Evaluation of SATA 2022 Nominees Starts in the Maldives


Maldives
World
Travel
PUBLISHED June 25, 2022 | updated June 25, 2022 03:33

Judging for South Asian Travel Awards (SATA) 2022 has begun today (June 15, 2022). SATA’s Hospitality Partner for Maldives Maagiri Hotel is currently hosting presentations by nominees from the Maldives. The evaluation is done by a team of professional experts from the region.  

SATA Jury members for this year are:  

Dr Mahamood Shougee  

Dr. Mahamood Shougee is the former Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation of the Maldives. He played a pivotal role in guiding the establishment of the South Asian Travel Awards (SATA). Dr. Shougee holds a Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Arts in Economics, and a Master of Education from the University of Manitoba, and a PhD from the University of Toronto. He continues to work as a Consultant for Hotel and Resort chains, and as a Visiting Lecturer and Research Associate at Villa College (Maldives) and the Open University of Malaysia.  

Dr Sachin Bansal

Dr Sachin has exhibited strategic leadership with a visionary approach in Indian tourism sector by creating multiple flagships in the area of culture & heritage. He has utilized the design thinking approach for harnessing new markets, thereby setting and redefining future standards through intellectual properties. With two decades of work experience and as a destination branding specialist, he has enabled co-creation with host communities to deliver exceptional experiences and created impact through skill development initiatives.  

Ms Sangeeta Rana  

Ms. Sangeeta Rana is the Executive Director of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Bhutan. She has several years of experience in the hospitality and tourism industry. She is also the board member of various tourism and private sector development boards, such as TDB, CTA, BSTS, HRDB and many more. She is extremely enthusiastic and passionate about developing the tourism industry and working closely with all the tourism stakeholders around the world. She represents the exotic country, Bhutan, which believes in “Gross National Happiness”.  

Ms Rinku Madan  

Rinku Madan, completed her studies in Global Journalism at the Harvard University, with the objective to pursue her writing skills in the area of Global Luxury. She had earlier studied at the French Culinary Institute to certify in the arena of Food Writing. Having worked with luminaries like Alan Richman and Andrew Fischer, she is amongst the very few certified food writers in India with global experience in the subject. Her experience of writing feature articles in food, restaurants, cuisines, luxury properties enhanced her skills and pursue “Luxury” as a focus area, not only as a writer but also a Food Stylist and Consultant in the field of Food and Beverage.  

Ms Mariyam Noordeen  

Mariyam Noordeen is a founder and the president of Chefs Guild of Maldives, a member of World Association of Chefs Society. Holding a Bachelor of Philosophy in Hospitality Management and a Master of Arts in Hospitality Management from University of Birmingham, Mariyam has extensive experience of over 25 years in the field of Tourism and Hospitality, curriculum Development and Training. As the former Dean of Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Studies at the Maldives National University, Mariam has trained and mentored over 4000 students who now contribute to the Hospitality industry as professionals in key roles.  

Ms. Amal Goonetilleke  

Over 4 decades of experience in the field of Tourism and hospitality, specialized in Sales and Marketing for hotels and resorts. Presently a Marketing Consultant to hospitality companies with local and international affiliations. She is well versed with multiple disciplines of Sales and Marketing across global markets and segments such as Corporate, MICE, Leisure, Revenue Management etc. and creating sales and marketing solutions for star class hotels to top end luxury boutique resorts.

In recognition of her contribution to the industry she was the recipient of the “Zonta Woman of Achievement Award for Tourism” in 2009 and in 2015 was the recipient of “Women in Management - Tourism Gold Award”.  

SATA has been endorsed by over 15 International and government agencies for its work to elevate tourism and hospitality in the region.  

- Association of Professionals in Tourism (APT),  

- Association of Tourism Trade Organizations, India (ATTOI),  

- Association of Travel Agents (ATA),  

- Colombo Chamber of Commerce (CCC),  

- Confederation of Accredited Tour Operators (CATO),  

- Federation of Chambers of Commerce & Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL),  

- Hotel and Restaurant Association of Bhutan (HRAB),  

- Kerala Hotel General Manager Club (KHGMC),  

- National Boating Association of Maldives (NBAM),  

- Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO), 

- Maldives Marketing & PR Corporation (MMPRC),  

- Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), 

- Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO), 

- The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL), 

- Bangladesh International Hotel Association (BIHA),

- The Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) 

More than 500 nominations from the Maldives, India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh have been received for the 39 categories included in this year’s edition of SATA. Online voting is ongoing, and will complement the judging by a panel of experts.  

The South Asian Travel Awards (SATA) has been recognizing the best of South Asia’s hospitality and travel industry since 2016. The prestigious annual event honors stellar organizations and individuals in a wide array of categories. Over 500 nominations have been enrolled to SATA 2019 which is swiftly gaining popularity in the tourism sector of South Asia.  

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