The cruise line honors the international tour operators and partners that help Azamara immerse guests in unique destinations and cultures across the globe
Miami, March 27, 2023: Azamara – the upmarket cruise line and leader in Destination Immersion® experiences – celebrated its 2023 Tour Operator Awards ceremony yesterday, hosting over 36 companies and more than 80 participants at Bahia Mar Fort Lauderdale during SeaTrade, to dive deeper into what Destination Immersion means to the cruise line, its guests, and the partners who make these experiences possible. The celebration honored the winners of the 2022 Destination Immersion experiences awards: Adriatic DMC as ‘Tour Operator of the Year’ and Aloschi Bros as ‘AzAmazing Event of the Year.’ These accolades honor the tour operators’ efforts in delivering the best experience in their destination while showcasing local culture and heritage.
“We are excited to celebrate the tour operators and AzAmazing partners that help us change the way our guests ‘sea’,” said Carol Cabezas, President of Azamara. “Our land product development team is continually working to develop new and enhanced experiences ashore, and we greatly appreciate all our dedicated partners who help create these unforgettable memories for our guests. Our award winners have exceeded our expectations through thoughtful curation for truly remarkable and immersive experiences.”
Tour Operator of the Year 2022
With a commitment to traveling deeper, shore excursions are at the heart of the Azamara experience. The winner of this award was determined based on guest surveys – where a tablet was provided with a list of questions following the excursion about the guide, tour content, duration, transportation, value for money and overall experience – as well as onboard shore excursion managers, hotel directors, and the land development team, asking which tours and operators performed the best. For their authentic and immersive travel programs in Croatia, Adriatic DMC was named the 2022 Tour Operator of the Year.
Outstanding AzAmazing Event of the Year
Exclusive and complimentary to Azamara guests, AzAmazing Evenings are uniquely tailored to each location and designed to connect guests to the local culture of a destination through local talent, performances, and cuisines, and on many occasions hosted in historic venues. In 2022, Aloschi Bros exceeded all expectations through the signature AzAmazing Event in Porto Venere, which took place during Azamara Onward’s inaugural sailing. Guests were greeted shoreside by an immersive cultural celebration with live Italian opera entertainment and delicious local cuisine, followed by a leisurely stroll along the main street to discover unique medieval corners in the charming town.
Honorable Mention: AzAmazing Partners
Azamara is proud to honor Atlas Express and JTB Global Marketing & Travel Inc. in this year’s awards. Atlas Express, a distinctive event management company creating some of the most memorable events in Koper, partnered with Azamara to showcase the destination as the cruise line’s four sister ships met for the first time ever in the Port of Koper. JTB Global Marketing & Travel Inc. was instrumental in supporting Azamara’s anticipated return to Japan as they provide excursions with local representatives to showcase the destination’s culture.