Tourism News

Outlook Traveller Awards for Kerala Tourism

Published in Newsletter Issue No. 234 - February 2013

Kerala Tourism has won the top prize in two categories at the annual Outlook Traveller Awards for 2012.

The state won the Favourite Winter Destination prize besides the Favourite Beach Destination award for Kovalam. Kerala Tourism was the only state tourism board other than Jammu and Kashmir Tourism to pick up two awards at a grand ceremony held in New Delhi. Mr. Suman Billa, Secretary, Kerala Tourism received the awards on behalf of the state.

The prestigious Outlook Traveller Awards, in its sixth year, are a coveted recognition of excellence in the travel industry in India. The awards, given on the basis of a survey of preferred travel destinations and services among the readers, are an authoritative benchmark of consumer preferences in travel and tourism. The survey for 2012, conducted by IPSOS Private Limited Company, polled readers through the magazine and the Outlook Traveller website.

"It is a huge honour for Kerala to win the highest two prizes of the prestigious Outlook Traveller Awards," said Mr. A.P. Anilkumar, Minister for Tourism, Kerala.

Mr. Suman Billa, Secretary, Kerala Tourism said, "The awards are recognition of the state's leading role in the travel and tourism sectors of the country."

"The awards were possible only because of the sustained successful partnership between the state tourism department and the private sector and all the stake holders," said Ms. Rani George, Director, Kerala Tourism.

In December 2012, Kerala had won the Conde Nast Travel Award in the 'Excellence in Taking Brand India Global' category. In the same month, Kerala had also edged out the Taj Mahal to become the number one travel destination in the Google's search trends for India in 2012. Kerala's hill destination Munnar was on the list of Top 10 Indian destinations on Google's Zeitgiest site showing search trends from around the world.