New Tourism Policy on the anvil : CM

Reiterating that the government  encourage investors to set up tourism projects in the State, Chief Minister K Rosaiah on Thursday stated the government would announce a new Tourism Policy with an attractive package of incentives to develop tourism on Sept 27 to mark the World Tourism Day.

Participating in the inauguration of Leonia International Centre for Exhibitions and Conventions along with Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, Mr Rosaiah congratulated G S Chakravarthi and his team for providing such integrated facility for promoting MICE Tourism in Hyderabad.

Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar said that Hyderabad has world class infrastructure where international conventions can be organised. She said that there is no other city in the country which can boast of these kind of infrastructure.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Leonia International Centre for Exhibitions and Conventions at Shameerpet on the outskirts of the city, Ms Kumar said that the culture of a place is among the most important factors to attract tourists and Hyderabadi culture is famous round the world since the days of the Nizams.

The Lok Sabha Speaker pointed out that Andhra Pradesh and Bihar have abundance of natural resources. She said that there is a need to successfully tap these natural resources.

Reminding the gathering that her late father immensely loved Hyderabad and had received immense love from the city, she said that she had inherited her love for the city from him.

Mr Rosaiah, during his speech stated that Andhra Pradesh has the 1st position in domestic tourism, and added that the state had received 15.75 crore domestic tourists and 79.52 lakh international tourists up to 2009.

Since tourism provides large-scale employment, he said there was every need to promote tourism sector in the state.

He said the government would establish two more Shilparamams at Sangareddy (Medak) and another in Khammam district to promote tourism.

The government also decided to promote medical tourism, film tourism, convention tourism and heli-tourism by developing all tourist spots and infrastructure facilities.

“We are also contemplating to develop a huge garden at Nagarjunasagar replicating the famous Brindavan Gardens at Mysore,” he said.

He said the state government has requested Government of India for introduction of Southern Splendour Luxury Tourist to cover major destinations of South India and promote rail based tourism in the State.

The Tourism Department will also be given more Police force to start the 'Tourism Police' in all the important tourism spots to ensure security to the tourists, he pointed out.

“The Water bodies at Jalayagnam Projects will be developed as tourist spots. We have also approved establishment of a Parking Plaza cum-Budget Hotel at Shilparamam in Hyderabad in two acres to overcome the acute parking shortage,” he stated.

Apart from urban tourist spots, the government would also develop rural tourism destinations --Kuchipudi, Etikopaka, Pemberthy, Dharmavaram, Nirmal and Srikalahasti.