NEWS SPECIAL REPORT ASpire awards


Aspire honoured the best luxury agents and brands at The Londoner in Leicester Square this week. Erica Bush reports


2 021 WINNERS


Outstanding Contribution to Luxury Gemma Antrobus, Haslemere Travel Outstanding Contribution to Luxury


Neil Jacobs, Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas Award winner Gemma Antrobus,


with Celebrity Cruises’ Nicola McNeish (left) and Aspire editor Hollie-Rae Brader


H


aslemere Travel’s Gemma Antrobus and Neil Jacobs, chief executive of Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas, received top


honours at the Aspire Awards, becoming the latest recipients of the Outstanding Contribution to Luxury accolade. Aspire editor Hollie-Rae Brader described


Antrobus as “a key force in fighting for our industry during the pandemic”, adding: “When others felt the travel industry wasn’t being listened to, [Antrobus] stepped up and was a regular face across all major news outlets. Day or night, [she] was banging the drum for a sector the government seemingly forgot about.” Antrobus, owner and managing director


of Haslemere Travel and chair of Aito Agents, grew up in a family ingrained in the travel industry and studied international hospitality management at university. She bought Haslemere Travel in 2015 having been managing director since 2008. She said: “It’s not often I’m lost for words


but I want to say thank you on behalf of our entire industry. We’ve done this together, we’ve got here together. I’m not here on my own – there are many of you who have been at the end of a WhatsApp message, email or phone call. “I wish to thank my husband, Ray, who is


ever-patient and has not only supported me but has supported our business as well. And I want to say thank you to Aspire and Travel Weekly for


travelweekly.co.uk


“We are an amazing industry and deserve success as we come out the other side of this”


really being there for us as agents, keeping us going and keeping us believing that we have an industry to fight for. We are an amazing industry and we deserve the success that we’re going to get as we come out the other side of this.” Jacobs was rewarded for his “passion for


wellness, sustainability and making travel purposeful”, with Brader commending his work in ensuring Six Senses “has a positive impact on guests, staff and local communities”. Jacobs joined Six Senses in 2012, having held


senior roles at Four Seasons, where he launched a host of properties, and Starwood, where he led its luxury hotels and the development of the Baccarat Hotels and 1 Hotels brands. Tour operator Carrier was the only brand to


clinch two Aspire awards: Luxury Tour Operator of the Year and Luxury Team of the Year. Swords Travel was recognised as


Independent Agency of the Year (high street), while Tarporley Travel won Independent Agency of the Year (homeworking). John Sullivan, head of commercial at The Advantage Travel Partnership, was named


Aspire Supporter of the Year. i Aspire Escapes, page 29


Independent Agency of the Year (high street) Swords Travel


Independent Agency of the Year (homeworking) Tarporley Travel


Concierge Agency of the Year Ten Lifestyle Group


Travel Advisor of the Year


Dan Salmon, Never a Wasted Journey Innovation of the Year (agency)


Travel Matters, partner promotion/B2B business tool Rising Star of the Year


Ben Poole, The Travel Journal Aspire Supporter of the Year


John Sullivan, The Advantage Travel Partnership Luxury Ocean Cruise Line of the Year Celebrity Cruises


Luxury River Cruise Line of the Year AmaWaterways


Luxury Adventure Brand of the Year White Desert


Sustainable Practice of the Year Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas


Luxury Tourist Board of the Year Tourism New Zealand


Luxury Hotel Brand of the Year Sani & Ikos Group


Luxury Air Service of the Year VistaJet


Luxury Tour Operator of the Year Carrier


Premium Tour Operator of the Year Kuoni


Unsung Hero of the Year (supplier) Katherine Evans, Knighton Reeve


Sales Representation Company of the Year Perowne International


Innovation of the Year (supplier)


Trees4Travel, carbon calculator/Island Love project Luxury Team of the Year Carrier


16 DECEMBER 2021 13


PICTURE: Sarah Lucy Brown


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