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The first Skålité International Awards bring tourism leaders together in Istanbul, celebrating innovation, leadership, and the power of doing business among friends across borders.
ISTANBUL, Türkiye— Tourism leaders from around the world gathered at the InterContinental Istanbul Hotel on October 25 for an evening celebrating professional achievement, international friendship and the shared future of the global tourism industry. The occasion marked the first international edition of the Skålité International Awards, a program with roots in Istanbul dating back to 1998.
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Hosted by Skål International Istanbul, the gala brought together members of the Skål International Executive Board, representatives of the Skål International Türkiye National Board, club presidents, distinguished guests and tourism professionals from different parts of the world.
The evening was about more than awards. It demonstrated how an international professional network can bring people together through friendship, shared business interests and a commitment to tourism, regardless of political differences or geopolitical tensions.
In an industry built around welcoming visitors, connecting cultures and creating opportunities across borders, that message carries particular significance.
Skål International’s longstanding philosophy of “doing business among friends” was reflected in the gathering, where recognition of outstanding achievements went hand in hand with the opportunity to reconnect with colleagues, exchange ideas and develop relationships that can last well beyond a single evening.
From Istanbul tradition to international tourism recognition
The Skålité Awards were established in 1998 by Skål International Istanbul under the leadership of Hülya Aslantaş, who later served as Skål International World President in 2009.
For nearly three decades, the awards have recognised quality, professional excellence, innovation and outstanding contributions to tourism and hospitality. Their expansion to the international stage in 2026 represents an important new chapter in that history.
The international programme seeks to recognise achievements that can inspire tourism professionals, encourage the sharing of good practices and help raise standards across the global industry.
The inaugural international edition attracted 26 nominations across six categories, reflecting the diversity of a sector encompassing hotels, travel services, destinations, cultural heritage, digital innovation and tourism leadership.
Moving the awards beyond their original Turkish setting creates an opportunity to showcase achievements from a wider range of markets and give successful initiatives international visibility.
It also reinforces the role of professional associations in identifying promising ideas, celebrating good leadership and encouraging cooperation between people who might otherwise have few opportunities to work together.
An international jury evaluates the nominations
The international awards were assessed by an independent five-member jury appointed by Skål International World President Andrés O. Hayes.
The panel comprised:
- Hülya Aslantaş, Skål International World President in 2009.
- Rodrigo Álvarez y Jiménez, President of Skål International Mexico.
- Franziska Düring, President of Skål International Germany.
- Vorapat Chutima, President of Skål International Thailand.
- Thomas Strodel, President of Skål International New York.
According to the organizers, each nomination was evaluated against established criteria, with jury members independently assigning scores. The Skål International General Secretariat subsequently compiled and summarised the results to determine the winners in each category.
The use of an international jury brought together experience from different national tourism markets and professional backgrounds.
In addition to the international awards, the gala featured the traditional Skål International Istanbul and Skål International Türkiye Skålité Awards. These programmes had their own assessment arrangements, recognising achievements at club and national levels.
The Istanbul awards were evaluated by the club’s past presidents and current board members. The national awards were assessed by a committee comprising the current Turkish national board, all past presidents and former Skål International World Presidents Hülya Aslantaş and Salih Çene, who served in 2009 and 2015, respectively.
The three programmes gave the evening a broader purpose: recognising tourism excellence locally, nationally and internationally.
Salina Hong: telling Hungary’s story through tourism
One of the international award recipients identified in reporting following the ceremony was Salina Hong, a member of Skål Taipei.
Hong received the Travel Storytelling & Digital Impact Award for Amazing Hungary, a book developed through cooperation between Skål Taipei and Skål International Hungary.
Described as her 65th book, Amazing Hungary presents the country through personal experiences, encounters and lesser-known stories rather than focusing exclusively on its most familiar tourist attractions.
The project demonstrates how storytelling can help travellers and readers develop a deeper understanding of a destination. Tourism is not only about places to visit; it is also about the people, traditions, histories and everyday experiences that give those places their character.
A compelling story can encourage people to discover a new destination, understand another culture and develop an emotional connection with a place they may never have visited.
Hong’s recognition also illustrates the practical value of international professional relationships. Cooperation between a Taiwanese tourism professional and the Hungarian Skål network helped bring Hungary’s stories to a wider audience.
Hong was unable to attend the Istanbul ceremony. Tilli Adrienn, president of Skål International Hungary, accepted the award on her behalf.
The achievement highlights an important dimension of tourism promotion: meaningful international cooperation can create visibility for destinations while building cultural connections between markets.
I-DEST: innovation supporting more sustainable tourism
Another international award recipient was I-DEST, developed and operated by Innotime Hungary Kft., which won the Travel Industry Innovation Award.
The digital framework is designed to help tourism service providers and destinations examine their sustainability practices, collect relevant data, monitor performance and identify areas for improvement.
Its tools can support organisations in understanding their current practices and making better-informed decisions about future development. The framework can also assist preparation for international sustainability assessments and certification processes, although self-assessment does not replace independent certification.
The recognition reflects the expanding role of digital innovation in tourism. Technology can help businesses and destinations go beyond broad sustainability ambitions by examining how they operate, identifying gaps and monitoring progress.
For destinations, this can contribute to more informed planning. For tourism businesses, it can provide a structured way to evaluate practices and identify opportunities for improvement.
The award to I-DEST demonstrates that innovation in tourism is not limited to new travel products or visitor experiences. It can also involve the systems and tools that help the industry operate more responsibly.
Together, the recognition of Amazing Hungary and I-DEST illustrates the breadth of tourism excellence: one uses stories to build understanding between cultures, while the other applies digital tools to support better industry practices.
Zekeriya Şen and the importance of travel storytelling
Separate reporting on the Istanbul awards also identified Turkish travel writer, author and radio broadcaster Zekeriya Şen as a recipient of a Skålité award in the Travel Storytelling & Digital Impact category.
The recognition highlights the role of travel communicators in helping audiences discover destinations, explore cultural differences and understand the people behind tourism experiences.
Writers, broadcasters and other storytellers are important intermediaries between destinations and travelers. Through their work, they can introduce audiences to unfamiliar places, explain local traditions and create interest in experiences beyond conventional tourism itineraries.
Šen’s recognition is reported in Turkish tourism media covering the Istanbul ceremony. The available report does not establish that his award was the same international award received by Salina Hong. The two recipients should therefore be presented as recognitions associated with the gala’s separate award programmes rather than as co-winners of one international category.
This distinction matters when reporting the results of an event featuring international, national and club-level awards.
Why international friendship matters in tourism
The gala also offered a reminder of what makes Skål International different from a conventional industry conference.
The organization brings together tourism professionals working in hotels, travel agencies, transportation, destination management, tourism promotion and other parts of the visitor economy.
Members share professional interests, but the network also places considerable importance on personal relationships and friendship.
That combination can be especially valuable in a world shaped by geopolitical tensions, changing international relationships and economic uncertainty.
Tourism depends on people being willing to travel, welcome visitors and cooperate across borders. Businesses need reliable relationships, destinations benefit from international dialogue, and tourism professionals learn from experiences in markets different from their own.
Professional networks cannot eliminate political disagreements. They can, however, preserve opportunities for dialogue and cooperation when relationships between countries become more complicated.
At a Skål gathering, a hotelier from one country can exchange ideas with a travel professional from another. A destination representative can discover new business opportunities through a personal introduction. A tourism entrepreneur can learn from a colleague’s experience without those relationships being defined by national politics.
This is the practical meaning of doing business among friends: professional trust is built through personal contact, mutual respect and shared interests.
The Istanbul gala celebrated those values while recognizing people and organizations making contributions to the wider industry.
Istanbul offers an international setting
The choice of Istanbul as the host city gave the event an appropriate setting.
Located between Europe and Asia, Istanbul has long been a centre of trade, travel and cultural exchange. Its history reflects the movement of people and ideas across geographical and cultural boundaries.
The city’s hospitality industry and international connections also made it a fitting destination for a programme bringing together tourism professionals from different parts of the world.
Skål International Istanbul hosted the award winners and members of the Executive Board during a special three-day programme designed to showcase the city’s cultural heritage, hospitality and contemporary energy.
The programme extended the gathering beyond the awards ceremony, allowing visiting members to experience Istanbul and strengthen relationships through shared activities.
Special appreciation was extended to Mustafa Devrim Yalcin, President of Skål International Istanbul, and his team for their work in organizing the inaugural international edition.
The event reflected the contribution that host clubs make to the international organization: creating opportunities for members to meet in person, experience a destination and develop professional relationships in a welcoming environment.
A platform for sharing good practices
The significance of the Skålité International Awards extends beyond the recognition of individual winners.
International awards can provide a platform for sharing successful approaches across different tourism markets. An innovative digital framework developed in one country may inspire businesses elsewhere. A destination storytelling initiative may encourage another tourism organization to communicate its cultural heritage more effectively.
Recognizing achievements also helps bring attention to work that might otherwise remain known only within a local market or professional circle.
For tourism professionals, the value of such recognition depends not simply on receiving an award but on what follows: opportunities to exchange knowledge, explain how an initiative works and inspire others to adapt good practices to their own circumstances.
The 2026 program provides Skål International with a foundation on which to build that kind of international exchange.
As the awards develop, the transparency of the judging process, clarity of the categories and visibility of the winners’ achievements will be important in establishing their reputation across the global industry.
The inaugural edition has created a new international stage for tourism excellence. Its long-term significance will depend on how effectively that stage continues to recognize meaningful contributions and encourage collaboration.
Looking ahead to the 2027 Skålité International Awards
Following the inaugural international edition, Skål International has encouraged members to begin identifying outstanding individuals and organizations for the 2027 awards.
The aim is to attract further nominations from across its international network and showcase achievements from different destinations, businesses and professional disciplines.
For the organisation, the next edition will offer an opportunity to broaden participation and strengthen the awards as a platform for recognising quality, leadership and innovation.
The program also creates an opportunity for tourism professionals to look beyond their immediate markets and learn from colleagues working in different economic, cultural and operating environments.
That is one of the enduring strengths of international tourism networks: knowledge and professional experience can be shared across borders, helping the industry adapt and improve.
An evening celebrating more than trophies
The first international Skålité Awards gala brought together the traditions of an Istanbul initiative, the achievements of tourism professionals and the international friendships that connect the global industry.
The 26 nominations across six international categories demonstrated the range of work taking place throughout tourism and hospitality. The recognized initiatives, including storytelling that introduces audiences to new cultures and digital tools supporting more sustainable practices, illustrated different ways the industry can create value.
For Skål International, the international expansion of the awards is both a milestone and an invitation to continue building a culture of recognition and cooperation.
The evening’s broader message was clear: tourism is an international business, but it is also a human enterprise. Relationships, trust, hospitality and the willingness to learn from others remain central to its success.
Politics and geopolitics may shape the environment in which tourism operates. They need not define every relationship between the people working in it.
In Istanbul, tourism professionals came together to celebrate achievement, share experiences and strengthen friendships across borders.
As the Skålité Awards look toward 2027, their challenge will be to carry that spirit forward: recognizing excellence, encouraging innovation and demonstrating that the global tourism industry can become stronger when its people work together.
