New Delhi [India], March 14 (ANI/GPRC): The 2023 edition of PATWA International Travel Awards was held on 8th March 2023 at City Cube, Berlin with the Partner Country, Zimbabwe. The PATWA International Travel Awards are handed out once a year in the month of March at ITB Berlin, the world's biggest travel and trade fair. The PATWA International Travel Awards have earned a reputation as one of the most coveted and sought after awards of the travel trade since their inception in 1999.

The awards recognise individuals and organisations that have excelled in / or are involved in the promotion of tourism from different sectors of the travel trade such as aviation, hotels, travel agencies, tour operators, destinations, government bodies, tourism ministries and other service provider(s) related directly or indirectly to the industry. The 2023 winners included The Claridges, for Best Vintage Hotel, Tamara Leisure Experiences for Best Boutique Hotel Chain, Trance Hotels for Best Contemporary Hotel Chain, Roseate Hotels & Resorts for Best Hotel Chain - Niche Properties and IHCL for Best Hotel Chain of the Year amongst Hospitality Category.

The Platform also recognised Destinations and Countries whose winners were West Bengal, India for Best State - Culture, Tamil Nadu, India for Destination of the Year - Heritage, Jamaica for World's Best Island, Bulgaria for Destination of the Year - Balkan Region, Zimbabwe for Destination of the Year - Natural Beauty and Georgia for Destination of the Year - Sustainable Tourism.

Leading Individuals from the Travel, Hospitality and Tourism were also awarded in the category of Individual Excellence with winners namely WINNIE MUCHANYUKA - Best Professional - Destination Management, VIKRAM ADITYA SINGH - Best Professional - Hospitality, V.M MANOJ MATHEW - Best Professional - Hospitality Operations, ANURAAG BHATNAGAR - CEO of the Year, Hotels, ZUBIN SAXENA - Professional of the Year - Hotels, KUSH KAPOOR - Leadership Honour - Hospitality Operations, RANJIT PHILLIPOSE - International Achiever - Hospitality, VEER VIJAY SINGH - Leadership Honour - Excellence in Hospitality, ROHIT KHOSLA - Leadership Honour - Hotel Operations, PRABHAT VERMA - Leadership Honour Hospitality Management, PUNEET CHHATWAL - Person of the Year, Hospitality, ALAIN ST.ANGE - LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD - FOR PROMOTION OF THE TRAVEL TRADE, H.E.EDMUND BARTLETT - LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD - FOR PROMOTION OF SUSTAINABLE TOURISM, H. E. THIRU K RAMACHANDRAN - TOURISM MINISTER OF THE YEAR - INDIA, H.E NQOBIZITHA MANGALISO NDLOVU - TOURISM MINISTER OF THE YEAR - AFRICA, H.E.ILIN DIMITROV - TOURISM MINISTER OF THE YEAR - BALKAN REGION and H. E FATIMA AL SAIRAFI - WOMAN TOURISM MINISTER OF THE YEAR. A secret jury comprising PATWA members, officials and mystery travellers judge the shortlisted names that meet the necessary criteria. The nominees are evaluated on various pre-set standards with an extensive audit, as necessary. The winners are decided at the PATWA international council meeting held annually.

"Our jury this year has focused on destinations and geographic regions that are likely to emerge as tourism hot spots in the years to come. We continue to recognise brands, companies and destinations who lay emphasis on sustainable tourism with a focus on both the environment and promotion of tradition and culture. We have also conferred awards on individuals who have made a mark on the travel and tourism sectors. This includes tourism ministers and leaders of hotels, airlines, and destination management companies whose contributions go largely unrecognised and seldom acknowledged" Yatan Ahluwalia, Secretary General of PATWA and the Head Jury of the PATWA International Travel Awards Council.

Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) organises the PATWA International Travel Awards and the PATWA World Tourism & Aviation Leader's Summit every year at ITB Berlin, which is the world's biggest travel fair and is attended by more than 7,000 journalists and travel / tourism trade exhibitors and professionals from over 180 countries.

The Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) is a professional, non-profit, non-government organisation of travel writers which was founded in 1998. PATWA's founding philosophy is to support sustainable development, growth and development of worldwide travel, tourism, hospitality and aviation. PATWA works with both the public and private sectors to support sustainable growth and improve the quality of travel and tourism. PATWA adheres to the fundamental principles of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations (UN) and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). PATWA is an affiliate board member of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).

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