Over the last few months, GTR has been on the search for the world’s best airlines and hotels.

With the trade finance community being a well-travelled crowd, we called on our wide spectrum of trade, commodity and export finance contacts to vote online in the inaugural GTR Travel Survey.

We invited everyone, seasoned travellers or not, to take part so that we could identify the best service providers around the globe.

We had an overwhelming response from our readers, who voted in their hundreds for their favourite airlines and hotels across the globe.

These are the results:

Airlines:

Best international airline:
Winner: Emirates
Runner-up: Singapore Airlines

Best airline in Africa:
Winner: South African Airways
Runner-up: Ethiopian Airlines

Best airline in the Americas:
Winner: American Airlines
Runner-up: Delta

Best airline in Asia:
Winner: Singapore Airlines
Runner-up: Cathay Pacific

Best airline in Europe:
Winner: British Airways
Runner up: Lufthansa

Best airline in the Middle East:
Winner: Emirates
Runner up: Qatar Airways

Hotels:

Best international hotel chain:
Winner: Hilton Hotels & Resorts
Runner up: JW Marriott Hotels

Best hotel in Johannesburg:
Winner: Hilton Sandton
Runner-up: InterContinental Johannesburg Sandton Towers

Best hotel in Miami:
Winner: Four Seasons
Runner-up: JW Marriott

Best hotel in New York:
Winner: Waldorf Astoria
Runner-up: Ritz Carlton

Best hotel in São Paulo:
Winner: Hotel Unique
Runner-up: Hyatt

Best hotel in Beijing:
Winner: Shangri-La
Runner-up: Ritz Carlton

Best hotel in Hong Kong:
Winner: Mandarin Oriental
Runner-up: Island Shangri-La

Best hotel in Jakarta:
Winner: Shangri-La
Runner-up: Hotel Mulia

Best hotel in Kuala Lumpur:
Winner: Shangri-La
Runner-up: Mandarin Oriental

Best hotel in Mumbai:
Winner: The Taj Mahal Palace
Runner-up: The Oberoi

Best hotel in Shanghai:
Winner: Grand Hyatt Shanghai
Runner-up: Shangri-La

Best hotel in Singapore:
Winner: The Fullerton Hotel
Runner-up: Marina Bay Sands

Best hotel in Sydney:
Winner: The Westin
Runner-up: Four Seasons Hotel

Best hotel in Geneva:
Winner: Hotel Des Bergues
Runner-up: Hotel President Wilson

Best hotel in Istanbul:
Winner: Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at The Bosphorus
Runner-up: The Swissotel The Bosphorus

Best hotel in London:
Winner: The Ritz London
Runner-up: Claridge’s

Best hotel in Paris:
Winner: Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris
Runner-up: The Ritz Paris

Best hotel in Abu Dhabi:
Winner: The St Regis Abu Dhabi
Runner-up: Jumeirah at Etihad Towers

Best hotel in Dubai:
Winner: The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai International Financial Centre
Runner-up: Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel