HERE WE GO AGAIN — the results of the GT Tested Reader Survey awards are in! You’ve chosen those companies that do their best to make you happy and keep you as one of their top clients. Rankings from frequent travelers mean something to the industry, and judging by the appearance of our awards logo and winners’ list in the press, Global Traveler’s awards are highly respected.

I recently returned from Dubai and Abu Dhabi, flying via Saudi Arabian Airlines’ new First Class Suite. The product is comfortable, and the team is there to please. Even the Saudia ground team in Riyadh treats first-class passengers like VIPs — I was personally escorted to the Alfursan Lounge for the layover, as I was flying on to Dubai. Once I arrived in Dubai, Mr. Bander A. Alfolwzan, Saudia’s manager of operations for the U.A.E. and Oman, showed me the same courtesy and ushered me through security and customs and out the door to my driver. Look for my review of Saudia’s first class in an upcoming issue. It offers another opportunity to fly in style to the Middle East and the United Arab Emirates.

As we look forward to the New Year, my family and I will be cruising with Norwegian Cruise Line over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. I enjoy these great bonding times with my adult children and their plus-ones. This falls right in line with Global Traveler’s WhereverFamily brand, covering everything family. From the traditional family to multigenerational travelers, we recognize families are made up of all types of groups. If you recognize your group as a family, then whereverfamily.com does, too.

I am considering a golf trip to Ireland as well as a possible trip to Portugal to contribute some much-needed Golf columns for these regions. TAP Air Portugal, which does well among our readers, saw tremendous expansion this year, and rumor has it a new gateway will be added in 2018. Your guess is as good as mine — Washington, D.C.; Chicago; San Francisco; Los Angeles?

This year we added great new people to our team who are dedicated and ready to make a difference, working with our multiplatform travel publications. These individuals join our veteran staff who know how much hard work it takes to create our high-quality products. We may give the impression the company is easy and casual, but the contrary is true. All our publications require we take great care and follow procedures to craft the end product you see. It certainly is not for everyone, but we all enjoy the hard work as we tour and review the world.

Enjoy the December issue!