Economic Advisor in the Ministry of Tourism Devender Singh received the award from Mark Walsh, Portfolio Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions, at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), a four day event which ended yesterday.
The award was given in recognition of India's efforts to rebuild infrastructure and its rural tourism economy in the wake of the June 2013 floods and landslides in Uttarakhand and the devastation wreaked by tropical Cyclone Phailin in Odisha.
"It took monumental effort and sheer determination on the part of regional and national government, as well as by people in the affected communities and beyond, to start the rebuilding process and get the local economy back on track, and this collaborative effort embodies the spirit of the New Frontiers Award," Walsh said.
Accepting the award, Singh said, "Tremendous effort is being made at all levels in terms of rebuilding tourism infrastructure in the affected areas, from state government activity to financial support from the Government of India. It will be a long-term process and we have only just started to get back to normal, but we are optimistic for the future."