The Hindu Business Line : IATO to meet in Hyderabad

THE Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), the apex body of tour operators comprising over 4,000 members, is planning to hold a four-day national convention in the city from April 27.

The annual conclave, scheduled to be held at the Ramoji Film City, is expected to be attended by representatives of various segments associated with the tourism industry, Mr Maharaj I.S. Wahi, the IATO President, told presspersons here on Thursday.

The 19th edition of the convention would focus on the South as a tourist destination. "Of the 1,300-odd delegates, 500 would be from the South," Mr Wahi said, adding that the meet would discuss issues related to the industry.

Ms Chandana Khan, Secretary (Tourism), Government of Andhra Pradesh, said tourism, for long, had been North-centric in the country, due to the focus on destinations in and around the national capital. "South has not been marketed adequately for years.

This time around, the IATO has decided to focus on the South and selected Hyderabad to hold this year's convention,'' she said.

"The tour operators, through, have been pressing for a uniform tax regime in the South so as to make things easy for them,'' she added.

She hoped that the State governments in the South would sort out issues like these to promote tourism in the region.

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