Date:27/09/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/09/27/stories/2004092706740400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

State needs a strategy to promote tourism

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, SEPT. 26. The Chief Secretary, Mohan Kanda, has said that improvement of the existing infrastructure would boost the tourism sector in Andhra Pradesh, which was becoming a tourist destination.

Speaking at World Tourism day celebrations here on Sunday, Mr. Kanda said private participation had ensured a big leap for the sector in the last couple of years. Public-private participation in the sector would throw open employment opportunities, he said.

Rural and Eco tourism

Mr. Kanda said development of tourism would provide scope for additional creation of job opportunities and enhance the economic well-being of the State. Rural tourism and eco-tourism were the buzzword these days and Andhra Pradesh Tourism had realised their potential, he said.

The Tourism Secretary, S. P. Singh, said socio-economic development of rural areas was possible if their tourism potential was properly tapped. Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh were competing in terms of domestic and foreign tourists; Andhra Pradesh has witnessed an increase of 24 per cent in the tourist arrivals in the last year, he said.

He said the Government was laying emphasis on improving the infrastructural facilities and stressed the need to fill the critical gaps to develop tourism in a big way. He said the immediate requirement was a proper strategy to promote Andhra Pradesh as the tourist destination and called upon the private sector to put together its resources.

Awards presented

The Chief Secretary gave away the Andhra Pradesh Tourism excellence awards for 2003-2004. The Best 4 Star category hotel (Hyderabad region) went to Green Park. For the Vijayawada region, the honours went to D.V. Manor. In the 3 Star category (Hyderabad region 1), Fortune Katriya hotel won the award. The award for the same category in Nellore and Visakhapatnam regions were bagged by D.R. Uttama Hotel and Green Park respectively.

The other awards include: Best tourist guide (Suryakant Sambrani and R.N.L. Sharma), best restaurant in Hyderabad (Utsav), best restaurant in Visakhapatnam (Tycoon and Heritage), best eco-tourism project (Dhola-ri-Dhani and Pragati resorts, and best travel agent and tour operator (Imprint travels and Royal Travels).

Travel writing award

The award for travel writing went to Dr. P. Siva Shankar Reddy (English), Uday Bhanu and Mamata (Telugu) and Hindi Milap (Hindi). `Adab Hyderabad' won the best film award in Hindi while the Best English Film award went to `Virtual Virtue.' Kondapalli won the award in Telugu. The best poster design award was bagged by Touchstone advertising private limits, Associated advertising and Centum advertising and marketing.

The Director, Tourism, Sabyasachi Ghosh, and the Managing Director of Andhra Pradesh Travel and Tourism Development Corporation, C. Anjaneya Reddy, attended.