Evaluation of nominees from South India for South Asian Travel Awards (SATA) 2017 has begun on Wednesday.

The Chancery Pavilion, SATA’s Hospitality Partner for South India, is currently hosting presentations by nominees from the southern part of India.

Judging for SATA 2017 began in Maldives last week, followed by evaluation from Sunday to Tuesday of the properties nominated from Sri Lanka.

After the evaluation in the Indian IT hub of Bangalore conclude on Sunday, Udman Hotels and Resorts by Ferns N Petals in Indian capital New Delhi, which has been appointed as the Hospitality Partner for North India, will host presentations by nominees from North India from August 27-29.

Nominees from Nepal and Bhutan will give their presentations from August 29-31 at Hotel Mulberry in Nepalese capital Kathmandu, which has been appointed as the Hospitality Partner for Nepal.

More than 414 nominations from the Maldives, India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal 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 grand gala of SATA 2017 will be held in the southernmost Maldivian atoll of Addu from October 27-28.

SATA has earlier announced the partners of this year’s edition, including:

• Platinum Partner: Ooredoo Maldives
• Gold Partner: Hawks Private Limited
• Silver Partner: Male Aerated Water Company and Asia Forwarding
• Official Host: Equator Village
• Hospitality Partner for Maldives: Champa Central Hotel
• Hospitality Partner for South India: The Chancery Pavilion
• Hospitality Partner for North India: Udman Hotels and Resorts by Ferns N Petals
• Hospitality Partner for Sri Lanka: Ramada Hotel
• Hospitality Partner for Nepal: Hotel Mulberry
• Travel Media Partner: Maldives Insider and The Islandchief
• Online Media Partner: Sun Online
• TV Partner: Maldives TV
• Travel Partner: MVHotels
• Videography Partner: Visual Beams from NERN Private Limited
• Photography Partner: Digital Studio
• Auditing Partner: Crowe Horwath Maldives

Launched last year by Maldives-based event management company Highrise, SATA has been endorsed by regional tourism authorities and organisations, including the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Sri Lanka (FCCISL), Colombo Chamber of Commerce (CCC), Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO), Confederation of Associated Tour Operators (India), Association of Travel Agents (ATA) Maldives, Association of Travel and Tour Operators India (ATTOI), Association of Professionals in Tourism (APT, India), Kerala Hotel General Managers Club (KHGMC), Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and Liveaboard Association of Maldives (LAM).

SATA is the first ever regional travel awards endorsed by multi national associations, providing the tourism sector of the South Asian region with recognition towards their facilities and service excellence. It aims to encourage and raise service standards in the region’s tourism industry.

The awards’ first edition, which wrapped up with a gala ceremony at the iconic Mount Lavinia Hotel in Sri Lanka, saw an overwhelming support with more than 260 nominations. Major travel media organisations, including Maldives Insider, Asian Traveller, Asian Geographic, Asian Diver and Floating Asia were appointed as media partners of SATA 2016.