It
is for the first time that India has won this recognition. The state lifted the
coveted honour for its sustainable development initiative in the world renowned
backwater resort of Kumarakom, a Kerala tourism release said on Thursday. Kerala
Tourism bagged the honour yesterday at the annual United Nations World Tourism
Organisation (UNWTO) Awards for Excellence and Innovation in Tourism presented
at Madrid in Spain. Kerala won the UNWTO Ulysses Award for Innovation in Public
Policy and Governance, the highest honour given to the government bodies for
shaping global tourism policies through innovative initiatives. Kerala Tourism
was chosen for the honour for its path-breaking 'Responsible Tourism' project
in Kumarakom, which has successfully linked the local community with the
hospitality industry and government departments, thereby, creating a model for
empowerment and development of the people in the area while sustaining eco-friendly
tourism. "Kerala, a popular ecotourism destination, portrays responsible
and sustainable tourism in an exceptional manner," said UNWTO
Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, at the awards ceremony. Instituted in 2003 by
UNWTO, the United Nations agency for the promotion of responsible, sustainable
and universally accessible tourism, the UNWTO Awards showcase innovation and
application of knowledge in tourism with the aim of effecting governance and
society. "We are humbled by the UNWTO's decision to confer this highest
international award on our state," said Kerala Tourism Minister A P
Anilkumar.
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