Applications have officially opened for the 10th edition of the South Asian Travel Awards (SATA), one of the region’s most prominent recognitions for excellence in tourism and hospitality.
This year’s awards ceremony will be held in Sri Lanka, with Colombo confirmed as the host city. The milestone edition marks a decade since the launch of the SATA Awards, which have grown into one of the largest tourism award platforms in South Asia.
Tourism industry stakeholders have until 25 April to submit their applications, which must be completed through the official SATA website.
To mark its 10th anniversary, SATA has introduced two new award categories — Best Chef and Best Young Hotelier. Organisers said the Best Young Hotelier category is open to professionals under the age of 40, aimed at recognising emerging talent within the hospitality sector.
The SATA Awards are widely recognised across South Asia and are endorsed by 15 major tourism-related organisations in the region. These include national tourism bodies such as Visit Maldives, as well as travel agents’ associations, boating associations, and the Sri Lankan Hotels Association.
In recent years, the awards ceremony has been hosted in several South Asian countries, including the Maldives, Sri Lanka, India, and Nepal. The event has evolved into a major international platform, drawing attention from foreign media outlets and senior tourism officials from across the region.
Organisers said winners in all categories will be selected through a transparent and rigorous evaluation process, conducted by a panel of experienced judges and travel industry experts.
Launched to celebrate excellence in South Asia’s tourism and hospitality sectors, the SATA Awards continue to attract wide participation from industry institutions and associations, reinforcing their role as a benchmark for quality and innovation in regional tourism.
