Oh, what a night! M&IT Awards 2020 shines light on industry’s stars
Attendees were wowed by performances from the cast of We Will Rock You and Events R Talented winner Megan Unwin, while the evening was once again compered by Welsh television presenter Gethin Jones.
The industry turned out in force for a glittering night with more than 1,200 event professionals in attendance at Battersea Evolution to celebrate the great and good of the industry.
Imago Venues – Burleigh Court scored a double gold award win, picking up the gongs for both Best UK Conference Centre and Best Academic Venue, while Glasgow Convention Bureau picked up the Best UK Convention Bureau gong for the 14th year running.
Conference Care landed Best Intermediary Agency (more than 40 employees) for the sixth time and treated those backstage to a numerically-amended version of the Tom Jones hit Sex Bomb.
M&IT Awards 2020 at Evolution Battersea.
Former CAT Media managing director Martin Lewis proved a very popular winner of the Personality of the Year award, receiving a standing ovation.
The night also saw industry charity Meeting Needs raise more than £43,000 with a table raffle and online auction. Following the awards, the industry partied the night away on the dancefloor.
David Chapple, managing director UK of Northstar Travel Media, said: “Thanks to everyone who attended and helped make it a fantastic night, we are really grateful for the support of the whole industry. We also want to thank all our sponsors – in particular our headline sponsor, Edwardian Hotels London, for contributing so much to the event’s success. It was another really great night – congratulations to all our winners.”
Glasgow Convention Bureau said: “We are delighted to have won Best UK Convention Bureau for the 14th consecutive year at the M&IT Awards! Huge thanks to everyone who voted and congratulations to all the finalists!”
First Choice Conference and Events said: “Yes we did it! Thank you to everyone who voted. We’re so chuffed with our gold, especially for our special year! That’s five golds now!”
Celtic Manor Resort said: “Absolutely delighted to win Gold for Best UK Hotel again. Nine years out of 10! Thanks to our amazing team and everyone who voted for us!”
The winners of the M&IT Awards 2020 were as follows:
Best UK Hotel
Gold – Celtic Manor Resort
Silver – Chewton Glen
Bronze – Coombe Abbey Hotel
Best Overseas Hotel
Gold – Sandals Grande Antigua
Silver – Four Seasons
Bronze – Marina Bay Sands Singapore
Best UK Conference Centre
Gold – Imago Venues – Burleigh Court
Silver – ACC Liverpool
Bronze – Scottish Event Campus
Best Overseas Conference Centre
Gold – The Convention Centre Dublin (The CCD)
Silver – Grimaldi Forum Monaco
Bronze – RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre
Best Venue Group Meeting Product
Gold – Hilton Worldwide
Silver – Marriott International
Bronze – Radisson Hotel Group
Best Intermediary Agency (fewer than 40 employees)
Gold – First Choice Conference & Events
Silver – Venues and Events International
Bronze – Principal. Global Events
Best Intermediary Agency (more than 40 employees)
Gold – Conference Care
Silver – Inntel
Bronze – DRPG
Best Destination Management Company
Gold – Vista Events DMC Greece
Silver – ECMeetings Malta
Bronze – Factor 3 Events
Best Airline
Gold – British Airways
Silver – Emirates
Bronze – Virgin Atlantic
Best Academic Venue
Gold – Imago Venues – Burleigh Court
Silver Technology & Innovation Centre – University Of Strathclyde
Bronze – Warwick Conferences
Best UK Convention Bureau
Gold – Glasgow Convention Bureau
Silver – NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau
Bronze – Conference Hull
Bronze – London & Partners
Best Overseas Convention Bureau
Gold – Monaco Tourist Authority
Silver – The Hague Convention Bureau
Bronze – Dubai Business Events
Best UK Unusual Venue
Gold – Alton Towers Resort
Silver – Coombe Abbey Hotel
Bronze – Tobacco Dock
Best Event Provider
Gold – KDM Events
Silver – Firebird Events
Bronze – AVT Connect
Best Food & Beverage Supplier
Gold – Imago Venues – Burleigh Court
Silver – Kudos
Bronze – rhubarb
Personality of the Year
Gold – Martin Lewis, Former Managing Director of CAT Media
Silver – Helen Moon, Managing Director & Founder – EventWell Ltd
Bronze – Michelle Rees, Head of Events – GLG (Gerson Lehrman Group)
Bronze – Neil Harvey, Creative Director & Co-Founder – Blue Hat Teambuilding