Indian Tour Operators convention in Visakhapatnam from Sept 6

Vijayawada: The 34th annual convention of Indian Association of Tour Operators will be held in Visakhapatnam from September 6 to September 9. Minister for Tourism Bhuma Akhila Priya said that the convention would help for the development of tourism sector in the State.

Speaking to media persons here on Tuesday, she said that nearly 1,100 tour operators across the country would attend the meet. The government made special arrangements for tour operators to visit tourist destinations in the State.

The convention would attract international tourists to the State and   Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and several ministers would attend the inaugural session, the minister said.  She has said that there are numerous tourist destinations in the state which has 975 km sea coast, beautiful hill stations, temples and medical tourism centres.

The State government is taking steps to make the State as tourism hub in the country.  Akhila Priya has said that there are a number of tourist attractions in the surroundings of Araku and they would be given widespread publicity through the forthcoming convention which would give an exposure to AP tourism in foreign countries. Indian Association of Tour Operators president Pronab Sarkar has said that the convention will further increase the international and domestic tourist arrivals to AP.

The development of tourism sector would boost economic growth and create new jobs. He recalled that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu extended support to conduct similar conventions in Hyderabad in 1997 and 2003. The IATO vice-president Rajiv Mehra, Tourism Department Director Himanshu Shukla and other officials were present.