Kerala State tourism awards 2012-13 announced

:Kochi-based Lotus Destination Pvt Ltd has been named the Best Inbound Tour Operator for 2012-13 and Riya Holidays Pvt Ltd,also in Kochi, the Best Outbound Tour Operator for the State Tourism Awards for 2012-13.
A total of 23 awards in three categories were announced today by state Tourism Minister A P Anilkumar.
The winners were chosen by a committee chaired by the Tourism Secretary from a preliminary list prepared by a panel of experts constituted by the tourism department.
Vivanta by Taj - Malabar won the award for the Best 5-star Deluxe Hotel; Kumarakom Lake Resort in Kottayam selected for the Best 5-star Hotel; Udaya Samudra Leisure Beach Hotel in Kovalam was named the Best 4-star Hotel; Marari Beach Resort in Alappuzha the Best 3-star Hotel and Coconut Lagoon in Kumarakom the Best Heritage Hotel.

The award for the Best Ayurveda centre went to the Somatheeram Ayurveda Beach Resort in Kovalam and the award for the best Homestay to Thiruvananthapuram-based Graceful Homestay. Alappuzha Rainbow Cruise was named the Best Houseboat Operator.
The Best Hotel Manager award went to P. Subramanian of Alappuzha Marari Beach.
K C Krishnakumar, Chief Sub-Editor at Mathrubhumi (Yathra, Kozhikode) won the award for the Best Tourism Reporting and B Muralikrishnan, Mathrubhumi Chief News Photographer and Kochi-based Ajosh Parakkan won for the Best Tourism Photography.
Trivandrum-based Somatheeram Ayurveda Group also won the award for the Best Use of IT in Tourism Sector.