VISAKHAPATNAM: More than 1,000 tourism stakeholders from across the country will converge on Visakhapatnam for the 41st annual convention of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), which begins on Thursday, with a focus on expanding India’s inbound tourism and positioning AP on the international tourism map.
The three-day convention, being held from September 10 to 12 under the theme ‘India - The World’s Next Tourism Opportunity’. The convention will be inaugurated by Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Thursday.
Addressing a curtain-raiser in Vizag on Wednesday, Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh said the government was focusing on responsible and eco-friendly tourism while seeking to position AP as an international tourism destination.
He stated the government had attracted tourism investments worth Rs 20,000 crore over the past two years. In Vizag alone, 16 tourism projects worth Rs 5,529 crore have been approved, with the projects expected to add 950 rooms and generate direct employment for about 10,000 people. He also announced concessions for tourism operators in AP to join IATO. The one-time admission fee of Rs 10,000, plus GST, will be waived for eligible State-based operators until December 31. The convention registration fee has also been reduced to Rs 3,000 for AP representatives, from up to Rs 8,500 for others.
He announced plans to develop tourism around the 2027 Godavari Pushkarams on a large scale, with the Rs 94.44-crore Akhanda Godavari project being expedited for completion before the event. “The government is exploring cruise and seaplane services and plans to expand homestays, with more than 850 people having expressed interest in setting up such facilities,” he said.
IATO president Ravi Gosain said Andhra Pradesh had a diverse tourism portfolio that remained largely unexplored by international travellers.
“Through this convention, we want to showcase these diverse tourism products and encourage our members across India to promote Andhra Pradesh in international markets,” he said. The inaugural ceremony will be held at 5 pm on Thursday at Novotel Visakhapatnam Varun Beach.