The Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) has announced the winners of the coveted PATWA International Travel Awards 2025 at an impressive award ceremony at ITB, Berlin which is the world’s biggest travel fair.
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The award winners of the 2025 edition of the PATWA International Travel Awards at ITB, Berlin
The event was graced by tourism ministers of ten countries, ambassadors, the leadership of various hotels, airlines, destinations, industry stalwarts and international media.
It was preceded by the PATWA World Tourism & Aviation Leaders’ Summit on ‘AI & Sustainable Tourism’. The summit had a spectacular line up of seven speakers, more specifically tourism ministers of St. Kitts & Nevis, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Nepal, South Africa and Dr. Istvan Ujhelyi, UN Tourism Ambassador to the EU, Dr. Alain St. Ange, former tourism minister of Seychelles and candidate for the post of President, and Harry Theoharis, former tourism minister of Greece and a front runner candidate for the post of Secretary General of UN Tourism. The speakers emphasized on the role of AI in ensuring tourism is sustainable.
PATWA Secretary General, Yatan Ahluwalia opened the summit saying, ‘AI-driven insights have the power to pave the way for a greener tomorrow, transforming tourism into a force for sustainability’.
PATWA International Travel Awards
The PATWA International travel awards have been instituted independently and are now in their 25th year. They have a stringent selection and nomination process and have earned a reputation as the first and foremost awards of the travel, tourism, aviation, and hospitality industry.
The awards recognise governments, organisations, brands, ministers, and individuals who have excelled in the promotion of tourism. This includes airlines, hotels, travel agencies, tour operators, destinations, government bodies, tourism ministries, and other service provider(s) related directly or indirectly with the trade.
Quotes On The Awards
Yatan Ahluwalia, Secretary General “The jury’s focus this year has been on the Caribbean region, besides South America, Europe and India. Sustainability was a key factor for our selection”.
Pulkit Sharma, Director Operations & Features Editor “Besides recognising destinations, hotels, airlines, organisations and individuals, our excellence in governance category included awards for 9 tourism ministers from around the globe who made who have made an impact with their policies and governance.”
The 2025 winners:
DESTINATIONS
1. DESTINATION OF THE YEAR – ROMANCE
JAMAICA
2. DESTINATION OF THE YEAR – NATURAL ATTRACTIONS
THE CO-OPERATIVE REPUBLIC OF GUYANA
3. DESTINATION OF THE YEAR- SCENIC BEAUTY & HISTORIC SITES
ITALY
4. DESTINATION OF THE YEAR – MARINE TOURISM
NASSAU AND PARADISE ISLAND
5. DESTINATION OF THE YEAR – EXPERIENCES
THE FEDERATIVE REPUBLIC OF BRASIL
6. DESTINATION OF THE YEAR – ECO ADVENTURES
ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
7. DESTINATION OF THE YEAR – HIDDEN TREASURES
ST. KITTS AND NEVIS
8. DESTINATION OF THE YEAR – ROYAL EXPERIENCES
RAJASThan
9. DESTINATION OF THE YEAR – ADVENTURE TOURISM
REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
10. DESTINATION OF THE YEAR – INDIA
GOA
AIRLINES
1. BEST REGIONAL AIRLINE- ITALY
AEROITALIA
2. AIRLINE OF THE YEAR – INDIAN OCEAN REGION
AIR SEYCHELLES
HOSPITALITY
1. BEST HOTEL CHAIN BUSINESS – NEW DELHI
LE MERIDIEN, NEW DELHI
2. BEST NATURE RESORTS – INDIA
AYATANA RESORTS
3. BEST EMERGING HOTEL CHAIN- INDIA
GRT HOTELS & RESORTS
4. BEST VENUE MEETINGS & CONFERENCES – CARIBBEAN
MONTEGO BAY CONVENTION CENTRE, JAMAICA
5. BEST HOTEL CHAIN- LUXURY EXPERIENCES
TAJ HOTELS
ORGANISATIONAL EXCELLENCE
1. BEST ORGANISATION REGIONAL TOURISM
CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANISATION
INDIVIDUAL EXCELLENCE
1. BEST PROFESSIONAL HOSPITALITY – INDIA
ABHINASH MANGHANI
2. BEST PROFESSIONAL- HOSPITALITY GROWTH – INDIA
VIKRAM COTAH
3. BEST PROFESSIONAL- HOSPITALITY OPERATIONS – INDIA
ASHOK RATHORE
4. BEST PROFESSIONAL HOSPITALITY OPERATIONS – DUBAI
SAURABH TIWARI
5. PATWA GOLD AWARD HOSPITALITY INNOVATION – INDIA
VISHAL VINCENT TONY
6. PATWA GOLD AWARD WOMEN IN HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT – INDIA
MEENA BHATIA
7. PATWA GOLD AWARD HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT – INDIA
ROHIT KHOSLA
8. PATWA GOLD AWARD HOSPITALITY DEVELOPMENT – INDIA
PRABHAT VERMA
9. PATWA GOLD AWARD MICE & DESTINATION MANAGEMENT– SOUTHEAST ASIA
NOREDAH OTHMAN
10. PATWA GOLD AWARD HOSPITALITY OPERATIONS – CARIBBEAN
MUREEN JAMES
11. PATWA GOLD AWARD – DESTINATION MANAGEMENT – CARIBBEAN
JOY JIBRILU
12. PATWA GOLD AWARD TOURISM DEVELOPMENT – CARIBBEAN
DONA REGIS – PROSPER
13. PATWA GOLD AWARD – EXCELLENCE IN AVIATION LEADERSHIP – EUROPE
GAETANO INTRIERI
14. PATWA GOLD AWARD- EXCELLENCE IN AVIATION LEADERSHIP – INDIAN OCEAN REGION
SANDY BENOITON
15. PATWA GOLD AWARD- TOURISM
DR. ISTVÁN UJHELYI
16. PATWA GOLD AWARD – LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT – TOURISM
DR. ALAIN ST. ANGE
17. PERSON OF THE YEAR – TOURISM
HARRY THEOHARIS
EXCELLENCE IN GOVERNANCE
This exclusive award category recognises the work done by countries, states, provinces, regions, districts and cities through and by their elected representatives to promote sustainable travel with policies, guidelines, and incentives for their destinations and the hospitality, aviation, and tourism sectors.
The awards are given to governments including, but not limited to, ministers, governors, parliamentarians, and mayors. PATWA is the first organisation to have awards dedicated to excellence in governance on a regional, national and international level.
The winners in this category included:
1. TOURISM MINISTER OF THE YEAR
H.E. CELSO SABINO DE OLIVEIRA, BRASIL
2. TOURISM MINISTER OF THE YEAR – HIMALAYAN REGION
H.E. BADRI PRASAD PANDEY, NEPAL
3. WOMAN TOURISM MINISTER OF THE YEAR – CARIBBEAN
H.E. MARSHA T. HENDERSON, ST. KITTS AND NEVIS
4. WOMAN TOURISM MINISTER OF THE YEAR – INDIA
H.E. DIYA KUMARI, RAJASTHAN
5. TOURISM MINISTER OF THE YEAR – INDIA
H.E. ROHAN KHAUNTE, GOA
6. TOURISM MINISTER OF THE YEAR – INNOVATION
H.E. EDMUND BARTLETT, JAMAICA
7. TOURISM MINISTER OF THE YEAR – ECOLOGICAL TOURISM
H.E ONEIDGE WALROND, CO-OPERATIVE REPUBLIC OF GUYANA
8. TOURISM MINISTER OF THE YEAR – SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
H.E. CARLOS JAMES, SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
9. TOURISM MINISTER OF THE YEAR – INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
H.E. PATRICIA DE LILLE, SOUTH AFRICA
About PATWA
The Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) is a non-profit, non-government, professional, international media organisation founded in 1999. Our founding philosophy is to support the sustainable development and growth of destinations, travel, tourism, hospitality, aviation (airlines and airports), transportation (cruise liners and rail), online travel platforms, travel technology, and allied service providers, worldwide. PATWA has over 5,000 members globally.
PATWA works with governments, organisations and companies in both the public and private sectors. PATWA adheres to the fundamental principles of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations (UN), and UN Tourism.
PATWA is an Affiliate Member of UN Tourism.