The pinnacle of the travel and tourism industry took center stage this week as the World Travel Awards (WTA) unveiled its 2026 winners during a glamorous gala ceremony held at the Princess Grand Jamaica. The event, which served as the flagship highlight of World Travel Week Jamaica, saw industry leaders from across the Americas and the Caribbean gather to celebrate excellence, innovation, and resilience in a post-pandemic travel landscape.
Jamaica proved to be the evening’s biggest victor on home soil, securing the titles of “Caribbean’s Leading Destination” and “Caribbean’s Leading Cruise Destination.” The Jamaica Tourist Board was also recognized as the “Caribbean’s Leading Tourist Board,” reinforcing the island’s position as a dominant force in international tourism.
“The World Travel Awards are a significant benchmark of excellence in global tourism, and Jamaica is proud to host this prestigious celebration,” said Hon. Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism for Jamaica. “We congratulate all the winners whose achievements reflect the strength, innovation, and resilience of our industry.”
The awards spanned a vast geographic scope, honoring the best in North, Central, and South America. In North America, Miami Beach was crowned the leading beach destination, while the iconic SUMMIT One Vanderbilt in New York took the title of the region’s leading tourist attraction. Further south, Cancún, Mexico, achieved a dominant performance, sweeping three categories: “Mexico & Central America’s Leading Beach Destination,” “City Destination,” and “Meetings & Conference Destination.”
South American accolades were equally diverse. Quito, Ecuador, maintained its prestige as the continent’s “Leading City Destination,” while Chile received high praise for its commitment to adventure and sustainability, winning “South America’s Leading Adventure Tourism Destination” and “South America’s Leading Green Hotel” for Hotel Las Torres Patagonia.
The gala also highlighted the luxury hospitality sector, with the host venue, Princess Grand Jamaica, enjoying a double triumph as both “Caribbean’s Leading Resort” and “Caribbean’s Leading Conference Hotel.” Newcomer categories showcased the industry’s rapid growth, with Waldorf Astoria New York and One&Oly Moonlight Basin earning titles as North America’s leading new hotel and resort, respectively.
Graham Cooke, Founder and President of the World Travel Awards, praised the collective achievements of those honored. “Our winners represent the very best of our industry, and I congratulate each and every one for their commitment to excellence and for helping to raise standards across the Caribbean and the Americas,” Cooke stated.
The ceremony in Jamaica marked the fourth leg of the WTA’s global “Grand Tour 2026.” Following this event, the tour will proceed to Montenegro before culminating in the Grand Final in Tanzania. Meanwhile, World Travel Week Jamaica continues with a series of niche ceremonies, including the World MICE Awards, World Travel Tech Awards, and World Culinary Awards, keeping the spotlight firmly on the future of global travel through mid-October.
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