SHOWCASING CULTURE: Artistes presenting `Andhram' at the inaugural session of India Travel Congress in Hyderabad on Friday. — Photo: Mohd. Yousuf

HYDERABAD: Hyderabad is developing into a hub to connect North, East, West and South India, according to State Tourism Minister J. Geeta Reddy. She said the Southern Splendour (South India by train) would become a reality soon. Andhra Pradesh would unite the South while forging ahead as a gloriously ancient and glamorously new destination.

Inaugurating the four-day `India Travel Congress', the 55th convention and exhibition of the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), here on Friday, she showcased Andhra Pradesh and Hyderabad for the participants who came in from across India, from Pochampalli sarees to Kuchipudi dance, the Buddhist tourism circuit to pearls and biryani of Hyderabad.

Union Minister for Woman and Child Welfare Renuka Choudhary said unless issues such as terrorism and outbreaks of diseases were tackled, the going would not be smooth for the growth of the tourism industry.

While India was poised for growth, New Delhi could not continue to be the hub for every major activity. While other cities needed to upgrade infrastructure and with world-class facilities, Hyderabad was becoming a much-sought after destination for business, or leisure travel or for medical tourism, Ms. Choudhary said.

Prominent among others present were Tourism Ministers Yashodhara Raje Scindia (Madhya Pradesh) and Brijmohan Agarwal (Chhattisgarh).

Dinesh A. Keskar, senior vice-president, Boeing, explained how future Boeing aircraft were being designed for point-to-point and non-stop travel. He said India was becoming an important market for aircraft manufacturers and for those involved in the travel and tourism industry.

While C.V. Prasad, Chairman of the congress, welcomed the gathering earlier, TAAI president Ashwini Kakker said travel agents were turning into consultants from being mere ticket booking agents earlier.

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