CM releases tourism brochures to be displayed in flight

Hyderabad, July 18 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy today released brochures of the tourism department to be displayed in Air India flight from Mumbai to New York.

Andhra Pradesh Tourism Department has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Air India for joint promotional activities in the new flight to be launched shortly.

Talking to newspersons, State Information and Public Relations and Tourism Minister Aanam Ramanarayana Reddy said the state government had taken up several measures to promote tourism in the state.

The Tourism department had proposed to initiate various promotional activities and it had been decided to name the first new aircraft after Andhra Pradesh as per the MOU.

He said the Air India would be adding 62 new state-of-the-art Boeing 777-200 aircraft, which would accommodate 250 passengers, to its existing fleet.

He said the Air India would give different name to each aircraft.

As per the MoU, the Government of Andhra Pradesh would have to spend Rs 24 lakh for one year contract. The printed tourism promotional material would be placed in each seat pocket, highlighting the tourism destinations, arts, crafts, cuisine, history and heritage of the state.

A film highlighting the state would also be screened on every trip of the aircraft.

He said the details of Andhra Pradesh with special emphasis on tourism would be announced while welcoming the passengers onboard the aircraft.

The Minister said with the growth in direct air connectivity to Hyderabad with various international destinations, the inflow of foreign and domestic tourist arrivals was also expected to increase.

He said the number of international tourists visiting the state increased to 6,69,617 last year from 67,147 in 2001 and the domestic tourists from 5.26 crore during 2001 to 11.17 crore in 2006.

The department had taken up projects worth Rs 1500 crore with the public-private partnership.

UNI