Kent-based Holiday Extras has defied the downturn to scoop a top travel industry award.

The company that provides holiday add-ons such as airport parking and hotels, travel insurance and London theatre breaks, was named Best Insurance Provider at the Globe Travel Awards 2009.

Travel agents voted the Newingreen, Hythe, firm into top place. Holiday Extras employs around 900 people nationwide with more than 350 in Kent.

The presentation ceremony was hosted by travel industry magazine Travel Weekly at The Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

Holiday Extras has won a string of awards in recent years, including Top 100 Call Centres Award 2008 and shortlisting in the Badenoch and Clark Business of the Year Award 2008.

Andrea Clayton, head of insurance at Holiday Extras, said: "We are thrilled to have won this travel trade award in recognition of all the hard work that the insurance team has put in during the change in FSA regulations.

"Holiday Extras looks forward to appointing new travel trade representatives to ensure the agents operate to ‘regulated’ standards, and to helping more agents to increase sales and provide a better service to the customer in 2009."

The idea of holiday add-ons came from Gerry Pack, who left travel and insurance business Saga to set up his niche enterprise just over 25 years ago. Sales have since risen to around £200m.

Recent growth has been fuelled by acquisition, notably the Crawley-based airport car parking firm BCP, innovation, and heavy investment in new technology.