And the winner is... the dawn of space tourism!

World Travel Awards names the greatest travel triumphs of the last decade.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
space travel 311 (photo credit: World Travel Awards)
space travel 311
(photo credit: World Travel Awards)
The dawn of space tourism, the launch of Tripadvisor, online check-in, and jetting off to Dubai for sun and shopping, are among the greatest travel triumphs of the Noughties, according to the World Travel Awards.
The World Travel Awards top ten travel triumphs of the decade, announced last week, are:
1. Dawn of space tourism (2001)
2. Citizen publishing and the launch of Tripadvisor (2002)
3. Low-cost flying revolution (2000 onwards)
4. Dubai Goldrush (2002)
5. Emergence of BRIC economies (2000 onwards)
6. Online check-in (2000)
7. Superjumbo Airbus A380 inaugural flight (2007)
8. Mid-haul – the new short haul
9. Ocean bling and Oasis of the Seas (2009)
10. Launch of Youtube (2005)
The World Travel Awards, launched in 1993, “recognises best practice within the industry, and encourages organisations worldwide to raise the customer travel experience to new levels of excellence.”
 “World Travel Awards is all about finding the excellence in the industry and we are pleased to be naming the greatest travel triumphs of the past decade. These have changed the landscape and the way we travel for the benefit of tourism tomorrow,” said Manon Han, executive vice president of World Travel Awards. “The World Travel Awards has been celebrating excellence in travel for 17 years, and we look forward to another decade of innovation and evolution.”
The poll came as the entry deadline for the 2010 World Travel Awards closed this weekend. Organisations wishing to enter the “Oscars of the travel industry” must submit their nominations by the end of today, February 14.
Leading organisations can nominate themselves to enter the World Travel Awards 2010, with the winners from six regional events progressing to the Grand Final in November.
Thousands of votes are cast by travel professionals from 183,000 travelagencies, tour companies and tourism organisations in 162 countries.Votes are cast globally by fellow industry professionals in 998different categories.
The official entry form can be downloaded atwww.worldtravelawards.com/selfentry2010, with the deadline for receiptof entries 14 February 2010.
The World Travel Awards 2010 nominations will be announced on March 10.