Here we are, in the last month of 2020. It would hardly be a stretch to say, We made it!” At many times, 2020 felt like nothing but an uphill battle for everyone. January and February provided a relatively normal start to the year, but along came March with a curveball few saw coming. We could all think of what we didn’t do this year — the thought often crosses my mind that 2020 is the first year in more than a decade I didn’t leave the country — or we can celebrate the milestones, a bit sweeter for us all in a year full of tumult. So at Global Traveler and our sister publications trazeetravel.com and whereverfamily.com, we’re choosing to end the year on a high note with our Awards Issue.

We always announce the winners of our annual GT Tested Reader Survey awards in our December issue, alongside our Airline and Hotel of the Year. You’ll find both announcements on the following pages. A win in a year such as this can only feel much sweeter. Both our Airline and Hotel of the Year winners pivoted in 2020 to reimagine cleanliness and safety for travelers and will help set the standards for the future of the travel industry. You’ll also find we added a Best Airline Cabin Cleanliness category to our annual survey.

A bit later this year, but a big celebration nonetheless, was the announcement of our Wines on the Wing airline wine survey, the Wherever Awards from whereverfamily.com and The Trazees from trazeetravel.com winners. As wines began arriving from around the world pre- and during the pandemic, we knew where there’s a will, there’s a way, and we managed to find a way to safely and successfully hold our annual blind tasting. Learn more on page 48. Originally announced in June, we’re recapping the winners of our Leisure Lifestyle Awards on page 50.

We’re still taking you around the world in this issue as well. Let’s look to Detroit and Belgrade as examples of resiliency in the face of adversity. Find more than just beaches in Cape Cod and Aruba. Discover the rich blend of cultures in Macao. And face the sobering realities of history in Dakar while vowing to continue pushing far forward.

Kick off the new year with us in our next issue when we sip bourbon in Kentucky, skydive in New Zealand and take a closer look at the transformations within our industry. And join us on Dec. 14 for our virtual awards celebration. Check globaltravelerusa.com, whereverfamily.com and trazeetravel.com for more details. Until then, happy holidays!