Winners of the 2015 Excelencias Awards Announced at FITUR

The ceremony to present the 2015 Excelencias Awards was held Wednesday January 20, 2016, during the International Tourism Fair (FITUR) in Madrid, Spain. This time around, 35 projects and personalities were honored in different categories, all of them boasting an outstanding career in the fields of tourism, culture and gastronomy. The ceremony was presided over by the Excelencias Group President Mr. Jose Carlos de Santiago, accompanied by Mr. Rafael Anson, President of the Royal Academy of Spanish Gastronomy. Both presented the Excelencias Gourmet Award.

 

 The EXCELENCIAS AWARDS were created in 2005 by the Excelencias Group media company in an effort to foster excellence in different fields, all of them related to tourism and culture. Since then, these awards have turned out to be a major benchmark for those involved in the sector, people who always go the extra mile with a view to be excellent.

 

In addition to the EXCELENCIAS TURÍSTICAS AWARDS, winners were honored with the EXCELENCIAS GOURMET AWARD, the “SILVIA ZORZANELLO AWARD”, in tribute to the lifetime achievements of Brazil’s Silvia Zorzanello; the “RAMÓN ÁLVAREZ AWARD” that recognizes personalities that have excelled in the travel and tourism industry and that’s always granted to either an individual or institution committed to MICE travel; as well as the “EXCELENCIA SPIRIT SPECIAL AWARD”, aimed at distinguishing those who carry the ideal tourism-oriented spirit of respect for society.

 

This year, the NICOLÁS MUELA AWARDwas introduced to honor the research and promotion of gastronomy around the world.

 

Winners of the 2015 edition are:

 

EXCELENCIAS TURÍSTICAS AWARDS

 

AMRESORTS

FOR BEING THE HOTEL GROUP WITH THE LARGEST GROWTH IN THE CARIBBEAN IN THE COURSE OF 2015

AWARD PICKED UP BY: MR. JAVIER COLL, VICE PRESIDENT OF APPLE LEISURE GROUP

 

LES ROCHES MARBELLA – HIGHER HOTEL MANAGEMENT SCHOOL

FOR A 20-YEAR EFFORT TO EDUCATE TOP EXECUTIVES TRAINED IN SPAIN

AWARD PICKED UP BY: MR. CARLOS DIEZ DE LA LASTRA, CEO, DIRECTOR GENERAL LES ROCHES

 

ARONA CITY HALL

FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT OF ITS ACCESSIBILITY PLAN

AWARD PICKED UP BY: ARONA MAYOR, D. JOSÉ JULIÁN MENA

 

FERNANDO VALMASEDA - RV EDIPRESS

FOR HIS CAREER AND THE INNITIATIVE TO CREATE THE PICOT AWARDS

AWARD PICKED UP BY: MR. FERNANDO VALMASEDA, DIRECTOR GENERAL RV EDIPRESS

 

VILLARREAL SOCCER CLUB

FOR THE PROJECT IN THE PROVINCE OF ENDAVANT

AWARD PICKED UP BY: FERNANDO ROIG NEGUEROLES, VILLARREAL CF DELEGATE

 

STATE OF ILLINOIS / THE SAN JOSE GROUP

FOR THE INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE THE STATE OF ILLINOIS TOURISM BRAND, WITH MEXICO

FEATURED AS ITS TOP TARGET MARKET

 

TAP PORTUGAL

FOR ITS 70 YEARS OF INNOVATION AND NEW ROUTES THROUGH HISPANIC AMERICA

AWARD PICKED UP BY: MR. CARLOS PANEIRO, DIRECTOR GENERAL SALES TAP

 

BOUTIQUE HOTELS OF MEXICO

FOR SPEARHEADING NEW STRATEGIES BASED ON AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH AND AIMED AT SETTING TRENDS AND LIFESTYLES

AWARD PICKED UP BY: LIC. ARACELI RAMOS ROSALDO on behalf of LIC. MIGUEL ANDRÉS HERNÁNDEZ ARTEAGA, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF BOUTIQUE HOTELS OF MEXICO

 

HARD ROCK HOTELS

FOR INTRODUCING THE INNOVATIVE CONCEPT OF THEME HOTELS

AWARD PICKED UP BY: LIC. ARTURO CRUZ, SALES DIRECTOR FOR EUROPE & ASIA

 

MORELOS TOURISM TRUST

FOR THE THE STATE OF MORELOS’ COMMITMENT TO THE LGBT SECTOR

AWARD PICKED UP BY: LIC. SERGIO PEREZ GARZA, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE MORELOS TOURISM TRUST

 

STATE OF PUEBLA

FOR OPENING UP NEW PLACES TEEMING WITH HISTORIC HERITAGE AND CULTURAL VALUES

AWARD PICKED UP BY: LIC. ROBERTO ANTONIO TRAUWITZ ECHEGUREN, TOURISM SECRETARY OF THE STATE OF PUEBLA

 

STATE OF GUANAJUATO

FOR THE TOURISM INN PROJECT

AWARD PICKED UP BY: FERNANDO OLIVERA ROCHA, TOURISM SECRETARY OF THE STATE OF GUANAJUATO

 

INTERJET

FOR ITS CONTRIBUTION TO RAISING AIRLIFT IN MEXICO OVER THE PAST DECADE AND MAKING FLYING POSSIBLE

AWARD PICKED UP BY: LIC. MIGUEL ALEMAN, PRESIDENT OF INTERJET

 

VICTOR HUGO RODRÍGUEZ

FOR HIS BOOK “111 MAGIC TOWNS”

AWARD PICKED UP BY: LIC. VICTOR HUGO RODRÍGUEZ, PRESIDENT OF THE AGUEDA PUBLISHING HOUSE

 

UAE & PANAMA TOURISM AUTHORITY

FOR LOGGING THE LONGEST FLIGHT BETWEEN DUBAI AND PANAMA

AWARD PICKED UP BY:

FOR PANAMA: LIC. GUSTAVO HIM, TOURISM MINISTER, & LIC. JENNIFER CHAMPSAUR, DEPUTY TOURISM MINISTER

FOR UAE: MR. FERNANDO SUÁREZ DE GÓNGORA, DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR SPAIN

 

HOTEL NACIONAL, HAVANA

FOR ITS ONE-AND-ONLY HISTORY AND FOR BEING A SYMBOL OF CUBA’S HOTEL INDUSTRY

AWARD PICKED UP BY: LIC. CRISTINA LEÓN, VICE PRESIDENT OF GRAN CARIBE

 

EXCELENCIAS GOURMET AWARDS

PALACIO DE CONGRESOS Y EXPOSICIONES DE TORREMOLINOS

MEDITERRANEAN WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL

AWARD PICKED UP BY: MR. CARLOS MENA, MARKETING DIRECTOR OF THE PALACIO DE CONGRESOS DE TORREMOLINOS AND THE MEDITERRANEAN WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL.

 

EXTREMADURA BOARD

FOR HOSTING THE GEOSABOR FESTIVAL

AWARD PICKED UP BY: MR. FRANCISCO MARTÍN SIMÓN, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF TOURISM.

 

PUERTO RICO TOURISM COMPANY & PRHTA

FOR THE JOB CONDCUTED BY THE NATIONAL CULINARY TEAM IN PROMOTING PUERTO RICAN CUISINE

AWARD PICKED UP BY: LIC. INGRID RIVERA ROCAFORT, TOURISM MINISTER OF PUERTO RICO & LIC. MARI MAR LIDIN, SALES DIRECTOR FOR EUROPE

 

EL SALVADOR TOURISM CORPORATION

FOR THE COFFEE ROUTE PROJECT

AWARD PICKED UP BY: LIC. JOSE NAPOLEÓN DUARTE, TOURISM MINISTER OF EL SALVADOR

 

NESTLÉ PROFESSIONAL

YOCUTA “YOUNG CULINARY TALENT”

AWARD PICKED UP BY: ROCHELLE SCHAETZL, BUSINESS CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT MANAGER: GLOBAL FOOD

 

STATE OF OAXACA

FOR DEVELOPING THE MESCAL ROUTE AS A TOURISM PRODUCT

AWARD PICKED UP BY: LIC. ANTONIO PEDRO REYES, UNDER SECRETARY OF TOURISM PROMOTION WITH THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE STATE OF OAXACA ONÉSIMO BRAVO HERNÁNDEZ, PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL CHAMBER OF THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY AND SEASONED FOODSTUFFS (CANIRAC)

 

TOURISM SECRETARY’S OFFICE OF THE STATE OF CHIAPAS

FOR THE RESEARCH AND PUBLISHING OF THE GRAND BOOK OF CHIAPAS GASTRONOMY, ENTITLED “CHIAPAS: A CULINARY JOURNEY”

AWARD PICKED UP BY: LIC. MARIO UVENCE ROJAS, TOURISM SECRETARY OF THE STATE OF CHIAPAS

 

GOURMET PERSONALITY AWARDS

 

ÁNGEL PABLO MORETÓN TOQUERO & THE VALLADOLID INTERNATIONAL COOKING SCHOOL

FOR HIS HANDS-ON ENGAGEMENT IN PROMOTING SPAIN OVERSEAS AND CONTRIBUTING TO SPREADING OUT SPANISH CUISINE AND BRAND SPAIN

AWARD PICKED UP BY: MR. ÁNGEL PABLO MORETÓN TOQUERO

 

EXCELENCIAS HEADWAITER - DIDIER FERTILATI

QUIQUE DACOSTA RESTAURANT

AWARD PICKED UP BY: DIDIER FERTILATI

 

EXCELENCIAS SOMMELIER - GUILLERMO CRUZ

MUGARITZ RESTAURANT

AWARD PICKED UP BY: SOMMELIER GUILLERMO CRUZ

 

EXCELENCIA CONFECTIONER - PACO TORREBLANCA

AWARD PICKED UP BY: CHEF PACO TORREBLANCA

 

EXCELENCIAS CHEF - CHEF OSCAR VELASCO MARTIN

SANTCELONI RESTAURANT AT THE HESPERIA HOTEL

AWARD PICKED UP BY: CHEF OSCAR VELASCO

 

EXCELENCIAS GOURMET PERSONALITY: MARÍA MARTE

CLUB ALLARD RESTAURANT

AWARD PICKED UP BY: CHEF MARÍA MARTE

 

EXCELENCIAS IN MEMORIAM AWARDS

 

RAMÓN ÁLVAREZ AWARD

LIC. ARACELI RAMOS ROSALDO

PROMOTION & PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGER AT CASA CUERVO

AWARD PICKED UP BY: LIC. ARACELI RAMOS ROSALDO

 

SILVIA ZORZANELLO AWARD

STATE OF RIO GRANDE DEL NORTE, BRAZIL

AWARD PICKED UP BY: MR. RUY GASPAR, TOURISM SECRETARY OF THE PROVINCE OF RIO GRANDE DEL NORTE

 

NICOLÁS MUELA AWARD

IBERIAN-AMERICAN GASTRONOMY ACADEMY

FOR SPREADING OUT THE BASICS OF GASTRONOMY

AWARD PICKED UP BY: MR. RAFAEL ANSÓN, PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF SPANISH GASTRONOMY AND THE IBERIAN-AMERICAN ACADEMY

MR. ALFONSO MARÍN, SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE IBERIAN-AMERICAN GASTRONOMY ACADEMY

 

EXCELENCIAS SPIRIT AWARD

CLUB DE VACACIONES

THE ONLY TOUR OPERATOR SPECIALIZED IN TOURISM FOR ELDERLY PEOPLE OVER 60 YEARS OF AGE, AS WELL AS ITS COMMITMENT TO SOCIAL ACTIONS AND HELPING DIFFERENT GROUPS TO MEET THEIR NEEDS

AWARD PICKED UP BY: LUIS MATA, MARKETING DIRECTOR GENERAL OF CLUB DE VACACIONES

 

CND SPECIAL AWARD

MR. PABLO PIÑERO

FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF THE PIÑERO GROUP: BAHIA PRINCIPE & SOLTOUR

AWARD PICKED UP BY: ENCARNA PIÑERO, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE PIÑERO GROUP

 

AWARDS TO BE PICKED UP ON JANUARY 21 WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF FITUR

SECTUR MEXICO

TO THE MAGIC TOWNS PROGRAM, GIVENT ITS SIGNIFICANCE IN PROMOTING TRAVEL AND TOURISM IN THOSE DESTINATIONS BOTH NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY.

THE AWARD WILL BE PICKED UP BY: LIC. ENRIQUE DE LA MADRID, MEXICO’S TOURISM SECRETARY

MINISTRY OF TOURISM OF CUBA

FOR THE COUNTRY’S TOURISM GROWTH IN 2015, POSTING A RECORD HIGH OF 3.524 MILLION TOURISTS, UP 17 PERCENT FROM THE REVIOUS YEAR, AS WELL AS FOR THE GASTRONOMIC ADVANCE OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

THE AWARD WILL BE PICKED UP BY: MR. MANUEL MARRERO CRUZ, CUBA’S TOURISM MINISTER

 

CUBA RON

FOR REKINDLING CUBA’S RUM DISTILLING TRADITIONS

 

 

For further information:

Caribbean News Digital: http://www.caribbeannewsdigital.com/en/noticia/winners-2015-excelencias-awards-announced-fitur

Excelencias Gourmet: http://www.excelenciasgourmet.com/noticia/entregan-en-fitur-premios-excelencias-2015

Excelencias Awards Official Website: http://www.caribbeannewsdigital.com/premios_excelencias/index.html

 

Source: http://www.caribbeannewsdigital.com/en/noticia/winners-2015-excelencias-awards-announced-fitur