Jumeirah Group President and CEO Gerald Lawless won the prestigious Condé Nast Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual ‘Readers’ Choice Awards’ ceremony in Dubai, UAE.

A global luxury hotel company and a member of Dubai Holding, Jumeirah Group operates a world-class portfolio of hotels and resorts.

For over 25 years, the Condé Nast Traveller awards have set the gold standard for the tourism and hospitality industry around the globe, with votes being cast by the title's discerning readers who are connoisseurs and consumers of luxury s‎ervices.

An Irish national, Lawless joined Jumeirah Group in 1997 and has helped establish the company as one of the premier luxury hotel brands in the world. 

On receiving his award, Lawless said: “Over the years, Condé Nast Traveller and Jumeirah have become synonymous with the finest in travel. Therefore I am honoured to receive this prestigious award and dedicate it to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to my family, as well as to almost 15,000 Jumeirah colleagues. As the company expands to new destinations, we continue to build on the foundation of our three very special Hallmarks, the essence of the Jumeirah culture, which helped us succeed in Dubai and captured hearts and minds of travellers from all over the world.”

The award was presented by Ali Akawi, Managing Director of APP Group, and Rhea Saran, Editor-in-Chief of the magazine’s Middle East edition, at the Condé Nast Traveller Middle East Readers’ Choice Awards ceremony which was held at the J W Marquis hotel on November 12.

Among other winners, Dubai’s Emirates airline won three awards as Favourite Airline for Leisure Travel, Favourite Airline for Business Travel and Favourite Airline for Loyalty Programme.

The Banyan Tree Al Wadi in Ras Al Khaimah won two awards for Favourite Hotel/Resort for Leisure Middle East and Favourite Hotel Spa, while Jumeirah Emirates Tower won Favourite Hotel for Business Travel Middle East. 

The city of Dubai, meanwhile, was voted Favourite City for Leisure Travel Middle East.