The inaugural World Ski Awards event was held in Kitzbuhel, Austria over the weekend, honoring the best resorts around the world, from Australia and North America to Russia and Asia. The big winner of the night was France’s Val Thorens, the highest resort in Europe, which was named the best ski resort in the world. Other big winners include: World’s Best Ski Hotel: Ritz Carlton Bachelor Gulch, Colorado, USA World’s Best Ski Boutique Hotel: Aurelio Lech, Austria World’s Best Ski Chalet: Bighorn, Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada Here are a few other regional winners from the World Ski Awards: Andorra's Best Ski Resort 2013: Vallnord Argentina's Best Ski Resort 2013: Cerro Castor Australia's Best Ski Resort 2013: Perisher Austria's Best Ski Resort 2013: Kitzbühel Bulgaria's Best Ski Resort 2013: Bansko Canada's Best Ski Resort 2013: Lake Louise Chile's Best Ski Resort 2013: Portillo Finland's Best Ski Resort 2013: Ruka France's Best Ski Resort 2013: Val Thorens Germany's Best Ski Resort 2013: Garmisch-Partenkirchen Italy's Best Ski Resort 2013: Cortina d’Ampezzo Japan's Best Ski Resort 2013: Niseko New Zealand's Best Ski Resort 2013: Treble Cone Norway's Best Ski Resort 2013: Trysil Russia's Best Ski Resort 2013: Krasnaya Polyana Slovenia's Best Ski Resort 2013: Kranjska Gora South Korea's Best Ski Resort 2013: YongPyong Sweden's Best Ski Resort 2013: Åre Switzerland's Best Ski Resort 2013: LAAX United States' Best Ski Resort 2013: Deer Valley Resort The World Ski Awards are an offshoot of the World Travel Awards, considered the ‘Oscars’ of the travel industry. Votes were cast by senior executives, travel buyers, tour operators, agents and media professionals in the ski and tourism industry. Source: Relaxnews