VIJAYAWADA: The three-day India International Travel Exhibition (IITE), which kicked-off at Amaravathi Conventions here on Friday, showcased the best services in tourism, hospitality and transport sectors that India has to offer, on the inaugural day. Apart from Andhra Pradesh, which is the host state, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Goa and the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir are also taking part in the event.
On the occasion, Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) CEO Praveen Kumar spoke at length about how the new investment policy, set to be introduced soon, could prove a game-changer for the host state. “Since we have decided to change our investment policy from April, we are expecting more investors to show interest in the state.
As per the new policy, investors, unlike as per the current policy norms, need not have five years of experience in tourism to invest in the sector. Anyone who has the financial capability and interest to develop a certain tourist site will be welcomed. Apart from this, they can also come up with their private properties like hotels or resorts, or adopt a certain tourist destination and look after its development or enter into MoUs with the state government.”
“Our aim is to boost national tourism, especially during a time when the industry is facing setbacks due to the coronavirus outbreak. However, we felt this period to be the best to organise such an expo as summer vacations are approaching,” said organiser and director of IITE Anurag Gupta. The expo will conclude on March 1.