Kerala Tourism’s Muziris Heritage
Project wins
PATA Gold Award
Kerala Tourism has bagged this year’s
prestigious Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Awards for its Muziris
Heritage Project in the 'Heritage & Culture’ category.
The award, sponsored by the Macau
Government Tourism Office (MGTO), was bestowed on the Muziris Heritage Project
for its conservational aspect, uniqueness and impact on local community.
"This award is recognition of the
Muziris project, aimed at restoring the historical and cultural significance of
the ancient town that stretches across North Paravur in Ernakulam to Kodungalloor
in Thrissur,” said Mr. A.P. Anilkumar, Minister for Tourism, Kerala.
“This flagship project of the
Government of Kerala is one of the biggest heritage conservation projects of
modern India”, he added.
Supported and sponsored by MGTO for the
last 20 years, this year’s PATA Grand and Gold Awards recognise the
achievements of 25 separate organisations and individuals.
“Being a part of the Spice Route
Project, which is supported by UNESCO, the Muziris project already has a key
status in the cultural tourism map. The award further highlights its prominence
in international heritage tourism,” said Mr. G. Kamala Vardhana Rao,
Secretary, Kerala Tourism.
There were 269 entries from 83
organisations and individuals worldwide for this year's award, the highest number
since 2007. The awards will be presented on September 8 at the PATA Travel Mart
at Bangalore.
"The list of PATA Gold Awards 2015
winners unveils once again the very best of Pacific-Asia tourism
practices," said Ms. Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director, MGTO. She
added that the excellence and innovation revealed by the works and projects
awarded are impressive and can provide inspiration to raise the standards of
tourism industry stakeholders in the region.
Noting that no other tourism department
in the country could win this much-admired award this time, Mr. P. I. Sheik
Pareeth, Director, Kerala Tourism said that the PATA award acknowledges Kerala
Tourism’s excellence in heritage conservation.
PATA had honoured Kerala Tourism for
the Responsible Tourism initiative in Kumarakom and Kerala Tourism's popular
e-Newsletter in 2014.
Founded in 1951, the Pacific Asia
Travel Association (PATA) is a not-for profit association that is
internationally acclaimed for acting as a catalyst for the responsible development
of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region.
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