Visakhapatnam to Host 41st IATO National Convention

Andhra Pradesh is set to host the prestigious 41st National Convention of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) at Novotel, Visakhapatnam, from September 10 to 12. Speaking at a curtain-raiser press conference on Wednesday, State Tourism, Culture and Cinematography Minister Kandula Durgesh said the convention, themed “India – The World’s Next Tourism Opportunity”, will provide a major platform to showcase Andhra Pradesh as a global tourism destination. More than 1,000 representatives, including tour operators, tourism industry leaders, policymakers and entrepreneurs, are expected to participate. Union Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat will attend the inaugural programme as the chief guest, along with senior officials and tourism industry representatives.

The minister said the government is focusing on responsible and eco-friendly tourism and aims to leverage the convention to highlight the state’s coastline of more than 1,000 km, spiritual destinations, Araku Valley, tribal culture, Buddhist sites and natural attractions. The state has also announced incentives for local tourism stakeholders, including a waiver of the usual ₹10,000 plus GST one-time IATO admission fee for eligible Andhra Pradesh partners until December 31, 2026. The convention registration fee for state representatives has been reduced to ₹3,000. Six special post-convention tours will be organised on September 13 to showcase prominent tourist destinations. The government is also promoting Buddhist and temple circuits, including a dedicated North Andhra temple circuit, while 16 tourism projects worth ₹5,529 crore are planned in Visakhapatnam, expected to create around 10,000 direct jobs.