Hyderabad best tourist city in India

The Ajanta Caves are the best maintained monument and Hyderabad the best tourist city in India.

At a function in Delhi where Tourism and Culture Minister Jagmohan on Friday presented the National Tourism Awards for 2003, Kerala was adjudged the best state for tourism-related programmes.

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Karnataka bagged the award for bringing out the best tourism literature, while Andhra Pradesh got the award for the best tourism audio-visual presentation.

Kerala made the most effective use of information technology and the marketing of Bastar by the Chhattisgarh Tourism Board was adjudged the most innovative and unique tourism project.

Kovalam beach was given the most eco-friendly project award and the Periyar Tiger Reserve was declared the best maintained tourism friendly national park.

Other awards included: best five-star deluxe hotel - Taj Westend, Bangalore; best five-star hotel - Taj Residency, Bangalore; best four-star hotel - Fariyas Hotel, Mumbai; best three-star hotel - The Marari Beach, Alleppy; best two-star hotel - The Manor hotel, New Delhi; and best one-star hotel - Hotel Fifty Five, New Delhi.

Jagmohan said that the government is taking a number of steps to upgrade tourism infrastructure and market Indian destinations.