After two tough years, HSMAI - the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International - wanted to celebrate those in the industry who have been able to adapt, take new paths and succeed during and after the pandemic.

The award ceremony brings together different actors in tourism and hospitality, and honours those who have excelled in the trying times that have plagued the industry over the past two years. This was the first HSMAI award ceremony in Norway since the start of the pandemic, and the theme of the evening was how different establishments in the industry have reacted to the challenges.

We are delighted to report that Britannia Hotel was nominated for two prizes and succeeded in both catregories. Furthermore, we ended up winning the evening's main prize, the Færda prize.

"The winner of this year's Færda prize ('Best in Show') has really excelled in the tourism and experience industry also in the pandemic year 2021," explained the jury in their summary. "The company has developed creative solutions to adapt to the various restrictions set by the authorities throughout the year, but at the same time focused on the core of their product; delivering quality at all levels. The fact that (Britannia Hotel) has focused more on price and experiences, rather than reducing prices in a difficult times, deserves respect."

The jury highlighted the hotel's persistence at hosting concerts wherever possible through the pandemic (over 250 concerts!), maintaining profitable profit margins on ticket sales and continuing to offer "world-class food, accommodation and service experiences".

We are also proud to announce that we took gold in the category which rates customer experiences in the hospitality industry in the past year.

The criteria was for an establishment which provided "excitement, good memorable experiences and exceed the customer's expectations". No small task considering the years we have endured! The jury explained that Britannia Hotel had, at a time when guests have had strict restrictions, "succeeded in putting the guest experience first in every respect".

"Through good insight and documentation, the candidate shows that they have very high requirements for customer service, work in a structured and thorough manner with the training and education of employees and that customer experiences and concepts are developed and adapted to the various needs that arise," explains the HSMAI jury on their decision to award Britannia Hotel top position.

"The candidate offers unforgettable memories through their unique facilities, culinary experiences and competent staff, and is thus a destination in itself. One of their guests told us 'you have to stay here to experience it, I guarantee you will not be disappointed'. HSMAI believes that the candidate has set a new standard for customer experiences and it is with great pleasure that we present the award for Customer Experience of the Year to Britannia Hotel."

Britannia Hotel also took gold in the Internal Role Model category, awarded to Hotelier and CEO, Mikael Forselius. The prize is awarded to a role model who has shown a hard-working, open, dynamic and offensive spirit, while navigating in the unforeseen landscape of the pandemic. Congratulations to Mikael for being recognised for his efforts in this respect!

HSMAI commended the tireless hotelier for "always making sure to be in a positive spirit, which makes even complicated tasks manageable. He has ingeniously utilised momentum and pulled out all the stops. The company (Britannia Hotel AS) has become an international beacon of success at a time of crisis, it has taken the lead and taken its task as a role model for a hard-hit industry seriously. It is with great pleasure that we have named Britannia Hotel, with Hotel Director Mikael Forselius at the helm, as the Internal Role Model of the Year."

A proud day for everyone involved with the hotel. Thank you kindly to our guests and supporters for the generous words and we look forward to more excellent guest experiences in the years to come.