Leaders and decision makers from Europe’s tourism and travel industry will meet at a gala event in Portugal this week as the regional winners for the World Travel Awards are announced.

The event has been described as the Oscars of the tourism industry, and recognises excellence in performance, customer service, innovation, creativity and overall high standards. The awards will be hosted by comedian Bobby Davro.

In a coup for disco lovers, legendary singer George McCrae will lead the night’s entertainment including his seminal 70’s anthem Rock Your Baby.

The competition itself is expected to be fierce. In the Best European Airline category will be contested by Air France, Iberia, KLM, BMI British Midland, British Airways, Lufthansa, and Swiss International Airlines and Scandinavian Airlines.

The prestigious title of the region’s best hotel will be decided from London’s Mandarin Oriental and Dorchester, Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul, Hotel le Bristol Paris, Hotel de Palais Biarritz, Grand Hotel Wien Vienna, Dubrovnik Palace Hotel Croatia, Donbass Palace Hotel Ukraine, Hotel Arts Barcelona, Hotel Cipriani Venice, Mandarin Oriental du Rhone Geneva and the Kemer Resort Hotel Turkey.

The event itself will be held at the Portuguese glamour resort Marriott Praia D’El Rey and is in conjunction with local tourism partners TAP, Born Sucesso, and Turismo Do Oeste Tourism. The event is the last before the World Travel Awards Grand Final which will be held at London’s Grosvenor House on November 8th.