Sweet Success

The Business Traveller Middle East Awards 2017 featured new categories, repeat winners and saw ‘chef traveller’ Vineet Bhatia taking centre stage.

The Middle East’s leading operators were recognised for their outstanding service, product offerings and digital expertise in the Business Traveller Middle East Awards 2017 during a lunchtime ceremony at Palazzo Versace Dubai which was attended by 300 travel executives.

Vineet Bhatia – the first Indian chef to be awarded a Michelin star – was the Guest of Honour, a popular choice given his broad experience with hotels and airlines. The awards ceremony was hosted by Motivate and Panacea Publishing, the magazine’s joint venture partner, and this year’s sponsors included Masar Printing and Publishing, Samsonite, Travelport, Satguru and Jacobsons.

Ian Fair service, Motivate Managing Partner and Group Editor, welcomed guests and a five-minute video was shown on the large screen outlining major airline and hotel developments in the previous year.

Addressing guests, Bhatia reflected on the twin loves of his life – cooking and travel – when as a child he watched the Cessnas fly overhead in Mumbai. During our interview (see later), when I ask if he has any unfulfilled ambitions, he says he would still love to get a flying licence.