THE CHOIR, who filled the stage, stairs and the balcony of the Great Room of London’s Grosvenor House, heralded the start of the gala evening. Celebrating the industry's achievements, the awards are the highlight of the business travel calendar: this year's event, hosted by TV comedian Chris Addison, was no exception.
Buying Business Travel editor Paul Revel welcomed over 1,200 guests, who had earlier enjoyed a champagne reception, courtesy of AirPlus International, before sitting down to dinner and the presentation of the awards.
In all, there were 22 categories, with the David Brown Outstanding Achievement Award shared by ITM chairman Jamie Hindhaugh and Advantage corporate director Ken McLeod, for their work in developing the Phoenix crisis management hub. Jeannette Harrison of the University of Nottingham won the coveted Travel Buyer of the Year title.
Afterwards, guests adjourned to the charity casino sponsored by Air Astana, which, together with a silent auction, raised just over £10,000 for Leonard Cheshire Disability. Others headed to the bar to catch up with old friends, and the dance floor was still heaving at 2am to the upbeat tempo of Star. All in all, another great evening.
For all the winners, the shortlist, photos from the big night and more, go to http://www.businesstravelawards.com/