CNBC AWAAZ to honor India's most preferred travel brands and tourist destinations

India's Business channel, in association with One Stop Shop, the fastest growing e-commerce business in India, will honour India's Best in Class Travel Destinations and Tourism Ancillary services at the fourth edition of "CNBC AWAAZ Travel Awards 2010". Supported by Incredible India, the nodal agency for the development and promotion of tourism in India, the awards will be held at the Taj Palace on September 8, 2010 in New Delhi.

The theme of this year's awards is "Ghoom India Gloom!' felicitating patrons of the Indian travel and tourism industry who have time and again proved their vision and expertise on the global tourism platform. The awards will be presented by Kumari Selja, Honourable Minister of Tourism, Housing and Poverty Alleviation at the ceremony.

This year, the awards will aim at recognizing the stellar efforts of those organizations that have created newer standards with their unique and innovative business models, and by introducing new categories of awards such as "Emerging Trends in Indian Tourism" and "India Going Global', the channel seeks to encourage not only the pioneering concepts of the brands that have presented Indian culture and heritage to a global audience but also highlight their success and achievements. The channel will also present a citation ' "Indian Heritage Renaissance' to The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower (Colaba, Mumbai) as a special recognition for the revival of the Heritage wing post the Mumbai terror attacks.

Medical tourism, eco tourism, adventure sports, heritage and leisure tours are amongst the emerging trends defining India's tourism sector. At India's benchmark Travel Awards, CNBC AWAAZ will also honour the best stakeholders from these categories by presenting the Jury Category Awards. These awards are characterised by the sheer travelling experience of the eminent jurors such as, Mr. Amitabh Kant, CEO, DMIC Development Corporation and Mr. Ashwini Kakkar, Executive Vice-Chairman, Mercury travels.

CNBC AWAAZ in association with India's leading research organisation, The Nielsen Company conducted an exhaustive consumer response survey with an objective to felicitate the best in the travel and tourism industry, identify India's travel potential, unveil various consumer's decision making criteria's and gain an understanding of the consumer mindset. This research study also encapsulates "India's Most Preferred Travel Brands and Tourist Destinations" across various travel categories.

The sample size of the research study included 2000 respondents comprising of the consumers, adventurous sports enthusiasts, corporates and members of the trade industry across 11 cities within the age group of 20 ' 55 years belonging to SEC A / B1, both males and females.

Commenting on CNBC AWAAZ Travel Awards 2010, Sanjay Pugalia, Managing Editor, CNBC AWAAZ, said, "India, a nation rich in its cultural heritage, archaeology and tourist destinations, has evolved as a primary market for the travel and tourism industry worldwide. It is amazing to see the phenomenal growth in the last six years in this sector. Hence at CNBC AWAAZ we wanted to felicitate and acknowledge the contribution made by India's best brands in the travel and tourism Industry and the people behind them."