Gujarat won three major national tourism awards for 2016-17 as India celebrated the World Tourism Day on Thursday.

The state received accolades for its efforts to make Gujarat a great tourist destination, said Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd (TCGL) Managing Director Jenu Devan in a statement here.

Gujarat won the awards for the Best Civic Management (at Saputara Hill Station), Best Heritage City-Ahmedabad (jointly with Mandu, Madhya Pradesh), and the Best Airport-Ahmedabad. Last year, Gujarat Tourism had been honoured with the Hall of Fame award in the category of comprehensive development.

Employment

Union Minister of State for Tourism K J Alphons, who presented the awards at a national function in New Delhi on Thursday, said the tourism sector has generated 1.46 crore jobs in the country in the last four years. The sector witnessed a 14% growth in number of foreign tourist arrivals last year, he said.

The awards were given in various segments of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. Andhra Pradesh bagged the first prize in state category for comprehensive development of tourism and Rajasthan Tourism bagged the national award for most innovative use of Information Technology, social media and websites.

Recently, TCGL had undertaken initiatives like appointment of supervisors to sensitize local communities, waste management systems, systems for recycling and re-use of papers. “Beat the plastic” etc.

Ahmedabad had been declared India’s first World Heritage City by UNESCO last year. The more than 600-year old Walled City is known for its architectural marvels and has been the centre of the non-violent Freedom Movement that led India to Independence in 1947. It has some of the finest examples of Indo-Islamic architecture and Hindu Muslim art.

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