VISAKHAPATNAM: With the dropping of a cruise liner idea for the second time in a row to accommodate delegates attending the two-day CII Partnership Summit-cum-Sunrise Andhra Pradesh Investment Meet, the district administration has directed all the star hotels to block the rooms well in advance.
CII sources said 1,200 air-conditioned rooms in Novotel, Park, Four Points by Sheraton, Taj Gateway, Palm Beach, Grand Bay, Green Park and other hotels have been booked to accommodate the delegates.
2,000 delegates to take part
CII-AP Chairman G.S. Shiv Kumar told The Hindu that they received confirmation on participation of 2,000 delegates including 300 from abroad. Trade Ministers from Japan, the UAE, Ukraine and a few other countries are also participating. The arrival of the large number of VVIPs has also led to heightened security in the city.
The CII leadership had mooted the idea of holding the summit by hiring a cruise liner to accommodate all the delegates at one place.
The Novotel, the largest hotel located in the city on the beachfront, also does not have enough space for the purpose. However, the feasibility of deploying a cruise liner was found unviable.
Good location
The first Partnership Summit organised exactly a year ago was hosted by installing multiple AC hangars at the APIIC’s vacant site at sea-facing Harbour Park.
Since the view and the location are good, the same venue has been chosen this time also in consultation with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
“All rooms in our hotel are booked in advance for the delegates. In fact, there is no availability of rooms in any star category hotel in the city during January 26-28,” said Palm Beach General Manager and Hotel and Restaurant Association of AP general secretary Sandeep Reddy.
The hotel managements have also decided to colourfully illuminate their properties to roll out a red carpet to the guests, who include CEOs of Fortune 2000 companies and several billionaires.
The guest houses belonging to the government and the public and private sectors have been reserved for officials as a large contingent of bureaucrats from the Centre and various States is expected to take part.
