Kerala Tourism has bagged this year’s 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.
AP Anilkumar, tourism minister, Government of Kerala said, “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. The flagship project of government of Kerala is one of the biggest heritage conservation projects of modern India.”
G Kamala Vardhana Rao, Kerala tourism secretary,“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.”
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, 2015 at PATA Travel Mart at Bangalore. Over 800 industry executives will attend the award ceremony.
Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, director, MGTO said, “The list of PATA Gold Awards 2015 winners unveils once again the very best of Pacific-Asia tourism practices. 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.”