For the first time ever in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Buying Business Travel Russia has held the international awards for outstanding achievement in the field of business travel and MICE - Buying Business Travel Awards Russia & CIS.
The winners were chosen by senior judges including buyers from companies including Siemens, Visa, Bayer and Coca Cola.
The gala awarding ceremony, supported by general sponsor Travelport, was held in Marriott Moscow Grand Hotel earlier this month. The gala dinner gathered about 300 industry experts from Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Sochi, Kazan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Latvia.
The winners:
Best sales and key account team, airline segment: Lufthansa Group;
Best sales and key account team, hotel segment: Novosibirsk Marriott Hotel;
Best sales and key account team, TMC segment: Aeroclub;
Best economy class hotel brand in Russia and the CIS: ibis, AccorHotels;
Best medium level hotel brand in Russia and the CIS: Holiday Inn, Intercontinental Hotels Group;
Best top level hotel brand in Russia and the CIS: The Ritz Carlton;
Best MICE hotel in Moscow: Azimut Hotel Olympic Moscow;
Best MICE hotel in Saint Petersburg: Belmond Grand Hotel Europe;
Best regional MICE hotel: Radisson Blu Resort & Congress Centre, Sochi;
Best MICE hotel in the CIS: Minsk Marriott Hotel;
Best airline: Etihad Airways;
Best transportation company: Gett;
Best educational event for business travel experts in 2015-2016: CWT School (Carlson Wagonlit Travel);
Best payment tool: Business Travel Account (American Express Bank);
Best corporate responsibility program: Aeroclub;
Best MICE agency: Continent Express;
Best MICE destination in Russia: Saint Petersburg;
Best MICE destination abroad: Georgia;
Best online booking tool: Continent Express-Online Booking Tool;
Best data analysis tool: ATOM (Aeroclub IT);
Best business travel agency with the turnover of up to 3 billion rubles: ZCTS-Egencia Russia;
Best business travel agency with the turnover of 3-6 billion rubles: HRG Russia/IBC;
Best business travel agency with the turnover of more than 6 billion rubles: Continent Express.
The winner of the prestigious Travel Manager of the Year was Polina Izyumova, head of protocol and branding department of Sibur Holding. She won an Internet vote that attracted around five thousand votes for all 16 nominees.