Back at LE Miami

So for those who don’t know LE Miami is part of the revolution, entrenched in recognising the polarising shift in contemporary travel.

For the second year this June LE Miami have called the travel glitterati ocean/poolside to the party capital of the US, Miami. This event sees travel buyers connect with hotels in a way that no other travel trade exhibition has ever been able to do, and by that we mean make it fun.

No exhibition can even think of being tagged “fun” without a good ol’ fashioned awards ceremony. The LE Miami Awards were designed to recognise the rebels at the forefront of the evolution in contemporary travel. The criteria for picking up a gong are travel brands who are going beyond the expected cornerstones of incredible service, slick design and luxurious itineraries to offer unique, highly innovative experiences tailored to the rising generation of the creative class travellers.

The panel taking up the responsibility of awarding said travel brands is quite the distinguished set. Drawn from the worlds of design, advertising, media and music. Consumer psychologist Adam Ferrier; Crane.tv Founder Constantin Bjerke; creative director and jewellery designer India Hicks; AvroKO Partner Kristina O’Neal; singer- songwriter Mr Hudson; and interior designers Yabu Pushelberg were the creative minds behind this year’s judging line-up.

These awards see some fierce competition from art installations to full scale assaults on New York’s hotels. The hotel space have never been hotter and the brand marketing efforts have never been more compelling. Fusing culture with experience and brand with lifestyle we think each and all of these campaigns are winners, but of course, there can only be one (for each category that is).

As we open the envelope the winners are:

1. GREATEST INNOVATION/DISRUPTION
FOGO ISLAND INN

 2. MOST ORIGINAL CAMPAIGN
ART SERIES HOTEL GROUP – THE OVERSTAY CHECKOUT 

3. MOST CREATIVE COLLABORATION
ACE HOTEL NEW YORK – CODEATHON WITH JAWBONE AND CLINTON HEALTH MATTERS INITIATIVE 

4. BEST INTERACTION WITH NEIGHBOURHOOD
THE THIEF – LOCAL ART PROJECTS WITH ASTRUP FEARNLEY MUSEUM, DOGA AND NETWORK AFTER IMPRISONMENT BY RED CROSS 

5. GREATEST GUEST EXPERIENCE
INIALA BEACH HOUSE – THE ENTOURAGE CONCEPT 

6. SEXIEST DESIGN
ION LUXURY ADVENTURE HOTEL

For more information on the LE Miami Awards 2014 including this year’s full shortlist, go to:
lemiami.com/Awards