World Travel Awards – the global initiative to recognise and reward excellence in travel and tourism – has unveiled its Latin America 2020 winners.

The release coincides with the inaugural Latin America Winners Day from the prestigious programme.

Winners include Chile – with its dazzling array of natural wonders – voted ‘South America’s Leading Destination’.

Mexico won a raft of destination awards, including Tulum (‘Mexico & Central America’s Leading Beach Destination’); Puerto Morelos (‘Mexico’s Leading Adventure Tourism Destination’); and Rio Secreto (‘Mexico & Central America’s Leading Nature Reserve); while Mazatlán – with its tropical neoclassical architecture and a paradise beach – was named ‘Mexico & Central America’s Leading City Destination’.

The mesmerizing beauty of the Atacama Desert was recognized with the award for ‘South America’s Most Romantic Destination’.

The rapidly-emerging tourism hotspot of Guayaquil, Ecuador was named ‘South America’s Leading City Destination’.

While another tourism rising star, Santiago de Cali, Colombia was declared ‘South America’s Leading Emerging Tourism Destination’.

In the hospitality sector, Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena won ‘South America’s Leading Hotel’ and Wyndham Guayaquil, Ecuador walked away with ‘South America’s Leading City Hotel’.

Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancun, Mexico picked up ‘Mexico & Central America’s Leading Hotel’ and Gaia Hotel & Reserve, Costa Rica was voted ‘Mexico & Central America’s Leading Green Hotel’.

In the aviation sector, LATAM was named ‘South America’s Leading Airline’, while Copa Airlines scooped ‘Mexico & Central America’s Leading Airline’.

New arrival on the Peruvian luxury hospitality scene, CIRQA - Relais & Châteaux, which is set in a medieval monastery and surrounded by snow-capped volcanoes, was voted ‘South America’s Leading New Hotel’.

The results follow a year-long search for the world’s top travel, tourism and hospitality brands.

Votes were cast by travel industry professionals and the public, with the nominee gaining the most votes in a category named as the winner.

Graham Cooke, founder, World Travel Awards, said: “Our winners represent the very best of Latin America’s travel and tourism sector and my congratulations to each of them.

“They have all demonstrated remarkable resilience in a year of unprecedented challenges.”

He added: “The World Travel Awards 2020 programme received a record number of votes cast by the public.

“This shows that the appetite for travel and tourism has never been stronger and bodes well for the industry’s future as the global recovery begins.”

Other winners include the recently reopened Machu Picchu, Peru (‘South America’s Leading Tourist Attraction’); Colombia (‘South America’s Leading Culinary Destination’); Explora (‘South America’s Leading Expedition Company’); Barceló Hotels & Resorts (‘Mexico & Central America’s Leading Hotel Brand’); Avis (‘Mexico & Central America’s Leading Car Rental Company’); and FCM Travel Solutions (‘Mexico & Central America’s Leading Travel Management Company’).

Winners

For a full list of winners visit here.

World Travel Awards

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

Today, the World Travel Awards brand is recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire.

Each year, World Travel Awards covers the globe with a series of regional gala ceremonies staged to recognise and celebrate individual and collective success within each key geographical region.

For more information about World Travel Awards, visit the official website.

Image: Benedicte Desrus/SIPA USA/PA Images