Date:19/05/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/05/19/stories/2005051903630500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Promote rural tourism: Minister

Staff Reporter

`Focus should be on employment generation too'

HYDERABAD: The Minister for Tourism, J. Geeta Reddy, has said that rural tourism too should be developed with employment generation opportunities.

At a review of the planning and implementation of tourism-related activities here on Tuesday, she said all efforts should be made to increase the number of domestic/international tourist arrivals in the State.

Ms. Reddy asked officials to complete identification of land for construction of budget hotels in the district, complete signages, prepare and implement internal tourism circuits in the district and upgrade basic infrastructure facilities, while effectively promoting district tourism festivals.

The Director-Tourism, Sabyasachi Ghosh, said focussed tourism master plans needed to be prepared for every district to achieve promotional targets.

He also advised District Tourism Officers to identify projects and give them over to private entrepreneurs under Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) mode.