IS IT Prague, Paris or Brussels? Maybe sunny Spain, exotic Thailand or the calypso isle of Barbados?

The winner of a new award, for the Best Destination Marketing in the Province over the past year, will be revealed at the 13th Northern Ireland Travel and Tourism Awards in the Slieve Donard Hotel, Newcastle, on Friday, October 15.

Explained Jonathan Adair, Director of Awards Organisers Northern Ireland Travel News: "This new award will recognise the effort that has been put in - either by tourist boards of marketing companies - to raise the profile of a destination in Northern Ireland.

"The Province is often seen as being remote from the UK Mainland - and often not linked into promotions by tourist offices in Dublin. That is why we want to recognise those bodies that do take the trouble to show the flag here,and recognise the importance of the Northern Ireland marketplace."

He added: "We are therefore asking local travel agents to nominate the destination, city or country, that has done most to promote itself in the Province in the past year." Another new travel award, for the Best Specialist Operator, will be among 23 travel and tourism awards presented at the Province's blue riband Awards ceremony later this month.

The Awards, organised by Northern Ireland Travel News, will again be sponsored by Worldspan, the market leaders in global distribution systems and worldwide airline services for the travel industry.

Brian Staunton, Country Manager, Worldspan said the company was delighted to be sponsoring the awards for the fifth year in a row. "We recognise the growing importance of these awards to the industry and are delighted to give them our backing once again. "The event has been getting better and better every year, and we are all looking forward to another memorable evening."