Silver Travel Awards 2020 

Over 225,000 votes were cast - 60% more than last year, setting a new record – in this year’s Silver Travel Awards as, in these unprecedented times, older travellers sought to show their appreciation of the travel companies, cruise lines and destinations that have delivered the very best for the over 50s in the last 12 months.

Many things have had to adapt to new circumstances this year, the Silver Travel Awards included. For the first time, the Awards were virtual, with the worthy winners announced to viewers at an online ceremony broadcast on Tuesday 15 September to an audience of hundreds of travel industry colleagues and Silver Travel Advisor members.

With the inimitable Gyles Brandreth on fine form as the witty Master Of Ceremonies and the action actually taking place in the Wallace Collection, home to The Laughing Cavalier among many outstanding artworks, the spirit of the Silver Travel Awards was still very much to the fore.

Watch the video now!

Watch the full length feature (30 minutes)

Watch the edited highlights (3 minutes)

Our Sponsors

Now in their sixth year, the Silver Travel Awards were supported by gold sponsors Avis, silver sponsors Emerald Waterways, Travelzoo and Just You, Bronze sponsors HF Holidays and Singapore Tourism, Category Sponsors Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines and World of Cruising Magazine, consumer media sponsors The Mail on Sunday, Daily Mail and Mail Online, travel trade sponsor Travel Weekly and music partner Classic FM. Read about all of our sponsors.

We’d like to and add our congratulations to all the winning and highly commended companies in what was a closely-fought contest in many of the 22 main categories. In addition, a panel of travel industry judges adjudicated on three Silver-i Awards for innovation. 

Very well done to all the companies that really went the extra mile for older travellers this year!

And the winners are ...

BEST ADVENTURE OR ACTIVITY TOUR OPERATOR

Winner: HF Holidays
Highly Commended: Inghams Lakes & Mountains and Ramblers Walking Holidays

BEST CULTURAL TOUR OPERATOR

Winner: Titan Travel
Highly Commended:  Jules Verne and Travel Editions

BEST CITY BREAKS OPERATOR

Winner: Riviera Travel
Highly Commended: Saga Holidays and Kirker Holidays

BEST SELF‑CATERING TRAVEL COMPANY

Winner: Eurocamp
Highly Commended:  Forest Holidays and Holiday Property Bond

BEST VILLA HOLIDAY COMPANY

Winner: Villa Plus
Highly Commended: Sunvil and Simpson Travel

BEST DESTINATION SPECIALIST COMPANY

Winner: Wendy Wu Tours
Highly Commended: Frontier Travel and Serenity Holidays

BEST OCEAN CRUISE LINE

Winner: Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
Highly Commended: Saga Cruises and NCL

BEST PREMIUM OR LUXURY CRUISE LINE

Winner: Princess Cruises
Highly Commended: Celebrity Cruises and Silversea

BEST SPECIALIST CRUISE LINE

Winner: Hurtigruten
Highly Commended: Hebridean Island Cruises and Noble Caledonia

BEST RIVER CRUISE LINE

Winner: Riviera Travel
Highly Commended: Emerald Waterways and Titan Travel

BEST LUXURY RIVER CRUISE LINE

Winner: Viking
Highly Commended: Scenic and Avalon Waterways

BEST ESCORTED COACH TOUR OPERATOR

Winner: Saga Holidays
Highly Commended: Titan Travel and Riviera Travel

BEST LUXURY TOUR OPERATOR

Winner: Cox & Kings
Highly Commended: Scenic and First Class Holidays

BEST RAIL HOLIDAY COMPANY

Winner: Great Rail Journeys
Highly Commended: Ffestiniog Travel and Railbookers

BEST ACCESSIBLE TRAVEL PROVIDER

Winner: Enable Holidays
Highly Commended: Saga Holidays and Limitless Travel

BEST CAR RENTAL COMPANY

Winner: Avis
Highly Commended: Enterprise and Hertz

BEST UK BREAKS OPERATOR

Winner: Warner Leisure Hotels
Highly Commended: HF Holidays and Alfa Travel

BEST OPERATOR FOR THE SINGLE TRAVELLER

Winner: Solos Holidays
Highly Commended: Just You and One Traveller

BEST TRAVEL DEALS WEBSITE

Winner: Travelzoo
Highly Commended: Expedia and Secret Escapes

BEST UK TOWN OR CITY

Winner: York
Highly commended: Edinburgh and Bournemouth

BEST OVERSEAS DESTINATION

Winner: Italy
Highly Commended: New Zealand and Canada

BEST TRAVEL AGENCY

Winner: Hays Travel
Highly Commended: TUI and Trailfinders

THE SILVER-i BREAKTHROUGH AWARD FOR PRODUCT INNOVATION

Winner: Viking
Highly commended: Revitalise, Emerald Yacht Cruises

THE SILVER-i FOOTPRINT AWARD FOR RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL

Joint winners: APT Travel Group, Hurtigruten
Highly commended: Celebrity Cruises

THE SILVER-i PAPER AWARD FOR THE BEST TRAVEL ADVERISEMENT IN PRINT

Winner: Ramblers Walking Holidays
Highly commended: Silversea, Leger Holidays (by Accord Marketing)

Read more about the Silver-i award winners and the judging panels.

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