welcome the nominations panel vote now! accommodation how to get there sponsors sponsorship buyer awards - vote now! this year's winners Buying Business Travel magazine the Hurlingham Club last year's winners DIAMOND AWARDS 2005 We had an overwhelming response to our first-ever industry awards. Whether nominating their favourites by mail, fax or online, our readers came out in force to vote for suppliers whose standards and delivery of service and products outstripped their sector rivals. Our Diamond Award winners and Gold Award runners-up were chosen by business travel buyers, suppliers, bookers and other professionals across the UK - and that refreshing and unfettered transparency has made our awards the talk of the business travel industry. Top of their respective piles, our Diamond Award winners were presented with their striking gem-shaped trophies at the London Business Travel Show. The winners' gallery included long-established names such as British Airways, Hilton Hotels, Hertz, BTl UK and American Express and others - namely Amadeus, Expedia and Blackberry - whose flourishing reputations are linked to fast-moving technological advancements. In an industry blessed with top-quality service providers and innovators, it was perhaps inevitable that in some categories the winners and runners-up could barely be separated. What our readers told us was that there are a lot of quality companies providing excellent and innovative service to their customers. And here (below) are the 19 Diamond Award Winners. Best New Business Travel Product Blackberry Best UK Hotel Group Hilton Hotels Buying Business Travel's Steve Hartridge (left), presents HILTON HOTELS' Alistair Rodger with the award for Best UK Hotel Group Best Worldwide Hotel Group Marriott International Andrew Adey of MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL receives the award for Best Worldwide Hotel Group Best Long Haul Airline British Airways Best Short Haul Airline British Airways The awards for Best Long Haul Airline and Best Short Haul Airline are presented to Louise Dilley of BRITISH AIRWAYS Best Domestic Airline bmi Linda Dowling from bmi receives the award for Best Domestic Airline from David Clare, Publisher of Buying Business Travel Best Low-Cost Carrier easyJet Jamie Wortley (left) of easyJet is handed the award for Best Low-Cost Carrier by Ian Dockreay, Executive Publisher of Buying Business Travel Best Executive Jet Provider Air Partner David Macdonald of AIR PARTNER collects the award for Best Executive Jet Provider Best Domestic Rail Operator Virgin Trains Richard Worley of VIRGIN TRAINS is presented the award for Best Domestic Rail Operator Best Worldwide Rail Operator Eurostar Louisa Bell of EUROSTAR receives the award for Best Worldwide Rail Operator Best UK Airport BAA London Heathrow Damon Hunt of BAA LONDDN HEATHROW receives the award for Best UK Airport Best Worldwide Airport Singapore Changi Best Business Car Rental Company Hertz Best Chauffeur Drive Company Burgundy Global BURGUNDY GLOBAL is presented with the award for Best Chauffeur drive Company by Mike Toynbee. Editor of Buying Business Travel Best Corporate Card Provider American Express V Martin Steady. Managing Director of Buying Business Travel presents Karen Penney of AMERICAN EXPRESS with the award for Best Corporate Card Provider Best Business Travel Management Company BTI UK Mike Toynbee (right), Editor of Buying Business Travel, presents Mike Platt of BTI UK with the award for Best Business Travel Management Company Best Technology Provider Amadeus Stephane Durand of AMADEUS receives the award for Best Technology Provider Best Website For Business Travel Expedia Martin Steady. Managing Director of Buying Business Travel, presents Christophe Peymirat of EXPEDIA with the award for Best Website for Business Travel Best Ancillary Business Travel Supplier Purple Parking The PURPLE PARKING TEAM: Winners of the Best Ancillary Business Travel Supplier GOLD AWARD 2005 Only a few votes separated the first-and second-placed companies, and we wanted to recognise this by creating a Gold Award for those companies who, though they didn't top their respective categories, are clearly held in very high regard by their customers. Category GOLD AWARD winner New Business Travel Product Gulf Air On Board Chefs Uk Hotel Group Holiday Inn Worldwide Hotel Group Sheraton Long Haul Airline Virgin Atlantic Short Haul Airline KLM Domestic Airline British Airways Low-Cost Carrier flybe Executive Jet Provider Netjets Domestic Rail Operator GNER Worldwide Rail Operator Deutsche Bahn Uk Airport Manchester Worldwide Airport Dubai Business Car Rental Company Avis Chauffeur Drive Company Carey Worldwide Corporate Card Provider Barclaycard Business Travel Management Company American Express Technology Provider Galileo Website For Business Travel thetrainline.com Ancillary Business Travel Supplier OCS Our winners shouldn't be resting on their laurels - voting for our 2006 Awards has already kicked off again. Finally, a big and genuine thank you to all readers who helped make the 2005 awards such an unqualified success. We even rewarded some of you! No diamond-shaped trophies this time but great prizes in the shape of weekend breaks, a case of wine and a bumper hamper.