Industry night of nights to honour “Consultant of the Year” in four CATO-backed awards.
The Australian Federation of Travel Agents has just unveiled an addition to the National Travel Industry Awards for 2019, which will for the first time incorporate the new CATO Awards in partnership with the Council of Australian Tour Operators.
To be held as a dedicated segment within the AFTA NTIA Gala Dinner, the “CATOs” will recognise and reward front line travel consultants across four categories, with a Consultant of the Year to be named for Group Touring, Adventure, Ski and Independent Travel.
Rather than voting for the CATO categories, all winners will be determined via the same rigorous two-step submission and judging process used by AFTA to “ethically and fairly determine winners”.
A group sponsorship of the new categories will see Globus, G Adventures, Intrepid and The Travel Corporation band together to back the initiative, “demonstrating the renewed collaborative focus of the land supply sector”.
AFTA CEO Jayson Westbury said AFTA and CATO had been united in service to the travel industry for well over a decade. “This union to enhance the NTIA program, call out travel professionals working with CATO members all within the high standard set by the NTIA is yet another fantastic celebration of the Australian travel industry”.
The 2019 AFTA National Travel Industry Awards will take place at Sydney’s International Convention Centre on Saturday 20 July 2019, with nominations to open on 21 January next year.
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More information in today’s issue of Travel Daily.