india today tourism awards 2022

About the tourism awards

Welcome to the myriad facets of Indian traditions, culture and vibrant geographies. With Indian Tourism branched into several forms, India has a chunk for every kind of a traveler. To address this diversity India Today Tourism Awards asks India To Vote for the best tourism destinations in the country. So come forth, vote and let the world see India through your eyes.

nominations

India has emerged as one of the world's most popular places for adventure travel. Here are India's top adventure travel destinations to get your adrenaline pumping.

DZUKOU, NAGALAND

VALMIKI NATIONAL PARK, BIHAR

WHITE WATER RAFTING, RISHIKESH, UTTARAKHAND

Hill Stations

Experience sublime tranquility and mysticism. Visit these hilly retreats to beat the scorching heat or to enjoy their heavenly beauty. Soak in the charm of these picturesque and pristine hill stations in India, which make a perfect location for a wonderful and memorable vacation.

HALFLONG, ASSAM

AIZAWL, MIZORAM

NAMCHI, SIKKIM

Heritage Destinations

The following Heritage destinations are the bedrock of Indian Culture & Traditions and more than often they are ignored in lieu of glamorous alternatives. Take this chance to reminisce about the beacons of Indian heritage & Culture.

MAHABODHI TEMPLE, BIHAR

TAJ MAHAL, UTTAR PRADESH

KHONGJOM WAR MEMORIAL

MAHABALIPURAM, TAMIL NADU

UNAKOTI, TRIPURA

Cultural heritage

The Here are India's top Cultural heritage destinations which bridges the gap between the past and the future. A legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations.

LONAR, MAHARASHTRA

SIRPUR, CHHATTISGARH

BANARAS, UTTAR PRADESH

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The Dzükou Valley is a valley located at the border of the states of Nagaland and Manipur. This valley is well known for its natural environment, seasonal flowers and flora and fauna. It is situated at an altitude of 2452 m above sea level, behind the Japfü Peak in Nagaland. The valley is famous for its wide range of flower ,But the most famous one is the rare Dzükou Lily is found only in this valley.

The most renowned national tiger reserve located in the East of India, spread over more than 800 sq. km, The national park and Wildlife Sanctuary is the abode for tigers, leopards, flying foxes, flying squirrels, wild cats, sloth bears, antelopes and many others.

Rishikesh, the gateway to the Garhwal Himalayas offer great opportunities for white water rafting on the rapids of the Ganges.

The Mahabodhi Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an ancient Budhist Temple in Bodh Gaya and lies at 115 km South of Patna. It was built by the Great Emperor Ashoka in 3rd Century BC. Mahabodhi Temple Complex is the paramount place of pilgrimage of Budhist faith having the Bodhi Tree a descendant of the original Bodhi tree under which Lord Budha attained enlightenment.

Commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the remains of his cherished wife, the Taj Mahal stands on the southern bank of the Yamuna River in Agra, India. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983, it remains one of the world's most celebrated structures and a stunning symbol of India's rich history.

The Khongjom War Memorial is situated at Kheba Ching at Thoubal District of Manipur, about 35 kms away from Imphal. The War Memorial monument was inaugurated by the then President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the battle. The monument resembles a tripod and depicts the strength, the indomitable spirit and courage of the Manipuris

Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram is located about 60 kms. from Chennai city, this is one of the most visited tourist places of South India. Mahabalipuram's unfinished poetry in stone, the sculptural creation, stands testimony to the unique Dravidian architecture.

Unakoti is ornamented with huge rock-cut images of gods and goddesses in the midst of liberal gift of nature. Mesmerised by its vastness and uniqueness Archaeological Survey of India compared the Unakoti with the famous sculptures of Mahabalipuram. It is also regarded the largest bas-relief sculptures carved on the face of a hill in India.

Often referred to as White Ant Hillock, Haflong is best known for its picturesque views and rich cultural legacy. Boasting of rich wildlife, green rolling hills and tranquil ambiance, Haflong offers a pretty side of Assam to behold. It is indeed a delight for nature lovers and an excellent place for the weary souls.

A city in the lap of nature, Aizawl set on the ridges of steep hills. The enchanting city overlooks verdant valleys and hills stretching away to the horizon. A peaceful and silent city known for its serene traffic where the most beautiful sunset against the backdrop of its bluish hills is a feast for the eye.

78 kms from Gangtok, Namchi, literally means 'top of the sky.' Set in a picturesque location, it offers an unmatched view of the Khangchendzonga range and the Rangit valley. You can visit the Sherdup Choeling Monastery and the Dichen Choeling monastery. A unique, awe inspiring and gigangtic 135 feet high statue of Guru Padamasambhava is installed atop Sampruptse near Namchi.

Away from the hustle and bustle of big cities, Puducherry is a quiet little town on the southern coast of India. The unmistakable French connection, the quaint colonial heritage buildings, the spiritual sceneries and the endless stretches of beaches & backwaters makes it is the perfect place to come if you want to take the pace of life down a few notches.

Located in the Buldhana District of Maharashtra, the Lonar Lake is an exceptional 'bowl of biodiversity' and a wildlife sanctuary with a unique ecology that is vastly different from the surrounding flat landscape. Incredibly old at 50,000 years, the Lonar crater is the youngest and best preserved impact crater formed in basalt rock and is the only of its kind on earth.

Located in the Mahasamund district of Chhattisgarh Sirpur is a historical site with a rich, ancient legacy and is a vortex of spirituality, especially Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism. Unmatched stone carvings, along with 22 Shiva temples, 4 Vishnu temples, 10 Buddha Viharas and 3 Jain Viharas, an Ayurveda treatment centre and a 6th century Ayurvedic Snaan Kund (an ancient spa), puts Sirpur in the list of the richest archaeological sites.

Banaras is the most visited pilgrimage destination in all of India. One of the seven Holy Cities, one of the twelve Jyotir Linga sites and also a Shakti Pitha site. According to legend, Varanasi was founded by the god Shiva thus making it the most favored place amongst Hindus. The particular river-side location of Banaras is considered especially potent because, in less than ten kilometers, the Ganges is met by two other rivers, the Asi and the Varana.

Vice President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar presents National Tourism Awards on World Tourism Day 81 awards given this year highlighting the achievements of the industry in 2018-19 Explore domestic tourist destinations first before looking at international travel: Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar India’s Tourism sector is moving towards creative, responsible and inclusive growth: Shri G. Kishan Reddy

  Vice President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar presented the National Tourism Awards to awardees today at the programme organized by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, to mark the World Tourism Day, 2022. Union Minister of Tourism Shri G. Kishan Reddy and MoS Tourism Shri Ajay Bhatt also graced the ceremony. Secretary Tourism Shri Arvind Singh and other senior officers of the Ministry were also present on this occasion. A total of 81 awards were given away this year highlighting the achievements of the industry in 2018-19. Vice President also released India Tourism Statistics 2022, New Incredible India Global Promotional Films, and “GoBeyond:75 Experiences of North India” e-book on this occasion.

During his keynote address Vice President Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar described India as “heaven for tourism” and asked the Indians to explore domestic tourist destinations first before looking at international travel. Referring to Bharat’s long civilizational history and rich cultural heritage, he underlined that most of the tourist places in the country have a deep connect with our history, folk arts and ancient texts.

Vice President termed tourism a key driver of economic growth and employment generation in the country. Referring to multiple dimensions to the tourism, the Vice President stressed the need for fully leveraging the India’s immense potential in the field of medical tourism as well as the growing global interest in our ancient practices of healing such as Ayurveda and Yoga.

Appreciating the Government’s efforts for the development of the tourism sector in the country, Shri Dhankhar said that the development of tourism infrastructure has been accompanied with innovative initiatives such as Dekho Apna Desh and Utsav Portal.

Speaking on the occasion Shri G. Kishan Reddy said that under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India’s Tourism sector is moving towards creative, responsible and inclusive growth. Ministry of Tourism is working with 360-degree perspective and whole of government approach for the development of tourism sector. Along with Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Commerce are also working for the development of this sector, which will help in establishing better synergy and convergence leading to sustainable and world class infrastructure development.

Shri Reddy further highlighted that India plans to position itself as a major tourism destination during its presidency of G20 for 2023. During the presidency we aim to showcase India as a ‘must visit’ destination at a global level. 3600 railway coaches have been allocated for tourism purpose for Circuit specific trains. Such trains have already started for Ramayana and Buddhist Circuits while the one for Krishna Circuit will start soon. Our aim is to make India one of the most prominent destinations of the world. Union Minister added that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is working as brand ambassador of Indian tourism.

MoS Tourism Shri Ajay Bhatt congratulated all the award winners and said that Ministry of Tourism has prepared a draft National Tourism Policy 2022 as part of the vision of New India on high trajectory of growth and prosperity. The Policy aims at Improving framework conditions for tourism development in the country, supporting tourism industries, strengthening tourism support functions and developing tourism sub sectors.

During his welcome speech Secretary Tourism Shri Arvind Singh said that this kind of award motivates the travel and tourism sector. Travel & Tourism is one of the world’s largest economic sector, creating export and prosperity around the world. Indian Tourism sector has emerged as one of the key drivers of growth for Indian economy post covid, he said.

As India celebrates 75 years of independence, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, commences its Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM) iconic week on 27th September 2022 by recognizing the efforts of industry stakeholders and conferring the National Tourism Awards. Due to Covid, the Awards could not be organised during the last 2 years.

The National Tourism Awards are presented to various segments of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry, including State Governments in recognition of their performance in their respective fields and also to encourage healthy competition with an aim to promote tourism. These Awards have over the years emerged as a prestigious recognition of achievements in the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors.

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Kindly click for the India Tourism Statistics 2022

India's Best Awards 2022

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Goa Tourism wins four national tourism awards

The national tourism awards returned after a gap of two years due to covid pandemic. the awards are presented in various segments of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry with an aim to promote tourism..

Goa Tourism bagged as many as four awards across various categories at National Tourism Awards 2022, announced on September 27, 2022 at a grand ceremony in Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. The National Tourism Awards returned after a gap of two years due to Covid pandemic. The awards are presented in various segments of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry with an aim to promote tourism. (Also read: Rude Food by Vir Sanghvi: Going, going, Goa!)

Goa tourism was awarded with four honours - Best Civic Management of a tourist destination in India Calangute village (category C), National Tourism Hall of fame, Most innovative use of information Technology-social media/Mobile App website for developing and successfully operating fully indigenous mobile taxi app hailing system in Goa for goamiles and in the category of 'Devotion to Duty' that was awarded to four lifeguards of Goa tourism agency Drishti.

Rohan Khaunte, Minister for Tourism & IT, Govt. of Goa and Nikhil Desai, IAS, Director of Tourism Govt. of Goa accepted the awards which were presented to them by Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankar in presence of Union Tourism Minister Shri J Kishan Reddy and Union Minister of state for tourism Ajay Bhatt and Secretary Tourism, Govt of India Arvind Singh.

While receiving the award, Rohan Khaunte, the Minister for Tourism & IT, said that Goa Tourism has embarked on a remarkable journey to position Goa as a premiere tourism destination in India and in the world and added that such prestigious awards recognise the hard work, dedication and efforts of the entire team of Goa tourism and these recognitions shall continue to inspire to excel in this sector.

The Minister for Tourism & IT added that Goa Tourism shall ensure comprehensive development of basic facilities and upgrade the tourism infrastructure and efforts shall be made to develop responsible and sustainable tourism in Goa. He also complimented tourism stakeholders in Goa for extending support to Goa Tourism and providing warm hospitality for the visiting tourists in true spirit of 'Atithi Devo Bhava'. He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Tourism Minister J Kishan Reddy, MoS Tourism Shripad Naik and Ajay Bhatt and Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant for their continued support and encouragement without which this achievement would not be possible.

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Govt’s Rs 20 lakh crore infra push will boost tourism in India, says Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal

Talking at the india today tourism survey & awards 2022, the union minister stressed upon the government’s thrust on making india a global tourist hub..

• Updated Feb 24, 2023, 2:08 PM IST

The Indian government’s big push to expedite infrastructure development in the country will boost local tourism in the coming days, said union minister of state for parliamentary affairs and culture Arjun Ram Maghwal. According to him, better connectivity through roads and railways will encourage the local tourists to visit remote places that are otherwise less accessible.

Speaking at the India Today Tourism Survey & Awards 2022, the minister stressed upon the importance of better public infra for the growth of tourism in the country. “Good roads and railway connectivity attract local tourists, while improvement in air connectivity, cruise through waterways may help travel for foreign tourists. Under the parbat-mala scheme of the union government ropeway technology is set to get a leg up - improving connectivity at hilly regions,” he said.

Meghwal, who hails from Bikaner, Rajasthan and was an Indian Administrative Officer before turning into a politician, said that the contribution of consumption in India’s gross domestic product (GDP) ranges between 67-70 per cent. Tourism has great potential to boost consumption in the country, as more people travel, they would spend money on food, public transport and accommodations - boosting India’s GDP. Meanwhile, private investments need to increase, he underscored.

Additionally, as inflow of foreign tourists grow it would boost exports from India as foreign nationals get the taste of the rich heritage of India’s local handicrafts. “Thus, the government has adopted an integrated approach towards growing tourism, involving multiple departments and/or ministries like culture," the minister said.

Due to restriction related to COVID-19, the number of foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) in India during 2021 decreased to 1.52 million from 2.74 million in 2020, registering a negative growth of 44.5 per cent, as per data from Ministry of Tourism, Government.  In 2021, the top 15 source markets for FTAs in India were the United States, Bangladesh, the United Kingdom, Canada, Nepal, Afghanistan, Australia, Germany, Portugal, France, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, the Russian Federation, Iraq, and the Netherlands - accounting for 80.9 percent of total FTAs in India.

Some 1.64 per cent of global tourists come from India. The top 10 international tourist arrivals source nations worldwide are France, Italy, Mexico, United States, Spain, Turkey, Austria, Germany, United Kingdom, and Poland. India rose from 25th place in 2019 to 19th place in the world for tourism in 2020.

India’s domestic tourist visits, however, grew by 11 per cent to 677.63 million in 2021, from 610.22 million in 2020.  

Also read:  ‘Financial viability of countries threatened by unsustainable debt’: PM Modi to G20 FMs, central bank govs

Also read:  Adani Enterprises, Adani Green, Adani Total Gas: 7 top BSE500 losers since Jan 24 are Adani group sha

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India today tourism survey and awards announced at glittering show, chief guest and union mos for parliamentary affairs and culture arjun ram meghwal says developing the tourism sector can contribute significantly to india’s gdp.

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Tourism can increase all three components of the GDP—consumption through domestic travel, investment through the booming private sector and exports through the sale of locally made handicrafts and products to foreign tourists. Meghwal applauded India Today’s efforts to recognise and encourage the tourism sector through their annual awards.

This year, the award for Best Adventure Destination went to Kullu, River Rafting, Himachal Pradesh; Best Beaches and Coastal Destination to Rajbagh Beach, South Goa; Best Spiritual Destination to Golden Temple, Amritsar; Most Scenic Road to Shimla-Kinnaur Road, Himachal Pradesh; Best Wildlife Destination to Bhitarkanika National Park, Odisha; Best Iconic Landscape to Sun Temple, Konark, Odisha; Best Heritage Destination to Taj Mahal; Best Festival Destination to Rath Yatra, Puri; Best Mountain Destination to Shimla and Manali.

The Editor’s Choice Best Emerging Destination Award for Best Adventure Destination went to Gulmarg, Jammu & Kashmir; Best Beaches and Coastal Destination to Lemur Beach, Tamil Nadu; Best Spiritual Destination to Kurukshetra, Haryana; Most Scenic Road to Udaipur to Jodhpur, Rajasthan; Best Wildlife Destination to Namdapha National Park & Tiger Reserve as well as Arunachal Pradesh and Satpura National Park, Madhya Pradesh; Best Iconic Landscape to Statue of Unity, Kevadia, Gujarat; Best Heritage Destination to Sirpur, Chhattisgarh, and Rajgir in Nalanda, Bihar; Best Festival Destination to Mysore Dasara, Karnataka and Best Mountain Destination to Munsiyari, Uttarakhand. The award for Tourism Innovation was given to Kerala for its Caravan Tourism initiative.

All award winners highlighted the importance of continuing to develop and invest in the tourism sector given the sheer diversity and uniqueness of Indian hospitality, culture, natural and wildlife resources, spirituality and handicrafts.

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Todays Traveller celebrates 25 years with Awards and launch of Collector’s Issue-Champions of Change

India’s premier travel, hospitality and tourism magazine, todays traveller , celebrated its 25th anniversary and awards ceremony, on october 18th, at a star-studded event at taj palace, new delhi in the presence of chief guest shri amitabh kant, g-20 sherpa, govt. of india..

The event witnessed a series of panel discussions and powerful addresses by leaders of the travel and hospitality industry.

This was followed by the cover launch of the Collector’s Issue of Todays Traveller Magazine, titled Champions of Change, as well as the distinguished Annual Todays Traveller Awards in the presence of more than 300 high-profile celebrities, dignitaries and industry leaders.

The event witnessed the noteworthy presence of eminent leaders from the Travel & Tourism industry like Naveen Kundu, Managing Director, EbixCash who has been one of the trendsetters and changemakers in the industry.

The evening began with a welcome address by Kamal Gill, Executive Editor, Todays Traveller Magazine, and Managing Director, Gill India Group. She spoke on how the emergence of leaders performing and progressing during the challenging times of Covid-19 has been central to the revival of business, especially in the sectors of hospitality, aviation, travel, and tourism.

Their visionary leadership and strategic decisions have redefined what success means during challenging times – the idea of which has been encapsulated in the theme of the magazine: Champions of Change. 

Up next was a panel discussion on women’s leadership in the hospitality and tourism sectors, titled Women Leadership Panel: Indian Hospitality and Tourism 2030 – Gear Up!

Panellists included well-known leaders like Jyoti Mayal – President TAAI and Director of New Airways Travel; Kanika Hasrat – Area Director – Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh & Uttarakhand, and General Manager – Taj Lakefront, Bhopal; Meena Bhatia – Vice President & General Manager – Le Meridian New Delhi; Munnmunn Marwah – COO – India & UAE – Think Strawberries; Sabina Chopra – Co-Founder – Yatra Online Pvt Ltd; and Seema Roy – Area Managing Director – South Asia, Middle East & Africa – Preferred Hotels & Resorts.

The discussion was moderated by Anika Gupta, VP, Development, IHCL who engaged the panellists with astute questions and rounded off the discussions with rapid-fire quizzes. 

The charming compere of the evening Shivani Wazir Pasrich presented the evening in her trade-mark eloquent fashion.

A vibrant audio-visual presentation was made by Goa Tourism , the Gold Partner of Todays Traveller Silver Jubilee Celebrations which showcased the many attractions of the beautiful State.

This was followed by a colourful video by Todays Traveller Silver Jubilee Gold Partner Nagaland Tourism which highlighted the famous Hornbill Festival of Nagaland. 

The curtain raiser was an address by Samit Garg, President, EEMA & Co-Founder, E-Factor Experiences, who spoke passionately on shaping 2023 with new-age events. The powerful presentation showcased the potential of tourism and events as a major driver of the economy in the coming years.

Next, Nathan Andrews, Advisor, DS Group, spoke eloquently on how retail spaces can be transformed into successful leisure destinations. The talk centred around developing new experiences and offerings for a demanding set of new-age consumers with quality and good service standards ensuring that the delivery is well curated.

The final panel discussion of the evening saw the conversation move towards the role of technology in the upliftment of revenue and ARR. Presented by Frontline Performance Group, the discussion was proceeded by an insightful address by Paul McLoughlin, International President, Frontline Performance Group, after which he joined the Panel discussion.

The discussion saw participation from hospitality leaders as panellists, including Puneet Dhawan – Sr. Vice President Operations, India & South Asia, Accor Hotels; Rohit Khosla – Executive Vice President Operations, North & West India, IHCL; Samir MC – Managing Director – Fortune Park Hotels Ltd and Director, Maharaja Heritage Resort Ltd and Zubin Saxena – MD & Vice President Operations, South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group. 

The moderator who ably curated the session was seasoned professional, Hemant Mediratta, Senior Partner, HM Corp who ensured a lively conversation with incisive questions on technology, revenue and ARR.

The much-awaited keynote address by Puneet Chhatwal, MD & CEO, IHCL focussed on Change as a precursor of transformation and the setting of basic foundations so necessary to lead innovation and leadership with excellent instances from IHCL itself.

The cover launch of Todays Traveller took place in the august presence of Chief Guest Amitabh Kant, Sherpa –G20 and the former CEO of Niti Aayog, who was joined by Guest of Honour, Vinod Duggal, former Governor Manipur and Mizoram and former Director General of Tourism, GOI, Nakul Anand, Executive Director, ITC Limited; KB Kachru, Chairman Emeritus & Principal Advisor, RHG; and Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director, and CEO, IHCL.

This was followed by a brief and well-expressed address to the audience on the bright future that awaited the tourism and hospitality industry by Amitabh Kant, who also felicitated Todays Traveller on its Silver Jubilee, its long years of service to the industry and the distinguished Awards.

In a moving ceremony, hospitality veteran and former President, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, Rajiv Kaul was felicitated with the Lifetime Achievement Award by his peers and leading lights of the industry: Nakul Anand, Executive Director, ITC Limited; KB Kachru, Chairman Emeritus & Principal Advisor, RHG; Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director, and CEO, IHCL, and Ajay Bakaya, Managing Director, Sarovar Hotels.

It was a wonderful moment which saw the senior-most leaders of the hospitality industry share their experiences with Rajiv Kaul amidst admiration and light-hearted banter.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the prestigious Today’s Traveller Awards to the proud winners of this year’s honours by Chief Guest Amitabh Kant, Sherpa –G20 and the former CEO of Niti Aayog. The Todays Traveller Awards in various categories for the year 2022 recognised outstanding achievements in the field of travel, tourism, aviation, hospitality, and allied industries.

A certificate of appreciation on the occasion of the Todays Traveller Silver Jubilee Celebrations was presented to Goa Tourism

A certificate of appreciation on the occasion of the Todays Traveller Silver Jubilee Celebrations was presented to Frontline Performance Group .

The Todays Traveller Silver Jubilee Celebrations was curated to perfection by talented Sheen Kundu who worked tirelessly with her team to do thematic research all the way through to successful implementation. A certificate of appreciation was presented to Sheen Kundu.

Todays Traveller Silver Jubilee Celebrations Event Partner was the popular and well known company, EbixCash Meetings and Events which ensured a seamless experience of a high standard for guests to enjoy and remember.

The celebration started with a cake-cutting ceremony, presented by the Chefs of the Taj Palace hotel, New Delhi followed by cocktails and a gala dinner.

Todays Traveller Silver Jubilee Award Winners 2022

Lifetime achievement award: rajiv kaul.

Radisson Hotel Group: Fastest Growing International Hotel Chain

ITC Hotels Limited: Most Hospitable Luxury Hotel Chain

IHCL : Best CSR Activities by a Hotel Chain

AccorHotels : Best Hotel Chain with New Luxury Brands

ITC Maratha: Best Luxury Business Hotel in Mumbai

Fortune Park Hotels Ltd: Best Upscale Business and Leisure Hotel Brand

Andaz Delhi: Best Luxury Business Hotel in Delhi

TRAC Representations Pvt. Ltd: Most Innovative Marketing Initiatives by a Travel Representation

Great Destination Hotels and Resorts: Fastest Growing Domestic Hotel Chain

Cheval Collection: Best Premium Lifestyle Residences/Service Apartments

SkyWaltz Balloon Safari: Best Civil Aviation Company Promoting Adventure Sports

South African Tourism: Best International MICE Destination

India Trails, Nagaland: Best Initiative Local Benefit

The Grand Venice Mall: Best Entertainment Destination – Shopping Mall

Karma Lakelands Best Golf Resort in Delhi NCR

WelcomHeritage : Best Heritage and Leisure Resort Chain

Novotel Visakhapatnam Varun Beach: Best Leisure Hotel in Visakhapatnam

Ebixcash : Best Travel Company Customer Satisfaction

GRT Hotels & Resorts: Best Hospitality Company Customer Satisfaction

Air India Express Limited: Best International LCC of India

Le Meridien, New Delhi: Best Business Hotel in New Delhi

Goa Tourism: An All Season Destination

Oakwood Residence Kapil Hyderabad: Best Premium Lifestyle Residences/Service Apartments in Hyderabad

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Presents Sustainable Tourism Awards

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About Sustainable Tourism Awards

On the occasion of World Tourism Day , The world’s largest positive and solutions-based content-driven impact platform,The Better India presents the ‘Sustainable Tourism Awards,’ an initiative to honour the individuals/Enterprises in India for their exemplary work in reducing carbon footprint during travel and contributing to sustainable travel.

Why Sustainable Tourism?

For over a decade, The Better India has constantly been shining the spotlight on different areas of #sustainability . As more and more people choose to travel today, it accelerates the need to decarbonize our travel footprint, effectively and efficiently. With these awards, we want to reward individuals/ enterprises for maintaining our environmental, social, and economic benefits without using up the resources during travel that future generations will need to thrive.

These individuals/enterprises aim to seek sustainable and equitable solutions, go “above and beyond,” never give up, and inspire and help others make a difference. This award will formally recognize the invaluable contribution of individuals/enterprises and popularise their ways to our audience.

Sustainable Tourism Awards Categories

• Best Sustainable Accommodation
• Responsible Marine and Coastal Projects
• Innovation of Technology in Sustainable travel
• Educational Programmes in Sustainable Tourism
• Best responsible travel companies
• Digital influencers in sustainable tourism
• Sustainable management of Major Tourist Attractions
• Sustainable tourism driven by Enterprises

How to Nominate?

Fill in the simple form below to nominate yourself OR individuals you know such as leaders from organizations, startup founders, or anyone you think is worthy of recognition for their efforts towards sustainable tourism. You can also nominate your or Enterprises working in the Sustainable Tourism.

* Nominees can be of any age but have to be Indian citizens.

* Enterprises have to be of Indian origin.

You may nominate more than one person/Enterprise. For each nomination, fill up the form afresh.

Sustainable Tourism Award Finalists

Jury's favourite winner

Fayaz Ahmad Dar

✓ Created the first eco-village in Kashmir called ‘Sagg Eco Village’ with a mission to build integrative and regenerative lifestyles and communities

✓ Has engaged over 10,000 people, especially youth, through participatory leadership and sustainable development training

✓ Working towards training 10 lakh ecological entrepreneurs by 2030

Cherish Expeditions

✓ Hosts travel fellowship programmes and impact expeditions that focus on fellows travelling to remote locations to support and solve climate-based challenges and uplift local communities

✓ All the expeditions work towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Spiti Ecosphere

✓ Since 2002, making tourism beneficial and memorable for everyone involved – the environment, local communities, and travellers to Spiti

✓ All revenues generated from the trips are utilised for development and conservation initiatives in Spiti

✓ To date, installed solar water pumps in six villages, dug 22,000+ Contour Trenches for recharging of groundwater, supported over 95 girls in education, fed over 300 stray dogs every year, and collected and sent for recycling over 2 tonnes of waste

Dr. Nirmal Kumar and Team

✓ A team of professors from Sri Venkateswara College, Delhi renovated four houses in Village Khunt, Almora to let villagers earn through sustainable tourism in hill states

✓ Used mud, bricks, and locally available materials to create these homestays

✓ Contributed to reverse migration

✓ Installed rainwater harvesting and provided mushroom cultivation workshops for free to increase the earnings of the villagers

Prerna Prasad, Ecoplore

✓ Ecoplore is an aggregator platform for sustainable hotels and experiences

✓ All the Ecoplore stays have rainwater harvesting, composting, no use of plastic, waste management, and a minimum of 33% tree coverage inside their campus

✓ Raising awareness about sustainable tourism for the last five years by providing sustainable holiday experiences

Watch Journey of Sustainable Tourism Award Finalists

What will the winner get?

The process.

Nominations will start on 8 September 2022 and end on 20 September 2022. Once the nominations are closed, we will shortlist the candidates based on predefined selection criteria. The shortlisted nominees will be sent to the jury members for evaluation where they will select 5 nominees to go to the final round. Once we have our top 5, the jury scores and audience voting will be considered to choose the winner. The winner will be announced at a live virtual event on 27 September 2022 .

Selection of Sustainable Tourism Awards will be based on:

Meet the Jury

Gitanjali J B

Co-Founder & CEO, HIAL, Ladakh

An entrepreneur turned educator, Gitanjali is passionate about creating an environment that empowers learners and facilitators to become the best versions of themselves.

Gifted in multiple disciplines such as business, education, performing, and martial arts, she believes that human beings can continue to grow into multi-faceted individuals throughout their lives, and the aim of education is to instill this lifelong quest for learning and progression.

Sonam Wangchuk

Founding Director, HIAL, Ladakh

A mechanical engineer by training, Sonam Wangchuk has worked primarily in the field of education reform for the last 30 years.

His work is directly responsible for bringing the percentage of pass grades in the crucial Ladakhi 10th-grade examinations up to 75% from 5%.

Innovations like the Ice Stupa and passive solar heated buildings Himalayan communities sustainable lives

Malika Virdi

Founder, Himalayan Ark, Sarmoli

An advocate of direct democracy that posits agency in each citizen, she has been a pioneer in promoting rural community owned, nature based responsible tourism founder of Himalayan Ark in Sarmoli, a high Himalayan village in Kumaon, Uttarakhand.

Serving second term as Sarpanch of the forest commons of Sarmoli-Jainti Van Panchayat and serves as an advocate for rural livelihoods and conservation both locally and the South Asian Region.

She is a subsistence farmer and enjoys a life lived in the vastness of the Himalaya, yet close to nature.

Shivya Nath

Founder, Climate Conscious Travel

Her work focuses on sustainable and experiential travel, and she has contributed stories to some of the world's leading travel publications like BBC Travel and Travel + Leisure.

Featured by The Washington Post among travelers changing the way we think about the world, and by National Geographic Traveller among travellers of color smashing stereotypes.

Recently founded Climate Conscious Travel, which works with destinations, businesses and non-profits to develop climate conscious experiences, sustainable accommodations, and community-led initiatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our Jury is working with a meticulously designed scoring process through which they will look at a wide range of attributes. These include details on, broadly:

• Reduction of carbon footprint
• Positive impact created
• Sustenance of change through the establishment of systems, processes & people
• Scale/ No. of individuals benefited
• Tenure of work/ action/ duration
• Innovation used in the implementation of ideas
• Frugality and cost-effectiveness of solutions
• Scalability/ possibility to implement elsewhere.

The Better India will collate the scores of the jury on shortlisted entries with the votes that we receive from our audience members. The winner will be announced based on specific weightage given to the scores and votes.

The winners of the Sustainable Tourism Awards will receive the following:

• A certificate
• Special coverage on The Better India for the initiative
• Opportunity to develop a course on The Better Academy
• Featured listing on The Better India impact listing space *
• Guest invite for The Better India Summit 2022-23 *

* Terms and Conditions Apply

No, the award is open only to those who are currently residing in India.

Yes, but please mention each award category for which you would want to nominate them respectively.

Email your queries: [email protected]

Please enter your Email to Vote!

Enter the OTP sent over your mail! (Please check Spam folder or other folder if you didn’t receive your OTP in your Inbox!)

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MoT celebrates World Tourism Day 2022, presents National Tourism Awards

Vice President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar presented the National Tourism Awards to awardees today at the programme organised by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, to mark World Tourism Day, 2022. Union Minister of Tourism Shri G. Kishan Reddy and MoS Tourism Shri Ajay Bhatt also graced the ceremony. Secretary Tourism Shri Arvind Singh and other senior officers of the Ministry were also present on this occasion. A total of 81 awards were given away this year highlighting the achievements of the industry in 2018-19. The Vice President also released India Tourism Statistics 2022, New Incredible India Global Promotional Films, and “GoBeyond:75 Experiences of North India” e-book on this occasion.

During his keynote address, Voice President Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar described India as “heaven for tourism” and asked the Indians to explore domestic tourist destinations first before looking at international travel. Referring to Bharat’s long civilizational history and rich cultural heritage, he underlined that most of the tourist places in the country have a deep connection with our history, folk arts and ancient texts.

Vice President termed tourism a key driver of economic growth and employment generation in the country. Referring to multiple dimensions to the tourism, the Vice President stressed the need for fully leveraging the India’s immense potential in the field of medical tourism as well as the growing global interest in our ancient practices of healing such as Ayurveda and Yoga.

Appreciating the Government’s efforts for the development of the tourism sector in the country, Shri Dhankhar said that the development of tourism infrastructure has been accompanied with innovative initiatives such as Dekho Apna Desh and Utsav Portal.

Speaking on the occasion Shri G. Kishan Reddy said that under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India’s Tourism sector is moving towards creative, responsible and inclusive growth. Ministry of Tourism is working with 360-degree perspective and whole of government approach for the development of tourism sector. Along with Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Commerce are also working for the development of this sector, which will help in establishing better synergy and convergence leading to sustainable and world class infrastructure development.

Shri Reddy further highlighted that India plans to position itself as a major tourism destination during its presidency of G20 for 2023. During the presidency we aim to showcase India as a ‘must visit’ destination at a global level. 3600 railway coaches have been allocated for tourism purpose for Circuit specific trains. Such trains have already started for Ramayana and Buddhist Circuits while the one for Krishna Circuit will start soon. Our aim is to make India one of the most prominent destinations of the world. Union Minister added that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is working as brand ambassador of Indian tourism.

MoS Tourism Shri Ajay Bhatt congratulated all the award winners and said that Ministry of Tourism has prepared a draft National Tourism Policy 2022 as part of the vision of New India on high trajectory of growth and prosperity. The Policy aims at Improving framework conditions for tourism development in the country, supporting tourism industries, strengthening tourism support functions and developing tourism sub sectors.  

During his welcome speech Secretary Tourism Shri Arvind Singh said that this kind of award motivates the travel and tourism sector. Travel & Tourism is one of the world’s largest economic sector, creating export and prosperity around the world. Indian Tourism sector has emerged as one of the key drivers of growth for Indian economy post covid, he said.

As India celebrates 75 years of independence, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, commences its Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM) iconic week on 27th September 2022 by recognizing the efforts of industry stakeholders and conferring the National Tourism Awards. Due to Covid, the Awards could not be organised during the last 2 years.

The National Tourism Awards are presented to various segments of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry, including State Governments in recognition of their performance in their respective fields and also to encourage healthy competition with an aim to promote tourism. These Awards have over the years emerged as a prestigious recognition of achievements in the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors.

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If 2020 was the year when we were battling the Covid-19 pandemic and experiencing its brutal and destructive force through the first and second phases, 2021 is the year when we have to learn to live with it, as Covid-19 reaches its endemic phase. With vaccinations picking up pace and clear protocols in place, the Tourism industry is showing clear signs of revival, albeit slowly, but surely. In 2020 we celebrated the courage, kindness and sense of community of the pathbreakers in our industry, who battled against seemingly insurmountable odds to reinforce the status of tourism as a force for good. In IRTA 2021-2022, we will celebrate the individuals and organisations who are leading the restart of tourism by re-imagining their business, infusing technology and innovation as best practices and weaving it all together under the umbrella of sustainability. Now in its sixth year, the Indian Responsible Tourism Awards is proud to be the flagbearer of travel that is gentle on the earth and invested in the growth and happiness of the local communities across India. And we believe our role — of celebrating and supporting pathbreakers and leaders surmounting all odds — remains as important as ever.

The Winners

Stone Hedge Ladakh

Overall Winner: Stone Hedge Ladakh

By building sustainably in Hundar in the Nubra Valley of Ladakh—which has a significant tourist footfall—and integrating critical aspects of waste and water management, architecture, supply chains, social and economic impact, Stone Hedge is leading by example in an eco-fragile landscape. A 15-room, family-run hotel, which was temporarily converted into a Covid-19 care centre, Stone Hedge also supported its staff during the health crisis by helping them run a café together. The jury collectively agreed that the hotel demonstrated ideals of sustainable leadership even in the most challenging times.

Sustainable Leadership: Homestays

GOLD: Tieedi Forest Garden, Darjeeling

Tieedi Forest Garden has a deep commitment to regenerative living. From investing in permaculture and waste management to mountain stream conservation and creating new local products like the Yukon syrup, they seize a problem and keep pushing until they find a solution. Not just for themselves and their guests, but also for the wider local community in Darjeeling.

SILVER: Salban, Kanha

Perched on the edge of a major tiger reserve, Salban—The Kanha Homestay is very deeply tied in with the local community, ecology and the wildlife, even as it engages with policymakers in the state. Built using local materials and techniques, it celebrates local produce and explores new ways to draw in the traveller into a deeper cultural connect with the landscape and the people.

One to Watch: Himalayan Tribe, Yamkeshwar

Himalayan Tribe in Yamkeshwar encourages ‘participatory living’ and reconnecting with nature. An inspiring example of reverse migration from the cities during the lockdown, it is a small, new initiative by two young men who have reclaimed an old village home in the Garhwal region, actively changing the narrative in the Himalayan tracks, where ghost villages are not uncommon.

Sustainable Leadership: Hotels

GOLD: Stone Hedge Ladakh

Located in one of the most challenging landscapes in the country, Stone Hedge is a well-designed, family-owned property that celebrates local materials and local culture, showing great fidelity to ideas of ecological and social sustainability. From using renewable energy to harvesting water from snow, it integrates eco-friendliness into every aspect of its architecture as well as the experiences it offers to its guests.

SILVER: Pugdundee Waghoba

Planted in the wilds of Tadoba, the Waghoba Eco Lodge lives up to its name. It celebrates earth-friendly architecture, brick by brick, tile by tile, and often takes it to the next level. From installing dual plumbing to employing and empowering local staff, including many women, the hotel honours its commitment to sustainability, despite the challenges it faced during the pandemic.

Sustainable Leadership: Travel Enterprises

GOLD: BLive

One of the first electric vehicle (EV) tour operators in India, BLive is a start-up that has gained momentum within the first three years of hitting the road. Apart from curating experiences that are rooted in local culture, and supporting small businesses and artisans, BLive has been collaborating with government bodies and hoteliers to mainstream EVs across nine states.

SILVER: The Extra Mile

The Extra Mile is a small, boutique travel company that believes in “high emotion, low impact” experiences. Recently, they curated limited tours in Ladakh’s Changthang region to promote the Pashmina trail. The amount of detailing, the spirit of collaboration and the sensitivity towards the semi-nomadic Changpa shepherd community and the terrain set a great example for others to follow in fragile landscapes.

Ones to Watch: Camping Co.

Camping Co. is planting the seeds of sustainable overlanding and camping across the Northeast, which could be critical in the post-vaccine tourism environment. It’s repurposing self-drive vehicles and creating a network of safe camping ‘grounds’ and lodges in offbeat locations, and encouraging them to follow its responsible policies.

Sustainable Leadership: Conservation

GOLD: Dakshin Foundation

Dakshin Foundation is among the few organisations that are actively engaging with multiple issues faced by the local communities and the environment along the vast coastline of India. The Foundation has made a significant, measurable impact in terms of coastal conservation, sustainable development and livelihood generation, resource management and social justice, which is critical in the context of climate change.

GOLD: Forest Post

Started by an agroforestry expert and an ecologist, Forest Post collaborates with and empowers indigenous forest-dependent communities in Kerala’s Western Ghats to reduce the pressure on resources, while harvesting and promoting forest produce sustainably. Their work is in sync with global efforts to celebrate the wisdom and role of communities in the conservation of biodiversity.

Ones to Watch: Technology for Wildlife Foundation

A young organization, the Technology for Wildlife Foundation has been showing the way to adapt and harness the power of new technologies for conservation, and by extension, managing destinations and ecological fragile landscapes. They rely on robots, geospatial analysis, artificial intelligence and AR/VR to create scalable, open source solutions, and help smaller organisations understand and visualize data well.

Ones to Watch: Earthling First

Although it’s a young initiative, Earthling First has already made a small, yet significant impact in the Jalori Pass area of Himachal Pradesh. By promoting the principles of a circular economy, and actively engaging local businesses, communities and travellers, it has created a waste management culture that has fundamentally altered the tourism ecosystem in the area.

Pathfinders

GOLD: Pradeep Murthy

Widely acknowledged as a pioneer in adventure travel in North Kerala, the founder of MuddyBoots Vacations, Pradeep Murthy, put popular destinations such as Wayanad on the active tourism map, and offered activities like zip lining and kayaking to a completely new set of travellers. Working closely with local and public stakeholders, he inspired a culture of professionalism, while opening up new places, introducing communities to tourism, and making sure that it remained sustainable, scientific, and safe.

SILVER: Moirangthem Loiya Ngamba

Founder of the Wildlife & Habitat Protection Society (WAHPS) in Manipur, Moirangthem Loiya Ngamba has always led by example. Not only has he rewilded an entire forest in the Maru Langol Hill Range in the northern reaches of the Imphal Valley over two decades, and inspired others to join him on his journey, but Moirangthem has also lived on the hill called Spring of Life for six long years to study the habitat and make sure that the denuded landscape is restored with care.

SILVER: Oken Tayeng

Founder of Abor Country Travels & Expedition, Oken Tayeng chose to build an active tourism ecosystem in his home state of Arunachal Pradesh and later, across the Northeast, long before it was even considered ‘the last frontier of tourism in India’. Opening up areas that created new opportunities for both local communities and travellers, he has been mindful of the impact of tourism on the ecological and social landscape of the region.

Grassroots Heroes

GOLD: Limalenden Longkumer

For two long decades, Limalenden Longkumer has been leading afforestation, river restoration, waste management and responsible tourism initiatives — often without any financial support — in the Mokokchung region of northwest Nagaland, home to the Ao Naga people. A journalist by training, Longkumer has recently launched Mokokchung Times, ‘Nagaland’s first hyperlocal English daily’, even as he continues to lead the Mopungchuket Community Tourism Society (MCTS).

SILVER: Tsewang Dorje

Raised on the banks of the Pangong Tso in a village called Maan, which still relies on a single V Sat phone, Tsewang Dorje has blazed many a trail in the last few years. A key local team member of Global Himalayan Expedition (GHE) in Ladakh, Dorje has not only helped generate sustainable livelihoods by setting up homestays and supporting local entrepreneurs in his own village, but also in several other remote rural areas. In Maan, he’s also part of a community-led astrotourism project.

SILVER: Shakeel Rizvi

Shakeel Rizvi is more than just another tour operator and homestay owner. He’s a man on a mission. Not only has he helped build an entire tourism ecosystem in the heart of India’s red corridor in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, but he has also envisioned a future where people- and planet-friendly tourism can help arrest migration and create livelihoods with dignity.

Ones to Watch: Santosh Alamkode

Founder of the Sopanam School of Panchvadyam in Malappuram, Santosh Alankode is a fourth-generation percussionist who has showed incredible enterprise by helping fellow musicians, including over 30 teachers and 800 students, tide over the Covid-19 crisis by making traditional instruments. During this time, he also embarked on a remarkable journey of documenting the history of percussion in Kerala over the last 400 years.

Ones to Watch: Ones to watch: Kuldip Gadhvi

Kuldip Gadhvi, founder of Kutch Adventures, dreamt of making the harsh desert country a beautiful, responsible destination, even when the world was crumbling around him. Starting as an 18-year-old tour guide after the 2001 earthquake in Bhuj, Gadhvi actively sought the custom of travellers who would appreciate the microcultures of his land and people, when it wasn’t a common practice. He continues to do so even today.

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The ICRT India and the Subcontinent awards are now open for nominations. These are regional awards and a part of the Global Responsible Tourism Awards. All gold winners of the regional awards for India and the Subcontinent, directly enter the global Responsible Tourism Awards. Entries are open until 30th June. Winners of the regional Awards will be announced at BLTM Delhi on 30th – 31st August 2024. Global award winners will be announced in November. We look forward to receiving your applications.

There are six categories in 2024 :    (1) Making Travel  Inclusive  (2) Championing Cultural  Diversity  (3)  Nature  Positive (4) What are you doing about  Climate Change ? (5)  Increasing  local sourcing-  Creating shared value (6)  Employing and Upskilling Local Communities. Gold winners in each regional awards programme automatically enter the Global Awards. Full details of the categories below.

The closing date for entries is 30th  June 2024.  To apply for inclusion in the 2024 awards please register here.   You will then be sent the application forms(s).

इस पुरस्कार के माध्यम से भारत एवं उप महाद्वीपीय क्षेत्रीय पुरस्कारों की सभी स्वर्ण विजेता सीधे  आईसीआरटी वैश्विक ज़िम्मेदार पर्यटन पुरस्कारों के लिए स्वतः नामांकित होते हैं। इन पुरस्कारों की प्रविष्टियां प्राप्त करने की अंतिम तिथि 30 जून 2024 है। इन क्षेत्रीय पुरस्कारों के विजेताओं की घोषणा 30-31 अगस्त 2024 को बीएलटीएम  दिल्ली के कार्यक्रम में की जावेगी।हम आपको आवेदन करने हेतु आमंत्रित करते हैं।

The 2023 ICRT India Responsible Tourism Award winners 

Those who win Gold in the 2024 India Awards will be entered into the Global Awards, to be announced from London in early November.

The 2024 World Responsible Tourism Awards Categories are

Making travel inclusive, championing cultural diversity   , nature positive , what are you doing about climate change   , increasing local sourcing- creating shared value , employing and upskilling local communities , closing date for entries is 30th  june 2024.  to apply for inclusion in the 2024 awards please register here.   you will then be sent the application forms(s)..

The Awards ceremony is to be held at BLTM, New Delhi 30th - 31st August 2024

1. MAKING TRAVEL INCLUSIVE 

The travel industry is lagging behind other sectors in advancing inclusion. The travel and tourism sector needs to widen its offer. The need for action is more pressing than ever.

Inclusive travel ensures that all travellers feel welcome and included and can have an appropriate experience in a destination. It fosters belonging and empowers individuals to sign up for new experiences.

We are looking for businesses that are avidly working to ensure that inclusion has a stronger place in tourism’s future.

This is an indicative list. We are looking for examples of approaches to making tourism more inclusive.

• Companies that cater specifically to an underrepresented demographic(s) and consider the traveller’s experience at every stage – so they know what to expect, feel comfortable and where they can prevent conscious or unconscious discrimination
• Businesses and destinations which offer experiences of particular interest to demographics often excluded or whose interests are ignored
• Those that have made meaningful changes in their business by amending or tailoring their services to ensure it is available for all
• Companies with progressive internal practices around diversity and inclusion ensure voices are represented by a broad demographic of people.

2. CHAMPIONING CULTURAL DIVERSITY 

Visiting a country goes far beyond visiting the honeypot landmarks. We travel to experience other peoples' places, climates, built heritage, lived culture and the world's diverse nature. By experiencing cultures other than our own, we broaden our understanding and respect for one another.

This is an indicative list. We are looking for examples of destinations and businesses that are actively working to support the preservation and celebration of culture, and to create meaningful connections for visitors.

• Businesses and destinations that elevate and celebrate the cultural identity of the people and places they visit in a respectful and authentic way
• Businesses and destinations that ensure the stories shared and experiences that are led are done so by those that are appropriate to share them
• Businesses and destinations that work with local communities in the creation of cultural storytelling experiences which generate income for local communities.

3. NATURE POSITIVE 

Wildlife and the natural environment are important drivers for travel. The travel and tourism sector depends on nature's beauty to provide its goods and services, yet tourism can have negative impacts on the places we visit.

The tourism sector has a responsibility to contribute to the reversal of biodiversity loss and protect nature for future generations by promoting a regenerative approach to tourism.

We are looking for businesses that are acting as the guardians of biodiversity and taking a regenerative approach to their operation.

This includes but is not limited to

• Businesses that contribute to rebuilding and replenishing the natural environment and reduce the negative impacts caused by tourism
• Businesses and protected area managers that ensure that local communities benefit from nature-based tourism and that they, too, can experience the value of it
• Educate travellers and raise awareness of the importance of protecting the environment.

4. WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE? 

The results of climate change can manifest in many ways and the tourism industry is exceptionally vulnerable. Each year the impact becomes more evident and, for many, more disastrous. Drought, floods, wildfires, and extreme weather conditions cause devastation for communities and businesses in destinations across the world. They are no longer unusual or isolated incidences.

We are looking for businesses and destinations actively contributing to the decarbonisation of tourism operations and exploring innovative ways to protect against threats to ensure business continuity.

• Products, services or business models that have been designed in detail to limit, erase or counter the negative impact of travel and tourism-generated greenhouse gases on the environment.
• Innovative strategies to future-proof destinations and businesses against the effects of climate change
• Projects or experiences that engage tourists and/or communities in climate change awareness and look to inspire and influence others to reduce emissions

5. INCREASING LOCAL SOURCING – CREATING SHARED VALUE

As one of the world’s leading sectors of consumption, tourism provides many economic benefits, including employment and business opportunities. Far too often, the money does recirculate with the local economy location or provide any benefit to the local people or environment.

Tourism businesses can grow the local economy by spending on local goods and services by procuring services and products locally.

We are looking for businesses that have local purchasing practices in place and are actively working to create and promote local businesses and sole traders through their own supply chain and encouraging visitors to buy locally produced crafts and souvenirs.

• Businesses that have created opportunities for local people to profit from tourism
• Those that have created and encouraged conscious spending opportunities for tourists
• Businesses that have implemented robust local supply chain policies that minimise economic leakage and support growth.

6.  EMPLOYING AND UPSKILLING LOCAL COMMUNITIES

Tourism creates diverse employment opportunities, and local employment has long been recognised as a very important way of ensuring that local communities benefit from visitors and tourism businesses. However, there are still many challenges; employment inequalities, instability through seasonal variations and lack of growth opportunities, to name a few.

We are looking for tourism businesses that are making a conscious effort to recruit, train and promote local people to provide long-term stable employment and opportunities for local communities.

• Businesses that have detailed recruitment and training plans to support career progression that target and prioritise local people.
• Companies that work with communities to create new business opportunities and, where relevant, ensure that they retain ownership of that product or experience
• Organisations that have found innovative solutions to the seasonal nature of the tourism sector to provide year-round employment.

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Our Judging Criteria

We are looking for examples that will inspire and challenge others to take more responsibility for managing tourism to make it more sustainable, minimize the negative impacts and maximize the positive. The WTM Awards continue to use the same criteria that were used for the World Responsible Tourism Awards in 2016. We expect leaders in Responsible Tourism to have established practices with the following characteristics:

1. Evidence-based: The panel is looking for evidence of real change, businesses which can convincingly demonstrate positive impacts, or reduced negative impacts, quantified wherever possible.

2.  Replicability:  The Awards aim to inspire change; we seek to identify examples of best practices that can be replicated across the sector and around the world.

 3.  Innovation : The judges are looking for innovative practices that make a real difference, the Awards highlight new good practices, which the judges believe, can, and should, become common practice.

 4.  Influence:  We look for businesses and organizations that are not only doing good work themselves but are using their influence to ensure their peers and suppliers do the same.

 5.  Sustainability and longevity:  The judges seek to Award those businesses that understand that taking responsibility for tourism is a long journey, that it encompasses the economic, social, and environmental impacts of their activities, and who have a clear vision for the long- term success of the work, with future targets and plans in place.

 6.  Overall commitment to Responsible Tourism:  Alongside the category-specific focus, there needs to be a clear overall commitment to positively impacting local communities, economies, cultures, and environments.

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India Today Tourism Awards: J&K Tourism wins best adventure tourism destination award

Ziraat times news network.

24 February 2023, 8:50 pm

The award has been given to the Tourism Department in recognition of its sustained efforts in promoting Gulmarg as an adventure destination of international order.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Meghwal highlighted the value of tourism in contributing to the GDP of the country. He said Tourism can increase all the three components of the GDP—consumption through domestic travel, investment through the booming private sector and exports through the sale of locally made handicrafts and products to foreign tourists.

In his address, Union Tourism Secretary, Arvind Singh gave an overview of the steps being taken by the Union Government to further improve the tourism sector. Editor, India Today Group, Raj Chengappa welcomed the participant States and UTs and gave a broad outline of the survey. The award was received by Deputy Director, Tourism, Alyas Ahmad on behalf of the Department.

Ministers from Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, representatives of Tourism Boards of several states and UTs, representatives of national travel trade and business bodies were present on the occasion.

On the sidelines of the event, discussions on best practices and sustainable tourism were held.

It may be recalled that the India Today award comes just within a month of the South Asian Travel Trade Expo(SATTE), one of the best trade expos in the country in which the J&K Tourism Department was awarded for its efforts in post COVID-19 recovery of the tourism sector. It is in place to mention here that last year J&K received a record number of tourists and the Department for the last two years has been consistently diversifying its tourism products which has gone well among the tourists.

The Department during the last two years has taken several new initiates for the quick revival of tourism in the UT. This winter, besides Gulmarg, resorts of Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Doodhpathri and other resorts were kept open and these destinations received a considerable footfall.

Besides, new trekking routes, rafting and adventure activities were added to the recreation portfolio for sustaining the interest of coming tourists. This is besides the opening of new areas like Gurez and other border areas for tourism which have enhanced the attraction and urge for visiting J&K. Last year Gurez was adjudged as the best offbeat destination in the country.

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