The ICONIC Tourism Summit 2025, organized by Redhat Communications in collaboration with TV9 Network, was held at ITC Maurya, New Delhi. The full-day event brought together policymakers, diplomats, industry players, innovators, and cultural ambassadors to discuss tourism and recognize contributions at the ICONIC Awards 2025.
The morning conclave, themed “Innovation, Transformation, and Impact”, featured sessions including “Influencing Itineraries: The Content Engine for Tourism Today,” “Dekho Apna Desh,” and “Creating Iconic Tourism Experiences.” Speakers included Niharika Rai, IAS, Secretary & Commissioner Tourism, Government of Delhi, Rajesh Magow, Co-Founder & Group CEO, MakeMyTrip, Mugdha Sinha, Managing Director, ITDC, Shriji Huzur Dr. Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, King of Udaipur, Sandeep Dwivedi, Managing Director – India & Subcontinent, Amadeus, Anshul Sethi, Head of Sales – India, Indigo, and Yummi Talwar, CEO – South Asia, VFS Global.
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of Culture, attended as Chief Guest of the ICONIC Awards ceremony, where brands and individuals were felicitated. The evening included a panel discussion with Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of Culture, Amitabh Kant, Former CEO of NITI Aayog & G20 Sherpa, Jyotsna Suri, Chairman & MD, Lalit Hospitality Group, Ishika Taneja, Spiritual Leader & Miss World Tourism India 2018, Manoj Adlakha, Founder & CEO, RedBeryl Lifestyle Services, Suman Billa, Additional Secretary & Director General, Ministry of Tourism, and Sandeep Marwah, Chancellor, AAFT.
The event was attended by ambassadors and dignitaries including H.E. Mary F.M. Mutuku (Kenya), H.E. Prof. Anil Sooklal (South Africa), H.E. Kamel Zayed Kamel Galal (Egypt), H.E. Aliki Koutsomitopoulou (Greece), H.E. Sinisa Pavic (Serbia), H.E. Lalatiana Accouche (Seychelles), and H.E. Reuben Gauci (Malta).
The awards jury included Vinod Kumar Duggal (Former Governor of Manipur & Mizoram), Shazia Ilmi (National Spokesperson, BJP), Rajiv Talwar (Former CEO & Chairman, DLF), Parineeta Sethi (Chief Editor, Global Spa India, Middle East & Peaklife), Nakul Anand (Former Executive Director, ITC Limited), Madhu Jain (Craft Revivalist), Kapil Kaul (CEO & Director, CAPA South Asia), Jacob Mathew (Co-ordinating Editor, TV9), Dilip Cherian (Founder, Perfect Relations), Balbir Mayal (Director, New Airways Pvt Ltd), Ashwani Lohani (Former Chairman, Railway Board & Air India), and Arvind Singh (Former Secretary of Tourism & Chairman, AAI).
Recipients of the awards included:
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Effortless Visa Solutions – BLS International Services Limited
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Technology Innovation – GRN Connect Private Limited
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Travel Collaboration + Media Publicity – LinkIN REP Pvt Limited
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Exceptional Conferencing – ALPCORD Network Travel and Conferencing
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Hospitality Excellence – ACCOR Hotels
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King of Heritage – SHRI JI HUZUR Dr Lakshyaraj Singh
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Pioneer Luxury Destination – TRAV N TOURS INTL
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Best Upcoming Destinations – I LOVE JAPAN
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Skybound Excellence – BIRD GROUP
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Innovative Hotel Management – MINOR Hotels
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Excellence in Destination Management – TRAVSTARZ Holidays & Destination Pvt Ltd
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Global Luxury Hospitality Sales – Outbound Marketing Pvt Ltd
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Asia’s Visionary DMC Leader – TRAVBULLZ India Pvt Ltd
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North East Hospitality – AIR IQ
The evening awards included:
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Iconic Excellence in Aviation – Indigo
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Iconic International Airline – Emirates
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Iconic Luxury Hospitality – Oberoi Hotels & Resorts
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Iconic Green Hospitality – ITC Hotels Limited
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Iconic Business Hotels – Sarovar Hotels Private Limited
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Iconic Luxury Vodka of 2025 – Kashmyr (Radico Khaitan)
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Iconic International Destination – Georgia – Thinks Stawberries
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Iconic International Destination Management Companies – Classic Destinations – Sri Lanka
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Iconic Global Visa Services – VFS
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Iconic Industry Technology – AMADEUS India
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Iconic Luxury Lifestyle Cart – Redberyl Lifestyle Services
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Iconic Work Culture Curator – INTERGLOBE Air Transport Limited
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Iconic Leader in Customer Satisfaction and Industry Excellence – Vinay Malhotra
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Iconic Hospitality Trailblazer – Meena Bhatia
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Iconic Leader Hospitality Consulting – Rajdev Bhattacharya
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Iconic Technology Innovator – Mr. Rajesh Magow
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Iconic Music Maestro – Ms. Radhika Chopra
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ICONIC Cultural Dance Maestro – Dr. Navina Jafah
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Iconic Visionary in Environmental Sustainability – Dr. Ruby Makhija
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ICONIC Pulmonologist – Dr. Vivek Nangia
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ICONIC Trailblazer in Indian Fashion – Ms. Kavita Bhartia
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ICONIC Culinary & Flavour Artist – Ms. Maryam Reshii
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ICONIC Trailblazing Paralympian – Mr. Pranav Soorma
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ICONIC Youngest Person to Climb Mt. Everest & Mt. Lhotse GW – Mr. Arjun Vajpai
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Iconic Advocate for Change – Mr. Keshav Suri
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Iconic Pioneer in Cruises – Gautam Chadha
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ICONIC Literary Legacy – Dinesh Nandini Dalmia
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ICONIC Master of Culinary Craft – Chef Suvir Saran
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ICONIC Customer Service in Car Rental – Deneb Pollux
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ICONIC Beacon of Brilliance 2025 – Dr. Jyotsna Suri
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ICONIC Changemaker of Tourism 2025 – Mr. Suman Billa
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ICONIC Lifetime Achievement Award – Mr. K.B. Kachru
Key Quotes:
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister said, “Tourism is one of the strongest pillars of India’s growth story, and forums like ICONIC 2025 are vital in shaping its future. I would like to appreciate Mrs. Jyoti Mayal for her consistent efforts and leadership in taking the tourism industry forward and creating opportunities for its sustainable development.”
Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa said, “India stands at the cusp of a tourism revolution driven by sustainability, digitalization, and inclusivity. Platforms like ICONIC 2025 are vital in building a roadmap for a globally competitive tourism sector.”
Mugdha Sinha, MD, ITDC said, “Tourism today is not just about destinations, but about creating meaningful journeys that enrich communities and cultures. Recognitions like ICONIC 2025 motivate us to innovate further and make India a global benchmark in hospitality.”
Suman Billa, IAS, Ministry of Tourism said, “India has immense potential to become one of the world’s most preferred tourism hubs. Events such as ICONIC 2025 highlight the visionaries who are working tirelessly to strengthen the sector.”
Jyoti Mayal, CEO of Redhat Communications & Chairperson, Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council said, “ICONIC 2025 is not just an event, it is a collective movement that brings together industry leaders, innovators, and policymakers to shape the future of tourism and hospitality.”
Raktim Das, Chief Growth Officer, TV9 Network said, “We are proud to partner with Redhat Communications for ICONIC 2025. At TV9, we believe in amplifying powerful narratives, and this summit exemplifies the spirit of innovation and collaboration in the tourism sector.”
ICONIC 2025 concluded with sessions and awards that provided a platform where ideas met opportunities and contributions were recognized globally.
