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Condé Nast Traveller India, the Last Word in Travel, recently announced the winners of the third edition of its Readers’ Travel Awards at a glittering ceremony at the ITC Maurya, New Delhi.
Renowned for its pristine beaches, Portuguese heritage and delectable cuisine, Goa was chosen as the Favourite Indian Leisure Destination, for the second consecutive year. Additionally, Sereno Spa, Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa was chosen as the Favourite Destination Spa by readers.
Present were some of the biggest names in travel, tourism and hospitality, including Shri Parvez Dewan, Secretary of Tourism, Government of India, Mr. Soonthorn Chaiyindeepum, Minister and Deputy of Mission, Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi, Shri Suman Billa, Secretary Tourism, Government of Kerala, Shri Tanvir Sadiq, Political Secretary to Hon’ble CM J&K, Shri Vipul Mitra, Principal Secretary, Gujarat Tourism Development Corporation, Mr. Nakul Anand, Bose Krishnamachari & Riyas Komu, Subodh Gupta, Mr. Kapil Chopra, Mr. Rajiv Kaul, Mr. Madhavan Menon, Mr. Aditya Ghosh, Mr. Mittu Chandilya, Mr. Nikhil Ganju, Mr. Suhel Seth, Mr. Valmik Thapar & Mrs. Sanjana Kapoor, Ms. Priya Paul, Mr. Rajeev Menon, Mr. William Dalrymple, Mr. Gobind Akoi and Actor Neha Dhupia as the host for the evening.
Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Travel Awards are globally renowned and considered the most prestigious in the industry. They honour the best in travel, tourism and hospitality, as chosen by the discerning and influential readers of Condé Nast Traveller.
The Indian traveller is receiving an unprecedented amount of attention from across the world, for good reason: India has emerged as the world’s fastest-growing outbound market and in absolute numbers it is second only to China. The number of Indians travelling overseas is slated to rise from around 15 million today to 50 million by 2020.
As a result, the Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Travel Awards are closely watched, as they are a barometer of this market’s changing tastes and preferences. Its discerning audiences are influencers in travel, and vote for their favourites across various categories. With no nominations for the award categories and voting left open to readers, Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Travel Awards are considered indicative of what discerning travellers really want and enjoy.
Readers of Condé Nast Traveller India voted for their preferred Destinations, Airlines, Hotels, Spas, Airports and more, across 25 categories, based on their personal experiences. Two new categories were added in 2013, recognizing how readers keenly use technology during their travel process: the categories were Favourite App for Travel and Favourite Online Tour Operator (OTA). The winners were determined by a UK-based tabulation agency after being scored on several parameters unique to each category.
Additionally, two Excellence Awards were presented to recognize the efforts and creativity of individuals whose actions positively impact the travel and tourism industry. The Excellence Award for Promoting Cultural Tourism was given to the founders of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, Mr Bose Krishnamachari and Mr Riyas Komu. And the Excellence Award for Wildlife Conservation was given to Mr Valmik Thapar, for his work in safeguarding tigers in India.
Chief Guest, Shri Parvez Dewan, Secretary Tourism – Govt. of India said, “It is a delight to be here yet again. Condé Nast Traveller which is an international institution has now become a purely home grown institution, and the award ceremony has gone from strength to strength to honour the best that there is in India.”
Commenting on the awards, Mr. Alex Kuruvilla, Managing Director, Condé Nast India shared, “Just like its global peers, Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Travel Awards have set a benchmark in excellence for the travel industry in India. Tonight’s impressive turnout is a testimony to the power of the Condé Nast Traveller brand. We are proud to host the most credible awards for the discerning luxury traveller, and spearhead growth in the premium travel space in India.”
Ms. Divia Thani Daswani, Editor, Condé Nast Traveller India commented, “We are delighted that the third edition of CNT Readers’ Travel Awards received a record number of votes, and that it grows in its popularity and reach every year. The industry knows why these awards matter most—they are a true reflection of what the discerning Indian traveller looks for and appreciates when he or she travels. It puts into perspective what destinations, hotels, airlines and other travel companies should focus on, helps them understand patterns and determine future trends. We are very proud to share these results with the winners and the industry at large. I have no doubt that the Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Travel Awards will continue to grow from strength to strength every year.”
The Readers’ Travel Award winners will be featured in the December 2013 – January 2014 issue of Condé Nast Traveller India, which hits stands on the 7th of December.