PATWA International Travel Awards at ITB, Berlin Announced
The Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) has announced the winners of the coveted and sought after *PATWA International Travel Awards 2024* at an impressive award ceremony at *ITB, Berlin* which is the world's biggest travel fair.
*The award winners at the PATWA International Travel Awards at ITB, Berlin*The event was graced by eight tourism ministers, four governors, two senators, ambassadors, the leadership of various hotels, airlines, industry stalwarts and international media. The event partners were *Malta* & *Goa*.
It was preceded by the *PATWA World Tourism & Aviation Leaders**Summit* on '*Tourism & Climate Change*'. The summit had a spectacular line up of four speakers, more specifically tourism ministers of *Malta, Brazil, Seychelles *and* Jamaica*.**The speakers emphasized on the need for the industry to prepare for the challenges the world faces from the effects of climate change and find solutions to confront the problem head on.
*PATWA Secretary General, Yatan Ahluwalia* opened the summit saying, 'climate change does not know political, geographic, economic, or social boundaries and we must begin to take responsibility to make a difference'. He also announced the launch of the hashtag *#icanstopclimatechange* and encouraged the use of this across social media to post aspirational stories on steps they were taking on a personal level.
*PATWA International Travel Awards*
The PATWA International travel awards have been instituted independently and are now in their 24^th year. They have a stringent selection and nomination process and have earned a reputation as the first and foremost awards of the travel, tourism, aviation, and hospitality industry.
The awards recognise governments, organisations, brands, ministers, and individuals who have excelled in the promotion of tourism. This includes airlines, hotels, travel agencies, tour operators, destinations, government bodies, tourism ministries, and other service provider(s) related directly or indirectly with the trade.The 2024 winners are:*Destinations*
1.Destination of the Year - Culture
*TAMIL NADU*2.Destination of the Year - Farm & Rural Tourism
*PUNJAB*3.Destination of the Year - India
*GOA*4.Destination of the Year - Mediterranean Region
*MALTA*5.Destination of the Year - Honeymoons & Romantic Holidays
*JAMAICA*6.Destination of the Year - Ecological Tourism
*GUYANA*7.Destination of the Year - History
*ARMENIA*8.Destination of the Year
*BRAZIL**Organisational Excellence*
1.Best Organisation - Inclusivity
*IGLTA - INTERNATIONAL LGBTQ+ TRAVEL ASSOCIATION**Hospitality*
1.Best City Hotel - New Delhi
*LE MERIDIEN, NEW DELHI*2.Best Hotel Chain - South Asia
*RADISSON HOTEL GROUP*3.Best Hotel Chain - Service Standards
*TAJ HOTELS **Individual Excellence*
1.Best Woman Professional - Hospitality Management (India)
*KANIKA HASRAT - IHCL*2.Best Professional - Hospitality Development (India)
*MEENA BHATIA, LE MERIDIEN*3.Best Professional - Hospitality Operations (India)
*K. MOHANCHANDRAN - IHCL*4.Best Critic - Airlines & Aviation
*JOSH CAHILL*5.Best Professional - Hospitality (India)
*ZUBIN SAXENA*
*PATWA Gold Awards*
1.Tourism Promotions
*DR. SAGNIK CHOWDHARY*2.Hospitality Leadership
*K.B KACHRU*3.Travel & Tourism
*ALAIN ST. ANGE*
*Global Icons*
1.Global Icon - Governance - Jamaica
*H.E. EDMUND BARTLETT**Excellence In Governance*
This exclusive award category recognises the work done by countries, states, provinces, regions, districts and cities through and by their elected representatives to promote sustainable travel with policies, guidelines, and incentives for their destinations and the hospitality, aviation, and tourism sectors.The awards are given to governments including, but not limited to, ministers, governors, parliamentarians, and mayors. PATWA is the first organisation to have awards dedicated to excellence in governance on a regional, national and international level.The winners in this category are:
1.Woman Tourism Minister of the Year - India (Punjab)
*H.E. ANMOL GAGAN MAAN*2.Woman Tourism Minister of the Year - South America (Guyana)
*H.E. ONEIDGE WALROND*3.Tourism Minister of the Year - India (Goa)
*H.E. ROHAN KHAUNTE*4.Tourism Minister of the Year - Indian Ocean Region (Seychelles)
*H.E. SYLVESTRE RADEGONDE*5.Tourism Minister of the Year - Mediterranean Region (Malta)
*H.E. CLAYTON BARTOLO*6.Tourism Minister of the Year - South America (Brazil)
*H.E. CELSO SABINO*
*Quotes on the awards*
*Yatan Ahluwalia, Secretary General*
"The jury's focus this year has been on the Mediterranean and South American region, besides the Indian subcontinent. Sustainability was a key factor for our selection. Besides recognising organisations and individuals, our excellence in governance category included awards for 8 tourism ministers from around the globe who have made an impact with their policies and vision."
*About PATWA*
The Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) is a non-profit, non-government professional, international media organisation. PATWA's primary objective is to serve as a catalyst for responsibly developing the travel and tourism industry. Our founding philosophy is to support the sustainable development and growth of travel, tourism, hospitality, and aviation worldwide.PATWA works with governments, organisations and companies in both the public and private sectors. PATWA adheres to the fundamental principles of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations (UN), and UN Tourism. PATWA is an Affiliate Member of UN Tourism.