VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh bagged the award for the best Tourism Policy in the country. The award was presented during a virtual event held on Tuesday, September 28, 2021. The awards were instituted by the Tour and Travels Association (TTAA).
Speaking on the occasion, Special Chief Secretary, YAT&C Dr Rajat Bhargava congratulated the other award winners and State tourism department officials. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has a great vision to realise the huge tourism potential of the state, he said and added that it is yielding results. Rajat Bhargava said the tourism sector is one of the key growth engines of the state economy and an important avenue of employment generation.
Describing AP Tourism Policy as a path-breaking one, he said it was drafted considering the ever-changing nature of tourism, strengths and advantages of the state and the interests of large-scale and small-scale investors.
Under the policy, 11 themes — Rural Tourism, Heritage Tourism, Buddhist Tourism, Eco-Tourism, Beach & Water Tourism, Recreation & Adventure Tourism, Religious Tourism, Cuisine Tourism, Wellness Tourism, MICE Tourism and Medical Tourism — have been introduced to provide a quality experience to the tourists visiting the state. The incentives proposed are some of the best in the industry and will attract both large-scale and small-scale investments, Bhargava said.