Kerala Tourism bagged six National Tourism awards for 2014-15 in the marketing category for states. It received two more awards, including the one for its Responsible Tourism (RT) initiative in Wayanad.
Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan presented the awards to Principal Secretary Venu V and Director U V Jose in the presence of Union Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma at a function at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi.
Kerala Tourism received three out of the six awards for states in the Tourism Promotion and Publishing category, including the one for ‘Most Innovative use of Information Technology’ – social media/mobile app. The Wayanad initiative, which has transformed the hilly district’s economy through intensive participation of the local people, was selected for the award in the ‘Responsible Tourism’ category.
Sargaalaya Arts and Crafts Village at Iringal, a small but thriving village in Kozhikode, fetched the award for Kerala Tourism in the Rural Tourism project category.
The third award for Kerala Tourism in ‘Tourism Promotion and Publishing’ category came for its most innovative use of Information technology for the website designed by Invis Multimedia and social media managed by Stark Communications. Kerala Tourism has 12.8 lakh Facebook followers, the largest figure for any Tourism Board in India.
- Turtle on the Beach, Kovalam, was the adjudged the best hotel in the Five Star category; Coconut Lagoon, Kumarakom, bagged the award for Best Heritage Hotel in Classic Category; Coconut Creek Farm and Homestay, Kumarakom, was given the award for ‘Best Incredible India Bed and Breakfast Establishment’ approved by State Governments / Union Territory Administrations’ and Somatheeram Research Institute and Ayurveda Hospital Pvt Ltd, Thiruvananthapuram, was declared the Best Wellness Centre.
- Dr. Venu V., Principal Secretary, Kerala Tourism, said winning five national tourism awards and seven for private players is a tremendous feat. “It is a welcome recognition of our pioneering measures, especially our cutting edge marketing techniques and leveraging of technology, to position Kerala as a tourist-friendly destination,”.
