Tourism can put the State on the fast track mode of development and the government is keen on tapping the potential with the participation of private investors, opined the speakers at a regional investors meeting organised by the AP Chambers of Commerce and Industry Federation (APCCIF) in association with the AP Tourism Development Corporation Limited (APTDC) and AP Food Processing Society here on Friday.
APTDC Chairman V. Jayram Reddy said the government was extending several incentives to investors and appealed to the latter to make use of the same to come up with viable projects and contribute to the development of the State. He said the government has sanctioned Rs.500 crore for the development of the State. Projects worth Rs.200 crore have already been grounded and another Rs.300 crore worth of projects were expected to be taken up in the near future.
Mr. Reddy said the government had sanctioned Rs.70 crore for the development of beaches at Kakinada and Rs.60 crore for Nellore apart from Rs.40 crore for development of tourism at Amaravati. Underlining the need for quality food to attract international tourists, he said food processing and tourism go hand in hand. He called upon investors to look for options to set up hotels and resorts.
APTDC Managing Director M. Girija Shankar said the government was keen on developing Visakhapatnam as the nerve centre for tourism promotion in AP. The government would collect 2 per cent of land value as lease rent from the investor and was now ready to forego its share in the revenue unlike in the past. The investor-friendly move would enable investors to get better returns.
He briefed about the proposals floated for construction of star hotels at Rushikonda and Madhurawada, a multiplex and shopping zones and exclusive MICE centres in the city. He gave a PowerPoint presentation on the potential for development of various projects in the city and north Andhra.
Collector Pravin Kumar said tourism has a multiplier effect and the target for the district was to achieve double digit growth. The suggestions of the investors would be considered and their concerns addressed at the District Investment Promotion Council (DIPC) meetings.
K. Lakshmi Narayana,Chairman of Sub Committee on Tourism, P.P. Bhaskar Rao, general seceratary of AP chambers of Commerce and Industries, and president-elect G.Sambasiva Rao were present.
