Kenya was recognised as Africa's Leading Tourist Board for the third consecutive year

Kenya Tourism Board has successfully defended its title as Africa’s Leading Tourist Board as World Travel Awards winners in Africa & Indian Ocean are revealed.

The organisation was among the most successful entrants at the 2014 awards, taking the prize for the third consecutive year, while South Africa Airways took the trophy for Africa’s Leading Airline.

The prestigious title of Africa’s Leading Game Reserve Brand was awarded to &Beyond, while voters recognised Mantis Collection as Africa’s Leading Boutique Hotel Brand.

World Travel Awards President Graham Cooke said: “We saw an incredibly rich, diverse and inspirational selection of nominees in Africa & Indian Ocean in 2014, with many top competitors fighting it out in a series of very close races.

“With tourism growing in importance all the time in both Africa and the Indian Ocean, it is an honour to bestow our prizes on some exceptional organisations.

In the Indian Ocean, Air Mauritius took the title of Indian Ocean’s Leading Airline, while Maldives took the top honour of Indian Oceans’ Leading Destination.

Global giant Hilton Hotels walked away with the trophy for Indian Ocean’s Leading Hotel Brand.

World Travel Awards President Graham Cook added: “Each of our winners here this evening is a deserving champion. They will now move forward to the World Travel Awards Grand Final, which will this year take place in the stunning destination of Marrakech, Morocco. I look forward to welcoming them there.”

Winners in Africa & Indian Ocean are the fourth region to be revealed by World Travel Awards, with Gala Ceremonies staged in the Middle East, Europe and South America earlier in the year.

Two further events remains on the Grand Tour 2014, with The Oberoi, New Delhi, welcoming the Asia & Australasia Gala Ceremony on October 10th, before CuisinArt in Anguilla completes the journey later in the month.

World Travel Awards was established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry.

Today, in its historic 21st year, the WTA brand is recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire.

The annual programme is renowned as the most prestigious and comprehensive in the travel and tourism industry.

In 2013, over 500,000 individual votes were cast by travel professionals and high-end tourism consumers.

All regional winners then compete head to head in a final round of voting to decide who will triumph in WTA’s world awards – the ultimate accolade in the travel and tourism industry.

The winners are announced on the night of the WTA Grand Final, which will this year take place in Morocco on November 29th.