephone callers.

The winner of the Travel Agent of the Year Tyrone Crystal World Globe will be revealed

when this year's Travel and Tourism Awards host Craig Doyle opens a sealed envelope at

the Slieve Donard.