From correspondents in Maharashtra, India, 11:52 AM IST
India ranks No. 1 top travel destination in the world according to this year’s Readers’ Travel Awards announced by Condé Nast Traveller UK (‘THE’ leading authority on travel in the United Kingdom). This is a huge leap up from 4th position last year. On 3rd September 2007, Condé Nast Traveller, UK announced the winners of its Annual Readers' Travel Awards 2007 at a gala event held at The Ballroom, Claridges in London and the same will appear in the current issue. These awards are considered to be the Oscar Awards of the travel industry and this win is indeed a great achievement & a momentous occasion in the history of Indian tourism. Incredible India, by bagging THE coveted No. 1 rank amongst the top tourism destinations in the world has again worked its charm on world travelers.
Reacting to India’s stupendous success, Ms. Ambika Soni, Minister – Tourism & Culture, Ministry of Tourism, India, says, “India was the 10th most preferred destination in 2004, the 4th in 2006 and is now at the top in 2007 and that is where we want to be. We are proud and privileged to be the recipients of this prestigious award.”
India has outdone herself and has proven to the world that she is as good as the rest of the world when it comes to world-class tourism destination. India leads the band of Top 5 winning countries of (2) Italy, (3) Thailand, (4) Australia and (5) New Zealand.
Ms. Leena Nandan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, India says, “India has a richness and diversity that is unmatched the world over and we are happy that Condé Nast Traveller, UK has recognized it and given us the award for the most favoured destination.”
Says Marzban Patel, CMD, Mediascope Publicitas, “India's fantastic success in the UK, especially among the top end of the market, is due to a combination of factors: full marks to the sustained efforts of Ministry of Tourism and its Incredible India advertising campaign. Similar ad campaigns from other State Tourism Boards and hospitality majors have helped the momentum and finally credit must go to Condé Nast Traveller, UK whose breathtaking features on India combined with award winning photography has continuously mesmerized its affluent & trend setting readership. As their India representative, I have worked closely with all the above constituents over the last decade and this recognition gives me enormous joy and satisfaction."
The survey besides being inserted into the April 2007 issue of all 26,600 UK subscriber copies and 33,000 UK newsstand copies of CN Traveller (which went on-sale on 8th March) was also live on the cntraveller.com website for this period. The replies were collated and analysed by an independent market-research company, Market Management. The nominations were judged on a range of criteria particular to each category, from 'range of accommodation' to 'environmental friendliness'.
The influx of British tourisms to India is growing with every passing year and the respondents to this survey are some of the most sophisticated and avid travelers across the world. They form an integral part of the discerning and growing numbers of readers of this widely read magazine, which is considered to be the leading authority on travel and tourism in the UK. The Condé Nast Traveller, UK is the essential guide to inspirational travel and is exclusively represented by Mediascope Publicitas in India.
Kate Slesinger, Publisher, Condé Nast Traveller UK, adds, “No-one could be more thrilled than I to see India at the top of the 2007 list of our Readers' favourite destinations. This year, Condé Nast Traveller celebrates its tenth anniversary, and how far India has traveled up the scale in the past ten years! The success of your countryamong the UK's most influential travelers is down to the fact that the product now matches the dream created so artfully by advertising and PR. It is no longer the preserve of die-hard backpackers and gap-year students: the reality of India in 2007 is that it represents a kaleidoscope of experiences to be enjoyed in the utmost comfort and luxury. I applaud the efforts of everyone involved in bringing India to the coveted Position Number One.”
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