The Australian Federation of Travel Agents is delighted to announce the Judging Panel for the 2015 AFTA National Travel Industry Awards (NTIA).

"12 exceedingly qualified industry men and women have been carefully selected and entrusted with the responsibility to adjudicate the finalists for the 2015 awards," said AFTA Chief Executive Jayson Westbury.

"2015 has produced another impressive list of finalists across all 37 award categories. 23 of these are judged categories and 115 travel industry individuals and businesses will go before the panel over 12 separate days," said Westbury.

2015 NTIA Judges:

Bob Lunnon - Chief Judge

Andrew Drysdale

Bernard Whewell

Col Hughes

Diane Butler

Elizabeth Rich

Jeannie Foster

John McKernan

Julie King

Mahua Das

Rick Myatt

Tim Poulter

Learn more about out judges here.

"I would like to acknowledge this year's judges and thank them greatly for their time. Enormous care is taken throughout the judging process to ensure that the integrity of the event is upheld and that a true celebration of the deserving winners can be realised at the Gala Dinner event ," said Westbury.

The 2015 NTIA Finalists will be announced this Wednesday 13th May 2015.

Notes to Editors:

The Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) is the peak body in Australia representing the retail travel industry.

Founded in 1957, AFTA represents the majority of travel agents in Australia and includes all of the major travel agency groups.

AFTA's role is to uphold the interests of members in matters relating to the operation of all travel agencies in Australia. In broad terms these issues are ones that are not addressed by agent chain or corporate entities on behalf of their members, and are ones that involve the industry as a whole.

ATAS -TRAVEL ACCREDITED: The AFTA Travel Accreditation Scheme (ATAS) is an industry accreditation scheme that sets the benchmark of quality for the travel industry.

AFTA is committed, through ATAS, to elevating travel industry standards in Australia by driving increased and continued participation by travel intermediaries in ATAS and raising consumer awareness of the benefits of booking travel through an ATAS accredited agent.

The accreditation scheme is open to all travel intermediaries (those that buy and sell travel).

The AFTA National Travel Industry Awards (AFTA NTIA) acknowledge the best of the best in the Australian travel industry – with categories covering travel agencies and individual consultants, as well as the various suppliers which support them and their businesses.

These awards are essential in providing encouragement and recognition to the businesses and personnel who demonstrate outstanding service, marketing excellence and business acumen to the travel industry.