Christmas is typically the most stressful time of the year. The expense of buying gifts, the last-minute shopping scramble, and the heightened expectations of family togetherness can all combine to undermine our best intentions. There is, however, one guaranteed way to combat “Christmas stress” – travel.
With the festive season fast approaching, World Travel Awards (WTA), “the Oscars of the travel industry,” polled its database of travel professionals worldwide to list ten favorite ways to experience this Christmas:
- For the energetic: skiing and apres-ski in Kitzbühel
- For the complete getaway: winter-sun relaxation in the Maldives
- For the sporting: a Christmas Day round of golf in Scotland
- For fab food: gourmet dining in Peru
- For the naturalist: whale watching off Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
- For tradition: midnight mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City
- For the romantic: celebrate in a Yorkshire castle
- For a life-changing experience: tiger safari in India
- For the kids: wizardry with Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort
- For a great party: non-stop celebrations in Rio de Janeiro
Kevin Taylor, Group Vice President, WTA, said: “Christmas should be the most relaxing and memorable day of the year, but staying at home can often end up an anti-climax.
“The choices of the professionals we polled feature experiences to suit all tastes. If you want barefoot luxury, as far removed as possible from the daily stresses, then head to the Maldives. If you crave winter action and adventure, then Kitzbuhel in the Austrian Tyrol offers world-class skiing with high-octane nightlife to match. For a traditional family feast, staying in a castle in Yorkshire will be a once-in-a-lifetime family Christmas with log fires and loads of atmosphere,” he added.
This Christmas will cap a busy year for WTA. The prestigious awards program culminates on December 12, 2012 with its Grand Final Gala Ceremony in New Delhi, India.
The glittering, red-carpet evening will mark the climax of a year-long search for the very best travel and tourism brands in the world, and will feature the winners from WTA’s 2012 regional heats in Dubai (UAE), Turks&Caicos, The Algarve (Portugal), and Singapore competing head to head.
The event is officially supported by the Ministry of Tourism, government of India, and will take place at The Oberoi, Gurgaon. Set over nine lush acres featuring water bodies, gardens, and the city’s most spacious accommodation, the hotel welcomes guests with space and serenity. Luxuriously-appointed rooms and public spaces as well as award-winning dining options, makes The Oberoi, Gurgaon a lifestyle destination in the heart of the national capital region of Delhi.
*More about Christmas and New Year’s celebrations you can find at www.christmas-newyear.com.
