A new annual Tourism Award to be introduced as part of the tourism golden jubilee celebrations this year will have 12 categories.
The categories include Staff Accommodation; Staff Meals; Staff Recreation and Entertainment; Healthcare; Safe Work Environment; Purchase of Locally-produced Products; Promoting Local Cultural Performers; Promoting Local Musicians; Promoting Local DJs; Highest Parity of Local StaffTraining and Career Development; Highest Number of Female Staff.
A total of 48 awards will be handed out as each category will recognise resorts, hotels, guesthouses and safari vessels separately, Tourism Minister Dr Abdulla Mausoom explained at a press briefing on Thursday (12 May).
Tourist establishments can nominate themselves from 1 to 30 June. A special evaluation committee assembled by the tourism ministry will judge the nominees based on their performance and records from 1 June 2021 until 30 May 2022. The Tourism Awards recognise “social responsibility and dedication to tourism with a focus on employees and locals,” according to the ministry.
The minister also announced a trophy design competition to select the design for the Tourism Award with a prize of MVR50,000 (US$3,242) for the winner.
The new awards will be presented during a ‘Tourism Week’ to be celebrated from 27 September to 3 October. The latter date, which marks the opening of the country’s first resort in 1972, was declared Tourism Day last year.
