NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Tourism has expedited efforts to boost tourism in the southern states. As part of this initiative, a mega conference of South Indian tourism ministers is scheduled to take place in Visakhapatnam next week. The meeting will be chaired by Union Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, with Minister of State for Tourism Suresh Gopi also in attendance.According to officials, the ministers from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Puducherry, and the Administrator of Lakshadweep are expected to attend the conference, alongside senior officials from their respective departments. The meeting is proposed for 9th September.Officials said the meeting would be a significant step towards boosting tourism in the southern region, fostering collaboration, and driving growth.Earlier in August, the newly appointed Director General (D-G) of the Ministry of Tourism, Mugdha Sinha, held deliberations with stakeholders in Chennai.The Southern Regional Office of the Ministry brought together tourism stakeholders for a productive meeting with senior officials, officials added.Several representatives from various prominent organisations functioning in the tourism sector attended the meeting with Sinha to discuss matters related to the holistic development of the tourism industry in the south.Representatives from the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI), and Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), along with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and Guide Associations, were part of the meeting.Officials said the primary objectives of the initiative were to explore innovative solutions to drive growth and overcome bottlenecks faced by various stakeholders.With the aim of drawing more footfall to tourism destinations in the southern region, the ministry has approved several projects under different schemes such as Swadesh Darshan 2.0 and Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) for the promotion and all-round development of tourist sites.In Tamil Nadu, ‘Mamallapuram’ and ‘The Nilgiris’ have been selected for development, with the Government sanctioning Rs 30.02 crore for an “immersive experience at Shore Temple”. The ‘Challenge Based Destination Development (CBDD)’, a sub-scheme under Swadesh Darshan 2.0 for the holistic development of destinations to enhance tourist experience, has identified ‘Thanjavur’ and ‘Rameswaram Island’ in the state.The ministry has sanctioned a project for the development of amenities at Sri Chamundeshwari Devi Temple at a cost of Rs 45.71 crore in Karnataka. Additionally, two sites have been identified for the development of Renuka Yellamma Temple and Papnash Temple.Under the same scheme, the project for ‘Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narsimha Swamy Vari Devasthanam at Simhachalam’ was sanctioned at a cost of Rs 54.04 crore in 2022-23. The Ministry has also sanctioned three projects each under its Swadesh Darshan and PRASAD schemes in the state of Telangana.
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