The award presentation took place at The Peninsula, Hong Kong last week.

The DestinAsian Media Group began operations in Jakarta in 2001. DestinAsian is a bimonthly publication with a readership of 90,000. It is available through subscription, on news-stands and by controlled circulation in Asia and beyond.

"These awards are particularly meaningful because they reflect the views of our readers who are seasoned business and leisure travellers, " DestinAsian founder and publisher Ronald Liem said.

Liem congratulated all the winners, urging them to maintain and enhance the standards that made the Asian region a favoured destination not just for business travellers but for leisure travel as well.

"Asia is fortunate to be a five-star destination in a four-star world," he said. "Our hotels, resorts, and airlines rank amongst the best in the world, and we also have some of the most exotic and exciting destinations, both urban and rural."

Voting for the first DestinAsian Readers' Choice Awards was held in the latter half of last year through a survey which sought readers' opinions on their favourite destinations, hotels,

and airlines in the Asia-Pacific region.

Readers were asked to nominate their preference in each category and provide a short explanation of the reasons for their choice.