Madurai / Chennai : The highly anticipated Tamilnadu Travel Expo 2024 honoured the Travel and Tourism Industry stalwarts of Tamilnadu who had excelled in the travel industry by presenting the prestigious Travel Awards at the Second day of Tamilnadu Travel Expo 2024 Kickstarted on September 20th, 2024, in Madurai. Thiru K. Lakshminarayan, Hon’ble Minister of Public Works, Government of Puducherry; Thiru D. Venkatesan, Regional Director, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India; Thiru M. Boominathan, Member of Legislative Assembly of Madurai South, Tamil Nadu presented the awards. The Tamilnadu Travel Expo 2024 jointly organised by Travel Club-Madurai, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), South India Hotels and Restaurants Association (SIHRA) with the support of Tamil Nadu Tourism department and Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
Tamilnadu Travel Expo is a premier event that brings together top professionals from across the travel and tourism industry, hotels, travel agencies, technology providers, and government tourism organizations. With thousands in attendance and exhibitors across India, the 2024 edition showcased the latest trends, products, and services shaping the future of travel. This year’s Travel Award Winners were selected based on their outstanding contributions to the travel sector. Categories included – Best Eco-Friendly Hotel, Most Innovative Tourism Product, Best Fleet Operator, Best Travel Agency in Domestic Tourism and special awards to Honour remarkable individuals for their invaluable contributions towards Tamil Nadu Tourism.
Key Award Winners:
| 1 | Heritage Walk | Dhan Foundation, Madurai | Mr. K.P.Bharathi, Programme Leader |
| 2 | Best Eco-Friendly Hotel | Anantya by the Lake, Kanyakumari | Ms. Lakshmi, Director of Anantya by the Lake, Kanyakumari |
| 3 | Most Innovative Tourism Product | Destiny – The Farm Resort, Ooty | Mr. Vijayprabhu, founder of the Little Earth group |
| 4 | The Best Tourism Influencer | Tamil Navigation | Karunakaran Palanichamy, Owner of Tamil Navigation |
| 5 | Best Fleet Operator | Parveen Travels, Chennai | Mr. Anandh R, Manager at Praveen Travels |
| 6 | Best Travel Agency in Domestic Tourism | GT Holidays, Kanyakumari | Mr. Karthik, Founder & Managing Director, GT Holidays |
| 7 | Honouring remarkable individuals for their invaluable contributions towards Tamil Nadu Tourism | Mrs. Visalakshi Ramaswamy | DakshinaChitra, Chennai |
| 8 | Honouring remarkable individuals for their invaluable contributions towards Tamil Nadu Tourism | Mr. Ligi George | Managing Director, Madras Suspensions. |
| 9 | Honouring remarkable individuals for their invaluable contributions towards Tamil Nadu Tourism | Dr. Mrs. Uma Kannan | Philanthropist |
| 10 | Honouring remarkable individuals for their invaluable contributions towards Tamil Nadu Tourism | Late Prof. R Venkatraman | Posthumous Award collected by son, Dr. Krishnakumar |
| 11 | Honouring remarkable individuals for their invaluable contributions towards Tamil Nadu Tourism | Sri. R Srinivasan | Former Secretary , Tamil Nadu Hotels Association |
| 12 | Lifetime Achievement Award – Inbound Travel | Mr. N. Kannan | Kannan Tours & Travels. |
| 13 | Lifetime Achievement Award – Hospitality | Dr. G. Vasudevan | Managing Director, Pandiyan Hotels |
“The Travel Awards not only celebrate individual achievements but also highlight the collective innovation and resilience of the entire travel and tourism industry. As we navigate an evolving landscape, these award winners inspire us all to reimagine the possibilities of travel, blending sustainability, technology, and unforgettable experiences for travellers worldwide”, Said Mr. Vikram Cotah, Chairman of the Tourism Task Force of CII Tamil Nadu, CEO, GRT Hotels & Resorts
