HP Tourism Excellence Awards — ₹1 Lakh Cash Prize per Category

The HP Tourism Excellence Awards are the Government of Himachal Pradesh's yearly recognition for the people and businesses that shape tourism in the state. They were set up under the Tourism Policy 2019 and are delivered through Startup Himachal, with the Department of Industries as the administering body.

Instead of backing one venture at a time, the awards survey the whole sector for work that stands out — new businesses, pioneering projects and well-kept tourism assets alike. The categories reach entrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs, startups, innovative tourism projects, ICT-enabled tourism projects, and the Swachhta Puraskar for the best-maintained tourism assets. Hotels, tour operators, agents, guides, adventure tour-operators and home-stays all fall within the pool.

Every category carries a ₹1 lakh cash prize. For most winners, though, the more valuable outcome is official recognition from the state government, which validates their work in front of policymakers, industry peers and the travelling public, and opens doors to the networks that matter in Himachal Pradesh's tourism economy.

There is no fixed application window — entries are treated as rolling and always open, so applicants can put themselves forward at any point.

• ₹1 lakh cash prize in each award category
• Run by the Government of Himachal Pradesh under the Tourism Policy 2019
• Categories for entrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs, startups, and innovative or ICT-enabled tourism projects
• Open to hotels, tour operators, agents, guides, adventure tour-operators and home-stays
• Rolling applications — no fixed deadline
• Winners receive state government recognition plus industry networking

The awards are aimed at individuals and businesses active in Himachal Pradesh's tourism sector. The published categories are:

• Best Entrepreneurs in Tourism
• Best Lady Entrepreneurs in Tourism
• Best Start-ups in Tourism
• Most Innovative Tourism Projects
• Best ICT-enabled Tourism Projects
• Best-maintained Tourism Assets (Swachhta Puraskar)

Tourism service providers are also in scope, including hotels, tour operators, agents, guides, adventure tour-operators and home-stays.

The programme is sector-specific: it is built around tourism-focused activity in the state rather than businesses from unrelated industries. Applicants choose the category that matches their work and are judged against the criteria set for it under the Tourism Policy 2019.

No DPIIT or MSME registration requirement, turnover threshold, founder-age limit or particular entity type is stated in the programme details — eligibility is framed around the award category you enter.

HP Tourism Excellence Awards — ₹1 Lakh Cash Prize per Category is open to startups at any stage. It is open to startups registered anywhere in India.

HP Tourism Excellence Awards — ₹1 Lakh Cash Prize per Category accepts applications on a rolling basis — there is no fixed cut-off date, so eligible startups can apply at any time. Because rolling programmes can pause without notice, confirm the window is still open on the official site before you start.

Each awardee receives a ₹1 lakh cash prize.

Alongside the money comes formal recognition from the Government of Himachal Pradesh. That recognition is the real currency of an award like this: it builds credibility for a young venture, places a tourism business in front of policymakers and industry leaders, and delivers visibility that is difficult to buy.

Winners also gain networking opportunities — contact with industry leaders, government officials and potential collaborators — which can help a business grow well beyond the prize itself.

HP Tourism Excellence Awards — ₹1 Lakh Cash Prize per Category is offered by Department of Industries, Government of Himachal Pradesh (Startup Himachal), a government body. As a government-backed competition, it is publicly funded and open to eligible startups across India.

Entries are assessed by a dedicated selection committee made up of tourism-sector experts and representatives from the Government of Himachal Pradesh.

The committee weighs each application against the criteria laid down for its category, looking at how innovative the work is, the impact it has delivered, whether it is sustainable, and how far it reflects excellence in the state's tourism landscape.

In practice the journey runs through these steps:

• Review the eligibility and criteria for the category you plan to enter, as detailed in the Tourism Policy 2019 and its associated guidelines.
• Prepare your application, setting out your achievements, innovations and contributions, with project details, impact metrics and supporting documentation.
• Submit it through the designated portal or method used by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Department.
• Committee evaluation, in which all applications are reviewed against the predefined criteria.
• Award ceremony, where selected awardees are invited to collect their cash prize and formal recognition.

Shortlisted candidates or projects may go through additional evaluation before the final awardees are announced each year.

Before you apply to HP Tourism Excellence Awards — ₹1 Lakh Cash Prize per Category, keep the following documents ready:

• A pitch deck or short business plan describing the problem, product and traction
• Company registration documents and PAN
• Founder identification (PAN / Aadhaar) and brief profiles
• Recent financial statements or projections
• Product details — a demo, prototype or working link if available

Exact requirements are confirmed on the official application portal — treat this as a preparation checklist.

HP Tourism Excellence Awards — ₹1 Lakh Cash Prize per Category is best suited for startups in India seeking non-dilutive funding of ₹1L. If that describes your startup, review the eligibility criteria above before applying.