Frequently Asked Questions
Gala Ceremony — Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about the International Travel Awards Gala Ceremony 2026 — venue, date, dress code, programme, and winner announcements.
Event Details
Gala Ceremony At a Glance
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Venue
Westin Marina Hotel
Dubai Marina, Dubai, UAE
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Date & Time
14 November 2026
5:00 PM – 11:00 PM (GST)
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Dress Code
Black Tie
Evening gowns & national dress welcome
Venue & Date
Venue, Date & Ceremony Format
The International Travel Awards Gala Ceremony 2026 is held at the Westin Marina Hotel, Dubai, UAE. The Westin Marina is one of Dubai's most prestigious event venues, situated on the vibrant Dubai Marina waterfront with world-class ballroom and event facilities, panoramic marina views, and exceptional culinary standards. Dubai Marina's location — close to JBR Beach, the Palm Jumeirah, and Dubai's major business and luxury districts — makes it ideal for international delegates visiting from across the globe.
The International Travel Awards Gala Ceremony 2026 takes place on Saturday, 14 November 2026. The ceremony runs from 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM (Gulf Standard Time, UTC+4). Guests are encouraged to arrive from 5:00 PM for the cocktail reception. November is Dubai's ideal season — warm, dry, and perfect for an evening gala at one of the world's great hospitality destinations. The timing allows international delegates to extend their stay into the Dubai winter social season.
The International Travel Awards Gala Ceremony is a black tie event. Guests are requested to wear formal evening attire — black tie (dinner jacket and bow tie) for men, and evening gowns or formal cocktail dresses for women. National dress from any country is entirely appropriate and warmly welcomed at the ceremony — it adds to the extraordinary cultural diversity that makes the International Travel Awards gala such a distinctive occasion. Please dress to celebrate — this is a truly prestige evening at a world-class venue.
The evening follows a carefully crafted programme. 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM: Champagne cocktail reception in the pre-function area, providing exceptional networking time with 400+ travel and hospitality industry leaders from across the globe. 6:30 PM: Guests are invited to take their seats for the gala dinner. 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM: Formal multi-course gala dinner with live awards ceremony, individual category announcements, stage presentations, trophy presentations, and professional photography for each winner. Celebration drinks and networking continue until 11:00 PM. The entire evening is designed to maximise both formal recognition and meaningful relationship-building opportunities.
The Westin Marina Hotel is located in Dubai Marina, approximately 30 minutes from Dubai International Airport (DXB) by taxi or rideshare (Uber, Careem). The Dubai Metro Red Line serves Dubai Marina (DAMAC Properties station is the closest), and the Dubai Tram connects to the Marina Walk area. Taxis are plentiful and affordable throughout Dubai. Delegates arriving from Abu Dhabi can reach the venue in approximately 1.5 hours by taxi. Valet parking is available at the Westin Marina Hotel for those arriving by private vehicle.
Attendance & Winners
Attending as a Nominee & Winner Announcements
Winners are announced live on stage during the gala dinner by our host and presenting guests — a format that creates genuinely exciting and memorable award moments for both winners and the audience. Each category is announced individually, with category context provided before the winner reveal. Winning organisation representatives are invited to the stage for trophy and certificate presentation, with professional event photographers capturing every award moment. All winners are simultaneously notified by email so that remote team members can celebrate at the moment of announcement.
Yes — and we strongly encourage all shortlisted nominees to attend regardless of outcome. Being shortlisted for an international travel award is already meaningful public recognition. The gala provides exceptional networking with 400+ global travel and hospitality industry leaders — hotel executives, airline directors, tourism board officials, travel media, and luxury travel agents — that can generate business relationships, partnership discussions, and media opportunities of lasting value. Many shortlisted nominees who did not win have generated their most valuable business development outcomes from the networking at the ceremony.
At the ceremony, winners receive their premium crystal and gold trophy on stage, presented by a distinguished guest in front of the assembled industry audience. An official winner's certificate accompanies the trophy. Professional event photographs of every trophy presentation are provided to winning organisations. Simultaneously, each winner's digital seal is activated, press releases are distributed to international travel media, and winner profiles are published on the International Travel Awards website — ensuring immediate global exposure for every 2026 winner.
Yes. The International Travel Awards Gala is open to travel and hospitality industry professionals who wish to attend as guests or corporate table sponsors. Attending as an industry guest provides access to exceptional networking with 400+ award-winning travel brands, global media, and industry leaders. Corporate table sponsorship packages provide premium positioning, branding benefits, and priority seating alongside the ceremony's most celebrated brands. Contact awards@goldentreeawards.com or call +971585862014 for guest attendance options and corporate sponsorship packages.
Yes. Winners who are unable to attend in person receive their trophy and official certificate by international courier to any global address. Winners are notified by email at the exact moment of announcement so remote teams can celebrate and begin PR and social media activities simultaneously with the live ceremony. While we strongly encourage in-person attendance given the exceptional networking, media, and PR value the ceremony provides, we ensure no winning brand misses the recognition it has earned due to travel constraints.
The Westin Marina Hotel itself is available for overnight stays for ceremony guests who wish to be at the venue. Dubai Marina is surrounded by exceptional hotels including the JBR area's Rixos, The Address, Marriott Harbour Hotel, Sheraton Grand, and the W Dubai - Mina Seyahi. Palm Jumeirah is 15 minutes away with options including Atlantis, One&Only The Palm, and the Waldorf Astoria. We recommend booking accommodation early — November is Dubai's peak season and premium hotels fill several months in advance. Contact our team at awards@goldentreeawards.com for accommodation enquiry assistance.
The International Travel Awards is organised by Golden Tree Awards, headquartered at Iris Bay Tower, Business Bay, Dubai, UAE. Contact the awards team at awards@goldentreeawards.com or call +971585862014. The Golden Tree Awards team has extensive experience producing prestigious international awards ceremonies in Dubai and delivering world-class recognition programmes across travel, hospitality, and business sectors globally. Our team is available to assist with nominations, attendance, sponsorship, and all ceremony-related enquiries.