Lonely Planet Magazine India presents the Travel Awards 2015
India’s favourite travel magazine brings
you the Lonely Planet Magazine India
Travel Awards 2015, powered by Flight Shop, showcasing the experiences most
loved by the Indian traveller.
For the fourth year running, Lonely Planet Magazine India called
upon the country’s discerning travellers to choose their favourite destinations
and hotels. Nominations for the awards were shortlisted by a panel of travel
experts and professionals, and LPMI
readers voted both online and in the magazine. The panel comprised LPMI Editor Vardhan Kondvikar; Veena
Patil, Managing Director, Veena World; Manu
Kashyap, Director, Windmill Holidays; Sucheta
Potnis and Hans Tuinman,
Founders, Travellers-palm.com; Madhavan
Menon, Managing Director, Thomas Cook India Ltd; and Deep Kalra, CEO, Makemytrip.com.
Compered by actor and all-round funny man
(stand-up comedian) Cyrus Sahukar,
the LPMI Travel Awards 2015, powered by Flight Shop, held on Monday, June 22,
2015, at the JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai Sahar, felicitated 32 of India’s
favourite experiences. The winners were joined by the who’s who of the national
travel industry and several international invitees.
Vardhan
Kondvikar, Editor of Lonely Planet Magazine India, said, "The Lonely Planet
Magazine India Travel Awards, firmly established as the industry-best measure
of what Indian travellers love, is now in its third year, taking the concept of
relevant traveller-voted awards to new heights. Focussing this year on
destinations and accommodation choices that Indians appreciate, we began with a
strong list of nominees selected by industry-wide travel experts from India's
premier travel facilitators, which were then voted on by Lonely Planet Magazine
India's army of well-informed readers. We have some exciting new winners this year,
alongside some perennial favourites, demonstrating the widening range of
experiences that Indian are willing to open their hearts to."
Commenting on the Lonely Planet Magazine
India Travel Awards 2015, powered by Flight Shop, Deepak Lamba, CEO, Worldwide Media Ltd, said, “Lonely Planet
Magazine India, for the last five years has been successfully giving the
rapidly-growing set of curious Indian travellers the inspiration, encouragement
and help they’ve needed to find great experiences each time they leave the
house, be it abroad, in India, even within their own city. And clearly, our
readers appreciate this: we have been voted India’s most significant travel
magazine multiple times, including by Trip Advisor.
Our aim with the Lonely Planet Magazine
India Travel Awards 2015 is to present not only the most
coveted, but also the most relevant awards in the Indian travel industry: our
readers should be able to pick up the awards issue, pick a destination
blindfolded and have a great experience. Our annual awards are our way of
giving back to the industry that has helped us be part of it, recognising the
efforts of the nations, the people and the organisations that make these
experiences great for Indian travellers."
The winners are:
India’s
Favourite Destination – The USA
Best Emerging
Destination – South Korea (International), Daman & Diu (Indian)
Best Destination for Culture – China
(International), Punjab (Indian)
Best Destination for Adventure – New
Zealand (International), Uttarakhand (Indian)
Best Destination for Wildlife – South
Africa (International), Madhya Pradesh (Indian)
Best Destination for Families – Singapore
(International), Kerala (Indian)
Best Value Destination – Thailand
(International), Goa (Indian)
Best Destination for Food & Drink – Hong
Kong (International), New Delhi (Indian)
Best Destination for Relaxation – The Maldives
(International), Puducherry (Indian)
Best Destination for Shopping – London
(International), Mumbai (Indian)
Best Destination for Romance – Switzerland
(International), Himachal Pradesh (Indian)
Best Wildlife Resort – Elephant Reach,
Yala National Park, Sri Lanka (International), The Oberoi Vanyavillas,
Ranthambore, Rajasthan (Indian)
Best Hotel for Relaxation – The Leela
Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram
Best Business Hotel – St Pancras
Renaissance Hotel London (International), ITC Maurya, New Delhi (Indian)
Best Value Hotel – The House of MG, Ahmedabad
Best Heritage Hotel – Taj Umaid Bhawan
Palace, Jodhpur
Best Luxury Hotel – Victoria-Jungfrau
Grand Hotel & Spa, Switzerland (International), Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, (Indian)
Best Hotel for Romance – Ri Kynjai –
Serenity by the Lake, Shillong, Meghalaya
Best Homestay – Silver Brook Estate, Coorg