Chaa Creek Spa Wins World Tourism Award
The Lodge at Chaa Creek has been recognised as “Belize’s Leading Spa Resort” at the recent World Tourism Awards, an event the Wall Street Journal called “The travel Industry’s equivalent to the Oscars.”
Speaking after the announcement at the awards ceremonies, held this year in Quito, Ecuador, Chaa Creek’s owners say the win is further proof of Belize’s “coming of age” as a premier tourism destination.
“We were thrilled and honoured to hear we’ve received the World Tourism Award. It reflects well on not only Chaa Creek, but the Belize eco-tourism industry as whole, which is really coming of age as far offering travellers a wide variety of exceptional products and services. Spas were a rarity in this part of the world when we established the Hill Top Spa, and now guests have come to expect these sorts of quality amenities, even in the midst of a pristine rainforest setting,” Ms Fleming said.
The Central and South American segment of this year’s World Tourism Awards gala was held in Quito, Ecuador, August 9 to acknowledge excellence in global tourism and hospitality industry.
In announcing Chaa Creek’s award, WTA president Graham E Cooke wrote, “World Travel Awards exist to recognise, acknowledge and celebrate excellence in travel tourism and hospitality, which is why your company was chosen by fellow professionals across the globe for a World Travel Award.”
According to the WTA website, this is the 21st anniversary of the awards, aimed “to celebrate those brands that are pushing the boundaries of industry excellence,‘” and are “acknowledged across the globe as the ultimate travel accolade.”
With a global partner network that includes the International New York Times, Newsweek, Travel & Leisure, TV5Monde and other media outlets, WTA claims a monthly readership of 1.7 million and a TV audience reach of 90 million.
Chaa Creek’s spa manager, Bryony Fleming Bradley said the spa was a labour of love that, in spite of the remote rainforest setting, evolved over the years to become recognised as one of Belize’s best.
“We knew we had the perfect setting for a spa, with the Maya Mountains and rolling pastures and lush jungle as a backdrop, but no one had ever attempted to create a full service, professional spa in a location such as this. But the response was enthusiastic, and as Chaa Creek grew, so did the spa,” she explained.
“Soon we were offering high quality products, unique treatments using recognised brands and native ingredients such as cacao and exotic botanicals, and that all-important tranquillity and serenity. Our guests constantly remark on how good they feel afterwards, which is very satisfying.
“Receiving this award is the best icing on the cake we could imagine,” she added.
Lucy Fleming, who with her husband Mick turned their small farm at Chaa Creek into one of Belize’s most recognised and highly awarded eco resorts, said the award highlighted the fact that Belize had more to offer travellers than just spectacular scenery and an abundance of ancient Maya archaeological sites.