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Kerala Tourism once again bagged two gold awards in the culture and consumer travel brochure categories respectively,of the prestigious Pacific Asia Travel Association's (PATA) 2008 awards.
'Utsavam' which won the award in the culture category for being instrumental in reviving the glorious cultural heritage of India as well as for the enrichment of the local community was a remarkable initiative from Kerala Tourism. Part of a grand plan to revive art forms that are fast vanishing, Utsavam featured over 100 art forms,2000 artists and 1000 performances in 36 venues across the 14 districts of Kerala. Envisaged as an annual event , the objective of this initiative is more than just marketing the destination among tourists but revitalize the unsung artistes who have dedicated themselves to perfecting their vocation and open up Kerala's wealth of art forms not just for the visitors, but also for every Keralite to discover.
The award winning theme brochure presents the multi-layered Keralan experience through breathtaking photographs, extracts from real – life 'transformational' experiences of travellers, anecdotes of local people and organizations, essential information, reviews on Kerala , maps and so on. Designed and coceptualised by Stark Communications, the brochure is a perfect mix of inspiration and information, showcasing all that goes into making Kerala a destination where you can be one with nature and where you can come closest to the concept of 'contentment'.
Mr. Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Minister for Tourism, attributed these awards to Kerala Tourism's sustainable tourism policy and strong marketing strategies. ''These prestigious PATA awards would inspire the tourism department to perform better and also set a new benchmark for all its future plans and endeavours”, said Mr. M.Sivasankar, Director ,Kerala Tourism. He added that the focus is now on addressing key issues like enviornmental degradation, degeneration of cultural heritage and social inequalities.
The special congratulatory message to the Department of Tourism from PATA lauded the achievement that will “help provide the chance for new ideas and products to stand out and be recognized, thus contributing to the development of the tourism industry. The acheivement is all the more impressive considering that the 2008 PATA Gold Awards attracted 257 entries from 107 organisations”.
A buoyant Dr.Venu.V , Secretary, Kerala Tourism said that these recognitions will further encourage Kerala Tourism's mission to enrich the traveller's life and the lives of the local populace.
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