2025 Readers Choice Awards winners: A night of celebration: Travel Weekly

Travel Weekly Readers Choice Awards Winners

Travel Weekly celebrates the best of the best in travel in 92 categories, all chosen and voted on by our readers.

January 19, 2026

Travel Weekly’s Readers Choice Awards is in its 23rd year, but it’s lost none of its luster: A record number of attendees eagerly gathered at the American Museum of Natural History in New York for the gala dinner where the awards were presented. And under the museum’s giant blue whale in the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life, they toasted finalists and winners and celebrated the best of the best in travel, as identified and chosen by Travel Weekly’s readers.

This year awards were handed out in 92 categories. Among the honorees were four Lifetime Achievement Award winners and one destination that received recognition for its work in sustainability.

View the finalists – and the winners – of this year’s Readers Choice Awards

VIEW WINNERS

DEBORAH W. BUSH

Founder and President, Avenue Two Travel

Deborah Bush has more than 40 years of experience in the travel business. Previously a teacher and paralegal, she began planning travel in the 1980s. After she and her husband, Craig, purchased Swarthmore, Pa.-based Park Avenue Travel in 1987, they grew it from a small, ticket-focused business into an internationally recognized agency that specializes in highly personalized travel experiences. Rebranded to Avenue Two Travel in 2014, it is a member of Virtuoso and is No. 61 on Travel Weekly’s Power List with nearly $200 million in 2024 sales. Bush, an avid traveler, has been to all 50 states and more than 60 countries.

ROGER BLOCK

Former President, Travel Leaders Network

Roger Block stepped into an advisory role at Travel Leaders Network at the end of 2025, but for 45 years he has been involved in retail travel and oversaw sea change at Travel Leaders Network, including the merger of Travel Leaders Associates, Results Travel and Vacation.com into the network. As president of Travel Leaders Network, Block managed the development and growth of the network, which counts around 100,000 advisors in North America. He has held leadership roles with Carlson Wagonlit Travel and Travel Agent International, has chaired ASTA’s board of directors and was a founding member of its Corporate Advisory Committee.

CRAIG PAVLUS

Founder and CEO, Pavlus Travel & Cruise, Inc.

Craig Pavlus is the founder and owner of Pavlus Travel & Cruise, an influential travel agency that specializes in luxury ocean cruises, tours and river cruises. Pavlus got his start at TWA as a ticket and gate agent and rose through the ranks to become president of TWA Getaway Vacations and later senior vice president of marketing — giving him insight from frontline service to top-level leadership. Pavlus Travel was one of the first to embrace online retailing in the luxury-cruise arena, particularly with Regent Seven Seas, Silversea and Tauck. Elsewhere, Pavlus’ philanthropic efforts include medical research and animal-focused charities.

JACK E. RICHARDS

President and CEO, Pleasant Holidays

Pleasant Holidays is known for Hawaii vacations, but since his appointment to Pleasant Holidays in 2007, Jack Richards expanded the company’s travel packages to U.S. mainland cities, the Caribbean, Europe, Central America and river cruising. Richards has a long history with hospitality and vacation packaging: He was an executive at Hotels.com/Expedia Group from 2003 to 2007, and prior to that he was president and CEO of America West Airline Vacations and Adventure Tours USA. Richards has served on the board of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau and on the Starwood Hotels and Resorts Leisure Travel Advisory Board.

THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

Hawaii is the first destination to receive the annual award. It recognizes the state’s approach, where culture and the stewardship of land, ocean and community are integrated alongside tourism. In collaboration with Tourism Cares, Hawaii launched a Meaningful Map that connects advisors and visitors with community-driven experiences and organizations. Its Malama Hawaii program offers visitors a chance to partake in opportunities that celebrate the Islands’ unique cultural heritage and natural resources. Accepting was Robyn Basso of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, right, with Debbie Haas of AAA and a member of the Tourism Cares board.

Photos by Jackamets Photography