The Hindu Business Line : `Southern Splendour' may hit the rails next year

Following the Union Government's approval, the tourism ministers of the four southern States are meeting here next month to discuss the project in detail.

According to the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Minister, Dr J. Geeta Reddy, a special purpose vehicle was created for implementation of the project, which would be funded through contribution from the four States to an extent of Rs 10 crore each.

The Centre had also given its nod for the ambitious Cruise Tourism project proposed by the State Government. The project envisages taking tourists in a luxury cruise liner from Visakhapatnam to Andamans via Chennai, the Minister said.

Stating that the Rs 40-crore project was the first of its kind to be set up on the East Coast, she said that it was proposed to be a joint venture between the private sector and the State and Central Governments. This project would also be implemented by 2006.

Following a spurt in the influx of foreign tourists into Andhra Pradesh since 2002 and keeping in view the forthcoming Asian Development Bank annual general body meeting in May 2006 and the "Kalachakra" Buddhists conclave in January 2006, the State Government had invited entrepreneurs to set up more star hotels in Hyderabad.

"We need 6,000 hotels rooms as against the existing 3,000 rooms in the State Capital", Dr Reddy told Business Line adding that the State Government was currently working out on a new tourism policy.

Explaining the need for doubling the number of hotel rooms, she said that 3,000 delegates were expected to take part in the ADB conference to be held in Hyderabad. Similarly, two lakh Buddhists, including their spiritual leader Dalai Lama, would be passing through the city to attend the Kalachakra conference at Amaravathi in the State.

The Minister said that major international travel agents, including Cox & Kings, were convinced about the tourist potential of the State following organisation of road shows and face to face interactions with tourists and tourist agents in foreign countries.

The AP Tourism Department took part in the Arabian Travel Mart in Dubai, World Travel Mart in London and the International Travel Bureau (ITB) in Berlin besides organising road shows in Rome during the last four years.

After the Minister's participation in ITB last week, three European groups, each comprising 16 members, have confirmed to visit the State as familiarisation tourists by the end of this month. The State Tourism Department would be hosting them.

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