Category

Categories	Description	Criteria
Boutique/ Family-Owned Hotel of the Year Nominate Now	Recognizes boutique or family-owned hotels with fewer than 100 rooms that offer intimate charm, personalized service, distinctive design, and a strong reflection of local culture. This category highlights properties that deliver memorable stays through attention to detail, heritage elements, and a warm, home-like hospitality experience, and are not part of large hotel chains.	The entity applying for the award should have been in operations for more than 2 years in India as of March 31, 2025. The property must be boutique or family-owned, offering a personalized guest experience, distinctive design, and strong connection to local culture and heritage. Hotels must have fewer than 100 rooms and not be part of a large hotel chain. All applicants must have a valid certificate from the Ministry of Tourism (if applicable) along with active membership with respective industry trade association. Details provided in the form must pertain to the period from April 01, 2023, to March 31, 2025.
Business Hotel of the Year Nominate Now	Recognizes a hotel that delivers exceptional hospitality for business travellers through efficient services, well-equipped meeting facilities, seamless connectivity, comfortable accommodation, and amenities tailored for corporate needs. Eligible properties must primarily cater to business travellers and operate with a strong focus on convenience, functionality, and service excellence.	The entity applying for the award should have been in operations for more than 2 years in India as of March 31, 2025. The property must primarily cater to business travellers, offering facilities such as meeting rooms, conference spaces, business centres, and connectivity solutions. The hotel should be well-located in proximity to major business hubs, airports, railway stations, or convention centres, ensuring convenience and accessibility for business travellers. All applicants must have a valid certificate from the Ministry of Tourism (if applicable) along with active membership with respective industry trade association. Details provided in the form must pertain to the period from April 01, 2023, to March 31, 2025.
Hotel Chain of the Year Nominate Now	Recognizes a hotel chain that delivers consistent excellence across multiple properties through standardized service, strong brand identity, guest-first operations, and innovation. Eligible chains must operate at least three properties under the same brand with a nationwide presence.	The entity applying for the award should have been in operations for more than 2 years in India as of March 31, 2025. The chain must operate at least three properties under the same brand, demonstrating consistent service, brand identity, and guest-first operations. Properties must have a nationwide presence or a significant regional footprint. All applicants must have a valid certificate from the Ministry of Tourism (if applicable) along with active membership with respective industry trade association. Details provided in the form must pertain to the period from April 01, 2023, to March 31, 2025.
Luxury Hotel of the Year Nominate Now	Recognizes a luxury hotel delivering exceptional guest experience through superior service quality, premium amenities, world-class hospitality standards, and distinctive design or ambience. Eligible properties must clearly operate in the luxury segment, offering an upscale environment, high-end facilities, and personalised services that cater to discerning guests.	The entity applying for the award should have been in operations for more than 2 years in India as of March 31, 2025. The property must clearly operate in the luxury segment, defined by high-end facilities, premium services, distinctive ambience, and exceptional guest experiences. The hotel must offer services and amenities typically associated with luxury hospitality, such as fine dining, wellness/spa facilities, executive lounges, personalised concierge, and premium accommodation. All applicants must have a valid certificate from the Ministry of Tourism (if applicable) along with active membership with respective industry trade association. Details provided in the form must pertain to the period from April 01, 2023, to March 31, 2025. Hotels of all eligible luxury standards are welcome, including 5-star, 5-star deluxe, and equivalent luxury-standard properties.
Mid-Market/ Budget Hotel of the Year Nominate Now	Recognizes a hotel that delivers quality accommodation, essential amenities, and reliable service at a competitive price point, catering to value-conscious travellers. Eligible properties must operate in the mid-market or budget segment, focusing on comfort, convenience, and consistent guest satisfaction.	The entity applying for the award should have been in operations for more than 2 years in India as of March 31, 2025. The property must operate in the mid-market or budget segment, providing quality accommodation, essential amenities, and consistent guest service. Hotels must focus on comfort, convenience, and value-for-money experiences for guests. All applicants must have a valid certificate from the Ministry of Tourism (if applicable) along with active membership with respective industry trade association. Details provided in the form must pertain to the period from April 01, 2023, to March 31, 2025.
Wellness & SPA Resort of the Year Nominate Now	Recognizes a resort that offers exceptional wellness and spa experiences, combining holistic therapies, rejuvenation services, fitness and wellness programs, and a serene environment. Eligible properties must primarily operate in the wellness and spa segment, providing high-quality facilities and personalized experiences that enhance guest well-being.	The entity applying for the award should have been in operations for more than 2 years in India as of March 31, 2025. The property must primarily operate as a wellness and spa resort, offering holistic therapies, rejuvenation services, fitness and wellness programs, and a tranquil environment. The resort must provide personalized guest experiences that enhance physical, mental, and emotional well-being. All applicants must have a valid certificate from the Ministry of Tourism (if applicable) along with active membership with respective industry trade association. Details provided in the form must pertain to the period from April 01, 2023, to March 31, 2025.
Cruise Operator of the Year Nominate Now	Recognizes a cruise company or operator delivering exceptional passenger experiences through well-planned itineraries, onboard services, and unique cruise offerings. Eligible entities must primarily operate cruise services catering to domestic or international travellers.	The entity applying for the award should have been in operations for more than 2 years in India as of March 31, 2025. The applicant must operate cruise services in India. The company must demonstrate measurable impact on passenger satisfaction, operational efficiency, and service quality. All applicants must have a valid certificate from the Ministry of Tourism (if applicable) along with active membership with respective industry trade association Details provided in the form must pertain to the period from April 01, 2023, to March 31, 2025.
Excellence in Training & Capacity Building Nominate Now	Recognizes an organization or institute demonstrating outstanding initiatives in training, skill development, and capacity building within the travel, tourism, or hospitality sector. Eligible entities must have measurable programs that enhance employee skills, knowledge, and professional standards.	The entity applying for the award should have been in operations for more than 2 years in India as of March 31, 2025. The applicant must operate training or skill development programs relevant to the travel, tourism, or hospitality sector. Programs should demonstrate measurable impact on employee skills, knowledge enhancement, and professional standards. All applicants must have a valid certificate from the Ministry of Tourism (if applicable) along with active membership with respective industry trade association. Details provided in the form must pertain to the period from April 01, 2023, to March 31, 2025.
General Sales Agent of the Year Nominate Now	Recognizes a General Sales Agent (GSA) whose core role is selling on behalf of airlines, hotels, or cruise liners. Eligible entities must be authorized sellers for one or more travel brands and demonstrate measurable impact on sales performance and customer engagement.	The entity applying for the award should have been in operations for more than 2 years in India as of March 31, 2025. The applicant must act as an authorized seller / official GSA for one or more airlines, hotels, cruise liners, or travel brands. The entity must demonstrate measurable impact in sales, distribution, customer engagement, or market expansion. All applicants must have a valid certificate from the Ministry of Tourism (if applicable) along with active membership with respective industry trade association. Details provided in the form must pertain to the period from April 01, 2023, to March 31, 2025.
Luxury Bus Operator of the Year Nominate Now	Recognizes a bus operator that provides exceptional luxury travel experiences through high-quality vehicles, superior service standards, reliability, safety, and customer experience. Eligible entities must operate luxury coach services for domestic or intercity travel, catering to premium or corporate travellers.	The entity applying for the award should have been in operations for more than 2 years in India as of March 31, 2025. The applicant must operate luxury buses/coaches, clearly positioned in the premium segment. Services must cater to premium/intercity/corporate travellers with enhanced comfort, amenities, and professional service standards. All applicants must have a valid certificate from the Ministry of Tourism (if applicable) along with active membership with respective industry trade association. Details provided in the form must pertain to the period from April 01, 2023, to March 31, 2025.
Luxury Car Operator of the Year Nominate Now	Recognizes a company that provides premium car rental or chauffeur-driven services with exceptional vehicles, service quality, safety, and customer experience. Eligible entities must operate luxury or high-end vehicles for individual, corporate, or group travel.	The entity applying for the award should have been in operations for more than 2 years in India as of March 31, 2025. The applicant must operate luxury/high-end cars such as Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Jaguar, Lexus, premium SUVs, or equivalent. Services must cater to individual travellers, corporate clients, airport transfers, events, delegations, or premium tourism. All applicants must have a valid certificate from the Ministry of Tourism (if applicable) along with active membership with respective industry trade association. Details provided in the form must pertain to the period from April 01, 2023, to March 31, 2025.
Travel Representation Company of the Year Nominate Now	Recognizes companies that act as professional representatives for destination management entities, hotels, specific destinations, or local service providers, delivering exceptional on-ground services, coordination, and support to travel brands. Eligible applicants must operate as a dedicated travel representation company.	The entity applying for the award should have been in operations for more than 2 years in India as of March 31, 2025. The applicant must operate as a dedicated travel representation company, providing on-ground services, coordination, or support to travel brands, hotels, destinations, or local service providers. The company must demonstrate measurable impact on operational efficiency, client satisfaction, or travel experience enhancement. All applicants must have a valid certificate from the Ministry of Tourism (if applicable) along with active membership with respective industry trade association. Details provided in the form must pertain to the period from April 01, 2023, to March 31, 2025.
Domestic Tour Operator of the Year Nominate Now	Recognizes a tour operator that specializes in delivering exceptional travel experiences within India through well-planned itineraries, strong destination expertise, and reliable on-ground services. Eligible entities must primarily operate domestic tours across multiple Indian destinations.	The entity applying for the award should have been in operations for more than 2 years in India as of March 31, 2025. All applicants must have a valid certificate from the Ministry of Tourism (if applicable) along with active membership with respective industry trade association. The entity must be a registered tour operator whose core business includes itinerary planning, accommodation bookings, transportation arrangements, sightseeing activities, and on-ground customer support across multiple destinations, etc., exclusively in India. Details provided in the form must pertain to the period from April 01, 2023, to March 31, 2025.
Inbound Tour Operator of the Year Nominate Now	Recognizes a tour operator that specializes in bringing international travellers to India and delivering high-quality inbound travel experiences through curated itineraries, strong destination knowledge, and dependable ground operations. Eligible entities must primarily handle inbound tourism to India.	The entity applying for the award should have been in operations for more than 2 years in India as of March 31, 2025. All applicants must have a valid certificate from the Ministry of Tourism (if applicable) along with active membership with respective industry trade association. The entity must be a registered tour operator offering end-to-end inbound tourism services, including itinerary creation, accommodation bookings, domestic transportation, local experiences, meet-and-assist services, multilingual support, etc. to travellers visiting India. Details provided in the form must pertain to the period from April 01, 2023, to March 31, 2025
MICE Tour Operator of the Year (Domestic & Outbound) Nominate Now	Recognizes a tour operator excelling in planning and managing Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) across India and international destinations, demonstrating strong execution, logistics capability, innovative planning, and seamless group handling. Eligible entities must primarily operate in the MICE segment for domestic and/or outbound markets.	The entity applying for the award should have been in operations for more than 2 years in India as of March 31, 2025. All applicants must have a valid certificate from the Ministry of Tourism (if applicable) along with active membership with respective industry trade association. The applicant must be a registered tour operator providing end-to-end MICE planning, including conceptualization, logistics, travel arrangements, venue management, group handling, and on-site execution, etc. They should demonstrate specialised expertise such as event planning, large-group handling, budgeting, vendor coordination, and venue sourcing. The applicant should offer services and amenities relevant to the specific award category and should meet basic service standards suitable for the category. Details provided in the form must pertain to the period from April 01, 2023, to March 31, 2025.
Niche/ Specialised Tour Operator of the Year Nominate Now	Recognizes a travel operator specializing in a focused or niche segment - such as adventure, wildlife, luxury experiential, pilgrimage, wellness, cruises, or curated thematic tours - offering highly specialised itineraries and exceptional customer experience. Eligible entities must primarily operate within a defined niche category and demonstrate expertise and consistent delivery in that segment.	The entity applying for the award should have been in operations for more than 2 years in India as of March 31, 2025. All applicants must have a valid certificate from the Ministry of Tourism (if applicable) along with active membership with respective industry trade association. The entity must primarily operate within a defined niche- such as adventure, wildlife, luxury experiential, MICE niche, pilgrimage, wellness, cruises, heritage, food & culture, sports, or any curated thematic category. Their offerings should cover specialised itineraries designed uniquely for the niche - custom-built routes, expert-led experiences, experiential add-ons, or destination-specific insights. The entity should offer services and amenities relevant to the specific award category and should meet basic service standards suitable for the category. Details provided in the form must pertain to the period from April 01, 2023, to March 31, 2025.
Online Travel Agent/Platform of the Year – B2B Nominate Now	Recognizes an online travel platform that primarily operates as a B2B travel services provider, arranging and distributing travel products - such as air tickets, hotel bookings, transport services, and holiday components - to other businesses. Eligible entities must operate mainly in the B2B segment and must not be consumer-facing as their core business.	The entity applying for the award should have been in operations for more than 2 years in India as of March 31, 2025. All applicants must have a valid certificate from the Ministry of Tourism (if applicable) along with active membership with respective industry trade association. The applicant must operate primarily as a Business-to-Business (B2B) travel services provider, delivering travel products, booking solutions, and related services to other businesses. The platform must directly handle primary activities related to business travel covering - Air tickets, Hotel/accommodation bookings, Transfers and transport services, Employee Holiday components, packages, or related travel inventory. Details provided in the form must pertain to the period from April 01, 2023, to March 31, 2025.
Online Travel Agent/Platform of the Year – B2C Nominate Now	Recognizes an online travel platform that directly serves end consumers, arranging travel services such as flights, accommodation, transportation, and holiday packages through a digital interface. Eligible entities must operate primarily in the consumer travel segment, providing direct booking and customized travel options online.	The entity applying for the award should have been in operations for more than 2 years in India as of March 31, 2025. All applicants must have a valid certificate from the Ministry of Tourism (if applicable) along with active membership with respective industry trade association. The applicant must operate primarily as a Business-to-Consumer (B2C) online travel platform, offering travel booking services directly to end users only. The platform must provide a digital interface (website, app, or online system) through which consumers can directly search, book, and manage their travel services. Details provided in the form must pertain to the period from April 01, 2023, to March 31, 2025.
Outbound Tour Operator of the Year Nominate Now	Recognizes a tour operator that specializes in organizing and delivering exceptional international travel experiences for Indian travellers through well-designed itineraries, reliable partnerships, and strong destination expertise. Eligible entities must primarily operate outbound tours from India to global destinations.	The entity applying for the award should have been in operations for more than 2 years in India as of March 31, 2025. All applicants must have a valid certificate from the Ministry of Tourism (if applicable) along with active membership with respective industry trade association. The applicant must be a registered tour operator offering end-to-end overseas travel services, including itinerary creation, international flights/transport arrangements, visas support, accommodation bookings, sightseeing, destination experiences, and on-ground coordination, etc., to Indians visiting foreign destinations. Details provided in the form must pertain to the period from April 01, 2023, to March 31, 2025.
Travel Technology / Platform Provider of the Year Nominate Now	Recognizes a technology company or digital platform that enables and enhances travel planning, booking, distribution, or operational efficiency through innovative technology solutions. Eligible entities must provide technology, software, or digital tools specifically designed for the travel ecosystem - such as booking engines, automation tools, distribution platforms, CRM systems, payment solutions, AI tools, or travel management systems.	The entity applying for the award should have been in operations for more than 2 years in India as of March 31, 2025. All applicants must have a valid certificate from the Ministry of Tourism (if applicable) along with active membership with respective industry trade association. The entity should offer services and amenities relevant to the specific award category and should meet basic service standards suitable for the category. Details provided in the form must pertain to the period from April 01, 2023, to March 31, 2025. Only companies or platforms that provide technology, software, or digital tools for the travel industry are eligible. Entities whose primary business is travel services, tour operations, or bookings without offering a technology solution are not eligible