SINGAPORE - Online travel service Agoda and POSB's mobile banking were AsiaOne readers' top picks for best online travel service and best mobile banking service at the news and lifestyle website's People's Choice Awards (PCA) 2016 on Thursday (April 21).
The two categories were added to the annual awards this year to better reflect changing consumer trends today.
AsiaOne acting editor Karen Lim said: "When it comes to services and information, consumers are shifting online to seek out tools to help them with their decisions. Companies know this and have embraced innovative solutions to address the needs of their customers.
"With the addition of such categories, we hope to provide our readers with better choices that reflect their lifestyle today and to acknowledge companies for their digital efforts."
Three other categories were also introduced this year: best fashion retailer, best Android phone and best home & electronics retailer. Uniqlo, Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and Courts garnered the most votes in these respective categories.
A total of 30 brands received the coveted nod from readers after three months of voting, with close to 200,000 votes cast in the awards' eighth year.
California Fitness Singapore claimed a PCA Hall of Fame nod after taking the number one spot in the health and fitness category for the fifth straight year.
Meanwhile, three brands broke through to take the top placing in categories which were previously held by Hall of Fame winners. POSB was crowned best bank while INSEAD Asia Campus was named the best private institute. DBS Visa Credit was voted the best credit card.
Other winners include Mazda 3 (best car), Singapore Zoo (best local attraction), and Singapore Airlines (best full-fledged airline).
Over 200 guests attended the ceremony held at the Singapore Press Holdings auditorium, where they were able to sample first-hand a selection of dishes from PCA award winner Carousel (best buffet restaurant), Legendary Hong Kong roasted duck and UFC Refresh Coconut Water.
Another first for the PCA was its online pop-up store with Qoo10, which was voted as the best online retailer for the second successive year.
From April 11 until May 13, AsiaOne readers can enjoy special discounts when they purchase the tech products nominated at the Shop the PCA Finalists microsite.
