The nominations are in 20 different categories.

They include Leading Hotel Award, Leading Tour Operator, Leading Travel Operator, Leading Game Reserve and National Park and Destination Promotion Individual Award, among others.

The council’s Executive Director Memory Momba Kamthuzi says the awards seeks to recognise the contribution organisations and destination play in promoting the sector.

Kamthuzi says the awards which are set for September 30 and will be presided over by Minister of Tourism Vera Kamtukule.

“The awards serve as a platform to celebrate and acknowledge outstanding contributions and achievements within the country’s tourism and hospitality sector through different categories of excellence. Voting is underway and open up until September 27 https://www.mtcmw.com/index.php/vote/ “said Kamthunzi.

Musicians Tay Grin and Faith Mussa, have been listed in the category of Destination Promotion Individual Award.

Allied Influencers of Destination nominated include William Kamkwamba, Madalitso Band, Shemu Joyah and Lake of Stars.

Napoleon Dzombe and Prophet Shepherd Bushiri have been nominated on Life Achievers Award.

The awards are running under the theme 'Promoting Competitiveness through Industry Excellence and Resilience.

Tourism sector employees about 600 000 people and contributes about 7.3 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product GDP.

It creates over 3 percent of total employment in Malawi of the nine percent of its population in labour workforce.