Image: SeanPavonePhoto/Istock.com via AFP Relaxnews

Portugal wins big at World Travel Awards Europe 2017 as it has been named the continent’s leading travel destination at an industry event held over the weekend.

Along with snagging one of the most coveted awards at the World Travel Awards Europe gala in St. Petersburg, Portugal’s Madeira was named the leading island destination for the continent, and The Algarve Europe’s best beach destination.

Winners of the World Travel Awards are based the votes of travel professionals, industry leaders and consumer travelers.

A standard vote carries a weighting of one, while verified travel professional votes carry a weighting of two.

In the hotel category, repeat winner Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul was named Europe’s leading hotel, while The Peninsula, Paris, was named the leading luxury hotel.

Travelers flying between Europe and the United States or Canada may want to book their flight on KLM-Royal Dutch Airlines, which took the title of best European airline to North America.

British Airways took the airline award for best carrier between Europe and Asia.

Winners from the event will go forward to compete in the World Travel Awards Grand Final taking place in Vietnam Dec. 10.

Here’s a look at some of the other big winners:

Europe’s leading airline 2017: Turkish Airlines
Leading low-cost airlines: Norwegian
Leading airline to Africa: TAP Portugal
Leading airline to Asia: British Airways
Leading airline to North America: KLM-Royal Dutch Airlines
Leading airline to South America: TAP Portugal
Leading hotel: Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul
Leading boutique hotel: Vila Joya, Portugal
Leading tourist attraction: Spike Island, Ireland
Most romantic hotel: Monte Santo Resort, Portugal
Leading city destination: Saint-Petersburg, Russia
JB