The Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO) has revealed that the 2020 CATO Awards will be delivered as a stand-alone event. The awards ceremony will take place at a lavish cocktail function in Sydney on the evening of Friday 23 October.
The CATO Awards are an opportunity for Australia’s Land Supply sector to recognise the valued support it receives from travel agents and the retail travel trade.
The inaugural CATO Awards were presented within the Australian Federation of Travel Agents’ (AFTA) National Travel Industry Awards (NTIA) program in 2019.
CATO Managing Director, Brett Jardine, said, “This is not just another awards event! This is an opportunity for our members from the land-supply sector to come together under the CATO banner to recognise excellence in the retail travel sector.”
Jardine told LATTE the late October date was chosen to provide some separation from the NTIAs and was planned so as to not clash with retail network conferences.
Next year, the CATO Awards will be presented in the following categories:
- Agency of the Year – Europe
- Agency of the Year – Americas
- Agency of the Year – Asia
- Agency of the Year – Africa/Middle East
- Agency of the Year – Oceania
- Consultant of the Year – Group Touring
- Consultant of the Year – Adventure
- Consultant of the Year – Youth Travel
- Consultant of the Year – Ski
- Consultant of the Year – F.I.T
- Rookie of the Year
- Trade Media Award
- Consumer Media Award
- CATO Ambassador Award
“Following the tremendous support and opportunity provided by AFTA in 2019, the CATO’s will be a showcase event on the 2020 travel industry calendar incorporating up to fourteen award categories that specifically recognise agencies and consultants that are stand-out performers across a number of specialty areas,” added Jardine.
Details confirming the venue and awards criteria will be announced to the trade in early 2020.
Lead image: CATO’s Brett Jardine presenting the CATO Awards at the 2019 NTIAs
Want to be in the luxury travel know? Subscribe to our free eNewsletter here to keep up to date with everything in the luxury travel industry.