Keeping in view the importance of ‘Regional Tourism’, Andhra Pradesh hosted a Southern Tourism Minister’s Summit in Hyderabad. State chief minister Chandra Babu Naidu, himself inaugurated this meeting and stated that South India would soon become a tourism hub if the potential of all the southern states was fully exploited. "Tourism is not just for the higher class. There is a need to develop tourism packages of international standard for middle class tourists," he said. He assured that various initiatives are being taken by Andhra Pradesh in this direction. He said he had been discussing the possibility of an open sky policy with the central government and emphasised that once this policy was in place, it could work wonders towards connecting southern states to key inbound tourism generating markets. He also stressed the need to develop ancillary sectors such as air, rail and roadways better hotels, quality travel agents, tour operators and most importantly to develop enough human resource required to service this mammoth industry.

This conference was attended by most of the southern tourism ministers ie Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Pondicherry along with senior tourism officers from the union territories of Andaman Nicobar and Lakshadweep. To bring in synergy to this convention, participants from the tourism industry and stakeholders were also invited to attend.

T Srinivasa Yadav, state tourism minister, said that there is a clear shift in the trend towards regional tourism. He stated that a single tourism destination, can be evolved by interlining Karnataka’s wildlife and heritage tourism, Kerala’s backwaters, temples of Mahabalipuram and Buddhist sites of Andhra Pradesh. Professor K V Thomas, tourism minister for Kerala, proposed the formation of a ‘South India Tourism Council’ and stated that although it was important to pay attention to each of the individual states in the promotion and development of tourism, it would yield better results if complimented by a collective and coordinated effort. Lakshamarayana, tourism minister for Pondicherry, supported this idea and wanted the inclusion of Yanam in the proposed interstate circuit.

Other important matters such as road taxes and a circular tourist train were also discussed. It was then decided that these issues had to be worked out in consultation with concerned departments such as the ministries of transport and finance both at the central and the state levels in order to arrive at a consensus. The matter with regard to the circular train would also be developed further in consultation with the states and central government.

Some of the matters resolved at this meeting include:

• a. In order to encourage and assist the development and marketing of the southern states, efforts have to be made in a uniform manner for which a body called SITCON needs to formulated. This idea was unanimously accepted. The Andhra Pradesh department of tourism conveyed its acceptance to host the council in Hyderabad. It was agreed in principal that if Tamil Nadu does not agree to host the event, it would then be established by the Andhra Pradesh government with its minister for tourism and culture as its chairman for their initial year.
• b. Motor vehicle tax for all India vehicles/contract carriages to be brought up to par with Kerala. Power of seizing tourist vehicles should be withdrawn from transport officials and demanding of names of tourists travelling in the vehicles to be dispensed with. The government of India must be approached to repeal the service tax of eight per cent imposed in the recent budget on tourist transport operators.
• c. The department of tourism, government of Andhra Pradesh in a collaboration with Indian Railways may formulate a circular train of eight to ten days duration covering all the southern states.
• d. All the Southern states will jointly approach the Government of India for the implementation of an ‘Open Sky Policy’ for South India.
• e. The ministry of tourism, government of India, would be approached for financing the international marketing and promotional efforts of the state government in addition to infrastructure development.

The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks by Chandana Khan, secretary for tourism and culture, government of Andhra Pradesh, but not before the secretary for tourism, government of Karnataka, announced that it had reduced its luxury tax to 10 per cent and would be happy to host the next year ministers’ conference in Bangalore.

L-R: Chandana Khan, secretary tourism and culture, Chandrababu Naidu, chief minister, government of AP, Srinivas Yadav, minister for tourism and culture, government of AP, professor K V Thomas, minister for tourism, government of Kerala, Lakshmnarayana, minister for tourism, government of Pondicherry