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RE ADER’S ★ C H★I C Erds a w A ★
You voted...and the results are in! Congratulations to our 2011 Reader’s Choice winners, selected by readers of Leisure Group Travel. Subscribers voted by mailing in their Reader Service Card or going online at leisuregrouptravel.com.
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About This Year’s Award Winners
n the Domestic Destination category, New York City muscled its way into first, proving it’s A-No.1, top of the heap in reclaiming the title earned in 2009. Right behind were Las Vegas and San Francisco, making it an urban sweep. Last year’s top destinations—Alaska, Branson and Pigeon Forge— were far from city lights. New York also took honors in the Tourist Attraction sweepstakes with the World Trade Center’s Ground Zero site placing third, apparently garnering support with news of the 9/11 Memorial that opened in September. It was runner-up to the Grand Canyon, a Gold recipient for the second year in a row, and first-place finisher Walt Disney World, which reclaimed the top slot after not placing in last year’s balloting. Attraction category winners reflected a nice balance between theme park, natural wonder and urban site. In the International Destination category, London—fresh from the William and Kate wedding and gearing up for the 2012 Summer Olympics—earned Platinum, followed by perennial Reader’s Choice favorites Italy and Ireland.
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10 December 2011
In the Theater category, Sight & Sound beat out The Fireside for first place, a flip-flop of last year’s results. The Palm Springs Follies earned Silver. In the voting for Tour Operator, Leisure Group Travel readers for the fifth year in a row gave the Platinum and Gold to Collette Vacations and Globus Family of Brands, respectively. Apple Vacations took Silver. The Cruise Line competition also saw familiar players as Princess and Holland America again placed first and third, with NCL replacing last year’s Gold winner, Carnival. Long-time reader favorites Holiday Inn and Hampton Inn won Platinum and Gold in the Hotel category, while Fairmont took Silver. Two of the top three Casino winners— Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun and Atlantic City’s Tropicana— were in the East, with Washington State’s Tulalip, recognized for the first time, coming in second. Thanks to all who cast their ballots in the Reader’s Choice Awards. If you disagree with this year’s results, ensure your opinion is voiced in our 2012 Awards—voting starts next August.
LeisureGroupTravel.com
TOURIST ATTRACTION
INTERNATIONAL DESTINATION
Walt Disney World • Platinum Grand Canyon • Gold Ground Zero • Silver
London • Platinum Italy • Gold Ireland • Silver
CRUISE LINE
TOUR OPERATOR
Princess • Platinum NCL • Gold Holland America • Silver
Collette Vacations • Platinum Globus Family of Brands • Gold Apple Vacations • Silver
THEATER
CASINO
Sight & Sound • Platinum The Fireside • Gold Palm Springs Follies • Silver
Mohegan Sun, CT • Platinum Tulalip, WA • Gold Tropicana, NJ • Silver
DOMESTIC DESTINATION
HOTEL CHAIN
New York • Platinum Las Vegas • Gold San Francisco • Silver
Holiday Inn • Platinum Hampton Inn • Gold Fairmont • Silver
LeisureGroupTravel.com
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