http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/39/Hyderabad_Montage.png/250px-Hyderabad_Montage.png

Hyderabad is the capital of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Located on the banks of the Musi River in the Deccan Plateau, the city is one of the largest in India with an area of 650 square kilometres (250 sq mi) and a population of 6.8 million, while the metropolitan area contains 7.7 million residents, making it the fourth most populous city and the sixth most populous urban agglomeration in the country. In 2008, the nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of Hyderabad was US$ 60 billion—ranking 4th in India and 93rd in the world.
Hyderabad city was established in 1591 CE by Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, whose dynasty lasted until 1658 when Mughal emperor Aurangzeb occupied Golconda Sultanate and the city became part of the Mughal empire's Deccan province. In 1724 Asif Jah I, a Mughal viceroy, declared his sovereignty and formed the Asif Jahi Dynasty, also known as the Nizams of Hyderabad. The Nizams ruled the princely state of Hyderabad for more than two centuries, under subsidiary alliance with the British Raj. The city remained the dynasty's capital from 1769 until 1948—when the Nizam signed an Instrument of Accession with the Indian Union following Operation polo. In 1956, the city was merged with Andhra State. Since 1969 Hyderabad is a major center of the Telangana movement, which demands a separate state for the Telengana region of Andhra Pradesh.
Situated on the crossroads of North and South India, the city has been noted for its unique culture. As the capital of the largest and richest Princely state of India, and with the patronage from Nizams, the city established local traditions in drama, art, theater, literature, architecture and cuisine. The city is a regular tourist destination and home to many places of interest, including the UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage site of Chowmahalla Palace, and other notable landmarks such as the Charminar and Golconda fort. Hyderabad is home to numerous museums, Bazaars, galleries, libraries, sporting events and other cultural institutions, including the Salarjung museum, Laad Bazaar, Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) and Shilpakala Vedika.
Hyderabad was once a global center of the diamond and pearls trade, for which it is known by the nickname as City of Pearls. Since 1990s, Hyderabad has emerged as a hub for the information technology, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology industries, alongside traditional and service industries. Hyderabad International Airport was adjudged the world's fifth best airport. Hyderabad's 13 universities and business schools form a major location for higher education and research among Indian and foreign students. The city is home to the Telugu film industry known as Tollywood. The city was expanded in 2007 and the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad came under the ambit of a single municipal unit, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. As a growing metropolitan city in a developing country, Hyderabad confronts substantial urban pollution, traffic congestion, poverty, overpopulation, and other logistic and socioeconomic problems.

Flexi package for tourists soon
(http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/article3511649.ece)
Providing a flexible option for tourists to spend more time at their favourite historic and tourist spots in the city, the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) is shortly launching hop-on and hop-off service.

A first-of-its-kind service in the city, it covers 12 historical and tourists venues, including Qutub Shahi tombs, Golconda Fort, Chowmahalla Palace, Snow world, Jal Vihar etc.

Under this service, tourists will be provided an opportunity to visit all the 12 identified spots or pick their favourite places to spend time. They will be given the option of picking nine, six or three venues and depending on the choice, the fare would be fixed.

FARE

Tourists would be taken in air-conditioned buses. While, the adult fare for visiting all the 12 places is Rs. 250, it is Rs. 225 for nine places, Rs.175 for six and Rs.100 for three places, APTDC authorities informed.

Guides would accompany tourists in the buses and the fare for this service excludes entry fee at the venues. Four exclusive buses will be operated under the service and they will be shuttling from 9 a.m to 10 p.m.

Two buses will be operated from Paryatak Bhavan, Begumpet to Qutub Shahi Tombs covering all the places, another two buses would be operated from the other direction. Tourists will have the convenience of boarding any bus that arrives at the venue.

Authorities are gearing up to launch the service shortly and have already constructed 10 exclusive bus shelters at different areas in the city. Tourists will have to board or alight buses at these bus shelters and visit the nearest venue. “All the modalities have been completed and hopefully the service would be launched in next week,” says APTDC Vice-chairman and MD Sandeep Kumar Sultania.

AP Tourism to build Buddhist style theme park & Hyderabad Eye (http://www.travelbizmonitor.com/ap-tourism-to-build-buddhist-style-theme-park--hyderabad-eye-16894):banana: :cheers:

Plans to offer higher commission to travel trade; conduct road shows in Pune, Nagpur, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi & London in two months

Andhra Pradesh (AP) which holds the numero-uno position in terms of attracting domestic travellers, has decided to further increase its tourist footfall, both domestic and international. Chandana Khan, IAS, Special Chief Secretary – Tourism, Government of Andhra Pradesh informed that the tourism department is planning to construct a Buddhist style theme park at Nagarjuna Sagar and a giant wheel called Hyderabad Eye on the lines of famous London Eye. Khan informed that there are plans to develop floating restaurants and a night bazaar near Charminar in Hyderabad. This information was revealed during a presentation at a road show held in Mumbai on June 27, 2012 for the travel trade.

A delegation of tourism officials and hoteliers which also included Sunita M Bhagwat, IFS, Additonal Chief (PMU), Youth Advancement, Tourism & Culture Department, Govt of AP participated in the event. The road show in Mumbai was part of the series of road shows called ‘Andhra Pradesh Tourism Interactive Meet’ planned by the tourism department across India this year. In the next two months similar road shows will be conducted in Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Nagpur and in London (July 12, 13, 14, 2012). “Our aim is to reach out to maximum number of travel agents and tour operators through the road shows and attract more tourists. In order to tap the international markets, we have conducted a road show in Dubai and will conduct road shows in London on July 12, 13 and 14, 2012. We have a state tourism budget of Rs 50 crore, and also funds to the tune of Rs 100 crore from the centre in form of various grants for tourism promotion,” stated Khan.

She said that while the state had good infrastructure, connectivity and good and relatively cheap accommodation, there was a shortage of good guides, a problem they were addressing by initiating training programmes for guides. “We are also planning to offer higher rate of commission to the travel trade,” revealed Khan. Among other initatives for tourism promotion, the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) has announced a tie-up with domestic airlines such as SpiceJet and Jet Airways for promoting Religious Tourism with a two-day package costing Rs 9,199. It includes flights, accommodation transportation and visits to Srikalahasti Temple, Sri Padmavathi Ammavari Temple, Srinivasa Mangapuram Temple, Venkateswara Swamy Temple. APTDC has also launched Andhra Pradesh Vacation Packages which comprises road-cum-river cruise, road-cum-rail, road-cum-sea retreat, road-cum-sea backwater cruise and temple package tour.

And so it is called Hyderabad Eye

Source Torontostart http://www.tonightnewspaper.com/pdf/3-200.pdf
Hyderabad, India one of the destination being chosen as TOUR PACKAGES
FOR ‘CHANGING LIVES’:banana:
FROM MEXICO AND MOROCCO TO ICELAND AND ITALY: 20 ITINERARIES THAT JUST MAY TRANSFORM YOU
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http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/9390/hydvisit.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/195/hydvisit.jpg/)

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AP plans festivals to boost tourism
(http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/hyderabad/ap-plans-festivals-boost-tourism-729)
The state will host dozens of fairs and cultural festivals throughout the year to promote domestic and international tourism. A high-level committee has finalised the itinerary for fairs and cultural festivals for the year in the three regions of the state from January to December. While Andhra and Telangana would have four festivals, Rayalaseema would have three festivals including the annual World Tourism Day celebrations.

While six festivals will be sponsored by the Centre, the expenses for the others would be met by the state government and organised by the tourism department.

Fairs & festivals planned
Lepakshi festival at Anantapur in August
World Tourism Day Sept. 27-29
Kakinada Beach festival in Oct. (3 days)
Araku festival Oct. 15-21
Rayalaseema food festival in Tirupati Oct. 16-30
Literary festival at Chittoor Nov. 10 and 11
Kakatiya festival in Warangal Nov. (last week)
Panagallu festival at Nalgonda Dec. 7-9
Hyderabad Carnival at Necklace Road, Dec. 21-27
Visakha Utsav at Vizag Dec. (last week)
Flamingo festival at Nellore Jan. 7-9
Taramathi festival at Golconda/Deccan Hyd Jan. 25-27.

You can add one more to that list.

News from CII Southern Region Council Meet:

Source: The Hindu Business Line (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/article3657980.ece)

Mr. G.V.Sanjay Reddy, Chairman of CII Southern Region, said.Speaking after their Council meeting here today, said that CII is planning to host
Festival of South India for the first time and Hyderabad could be chosen to host first such event. "We expect about 2,00,000 people to attend the event where art and culture will converge."

Public-Private Partnership mode ideal for tourism projects
(http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/economy/article3670016.ece)
HYDERABAD, JULY 22:
The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Minister, Mr Vatti Vasantha Kumar, has said that the Public-Private Partnership mode is the best way out to promote projects in the tourism sector.

Speaking after inaugurating the travel and tourism fair at Hitex here recently, he said that the sector has immense potential for employment and generating revenue.

The Travel and Tourism Fair is being held in Hyderabad for the 10th time and their 97{+t}{+h} edition in the country. The fair had participation from more than 160 exhibitors, represented by 17 Indian States and seven countries.

Representatives from Bhutan, Kenya, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Uzbekistan showcased the potential for tourism in their respective countries.

PARTNER STATE

Gujarat has come in as a partner State this year too. The states represented myriad of destinations and various facets of Indian tourism with each location known for its distinct flavour.

Besides decking up their stalls, some of States including the host State Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh are organising travel trade and media road shows to the three-day fair.

Among other participants are representatives from the hospitality sector including hotels and resorts, travel agents, tour operators, cruise lines, railways and travel portals.

Mr Sanjiv Agarwal, Chairman and CEO of Fairfest media, in a statement said platforms such as TTF act as booster shots for the travel and tourism industry at time when business sentiments and the overall outlook are depressed, reflecting the global economic conditions.

TRADE SHOW

About 10,000 visitors are expected to participate in the three-day trade show where people can visit and explore opportunities. The TTF is supported by the Ministry of Tourism, travel bodies such as Pacific Asia Travel Association and travel operators.

Andhra Pradesh showcased various tourism packages that visitors could enjoy in the State.

Focus on state tourism in Andhra Pradesh
(http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Focus-on-state-tourism-in-Andhra-Pradesh/articleshow/15093758.cms)
HYDERABAD: The state tourism department is focusing on strengthening its infrastructure and encouraging public-private partnerships in the state, said V Vasant Kumar, tourism minister of Andhra Pradesh while inaugurating the Travel and Tourism Fair in the city on Friday.

The event saw the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) sign an MoU with the travel website MakeMyTrip which will enable its users to view and book packages offered by APTDC online. A "Hop on hop off" city tour package too was launched for tourists not willing to opt for full-day city tour packages. This facility will be available at 13 bus stations across the city, and allow travelers to pick the spots they want to visit. The price of tickets will range between Rs 150 and Rs 250.

Speaking at the event Sandeep Sultania, vice chairman and managing director of APTDC said that the state also had plans to expand its tourism and hotel management institutes- the Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management, Nellore and State Institute of Hotel Management, Tirupati to increase the local manpower in the industry. He further said that a year-long schedule of special festivals had been planned to showcase AP's tourism hotspots.

The three-day event which is the 97th edition of the fair and the 10th in Hyderabad is being used as a platform to aggressively promote tourist attractions in the host state. The fair has 160 stalls from 19 Indian states and seven foreign countries including Bhutan, Kenya, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Uzbekistan.

Also present at the event were Chandana Khan, special chief secretary, tourism and Rajat Kumar, commissioner, tourism.

Now, a smart way to tour Hyderabad (http://ibnlive.in.com/news/now-a-smart-way-to-tour-hyderabad/277719-62-131.html) :banana:

Hyderabad: Navigating through the twin cities to visit the various historical monuments could be quite a task for tourists unfamiliar with the local language and routes. To make life easier for such visitors, the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation has tied up with Mojostreet, which provides location-based services. Under an agreement, Mojostreet Infomedia Services Private Limited, a Hyderabad-based company, will come up with a mobile application by August 15 and what more, it is free and can be downloaded into any of the smartphones.
“Mojostreet is a GPS-based mobile city guide, which provides details about tourist destinations, restaurants, ATMs, directions on Google Maps and contact numbers etc. Apart from this, users are entitled to freebies and discounts across 250 plus destinations in the State,” B Manohar, deputy general manager, APTDC, told City Express. The corporation will also use the application to get feedback from tourists and encourage them to share and recommend tourist destinations to friends through Facebook and Twitter apart from Mojostreet. “Tourists who visit and recommend 5 destinations will be rewarded with an all paid package by the corporation. Tourists who visit 10 or more destinations would be rewarded with 2 all paid tour packages,” Manohar explained.

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Some of the destinations selected as part of these packages are Araku, Anantagiri, Rishikonda Beach, Jungle Bells, Horsley Hills, Dindi, Kurnool Bellam Caves, Srikalahasti, Taramati Baradari, Anantagiri (Vikarabad) etc. Mojostreet Infomedia has been working on this project for over a year and a half. “We are mainly into developing mobile apps. But considering the tourism opportunities in the State, we have been working since the inception of the company on this project. We are working out on feedback and requirements of tourists based on the information with the APTDC and the application will be ready for download by August 15,” said Kalyan Manyam, CEO, Mojostreet Infomedia Services Pvt Ltd.

ITDC office shifted in Hyderabad (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/travel/article3836360.ece)

HYDERABAD, AUG. 29:
The office of India Tourism Development Corporation, a Government of India Undertaking: Ashok Travels and Tours, Hyderabad, has been shifted from Gagan Vihar Building, M.J. Road, Nampally to Tourism Plaza, Balayogi Paryatak Bhavan, Begumpet.

The State Tourism Minister Vatti Vasantha Kumar, recently inaugurated the office. The office offers services relating to travel requirements of all Government organisations including ministries and public sector undertakings, private organisations and individuals.

The services include international and domestic air ticketing, tour packages, transport provisions and event management, and facilitation, according to a statement.

fBOZUkIxb7U

Andhra Pradesh beckons Karnataka tourists (http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/karnataka/andhra-pradesh-beckons-karnataka-tourists/article3923487.ece)

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The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Department held a road show here on Friday to popularise wide range of tourism destinations in that State.

Special Chief Secretary to the Andhra Pradesh government, Tourism and Culture, Chandana Khan told presspersons on Friday the department was now eyeing tourists from south India, particularly Karnataka.

She said the department was especially keen on wooing the IT crowd in the city to tourism spots in that State, which, she claimed, was ranked no. 1 in domestic tourism. She said Hyderabad had been awarded the Best Heritage City tag by the Government of India.

Ms. Khan said apart from the well-known destinations such as Tirumala-Tirupati and Penukonda, the State wants to promote relatively little known and less visited spots.

“We have introduced two new package tours,” she said. The first one will start from here and cover Lepakshi, Veerapuram, Thimmamma Marrimanu, Yogi Vemana Memorial, Kadiri Lakshmi Narasimhaswami temple, Puttaparthi, Nimmalakunta, Dharmavaram, Kumbhakarna Gardens and Penukonda Fort before returning to Bangalore.

The second package tour conducted from Hyderabad will cover destinations such as Pillalamarri, Alampur, Orvakal, Mahanandi, Ahobilam, Belum Caves and Yaganti before returning to Hyderabad.

Executive Director of Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) Sumit Singh said the corporation had joined hands with Jet Airways to launch an air package tour from Hyderabad, ‘Lord Balaji Darshan’, which offers a trip from Hyderabad to Tirumala-Tirupati and back at a cost of Rs. 9,199. This package may also be extended to Horsley Hills soon.

Ms. Khan said they were planning an exclusive tour for the IT crowd in the city covering weekend getaways such as Horsley Hills which offers adventure sports activities.

She said they were also planning an integrated circuit tour, covering various destinations in south India.

Old City rejoices as footfalls rise (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Old-City-rejoices-as-footfalls-rise/articleshow/16745572.cms)

HYDERABAD: With the city playing host to several foreign delegates for CoP-11, many tourist attractions here are recording good footfalls and better revenue. Officials from various tourist spots such as Golconda Fort, Chowmahalla palace, Charminar and Shilparamam have noted a significant rise in the number of foreigners.

Shop owners at Charminar too have a reason to rejoice as delegates visiting the monument are also purchasing items like lac bangles and attar. Many bangle stores in Laad Bazaar and owners of stores selling attar and surma reported a considerable rise in sales stating that these typical Hyderabadi items have generated huge interest among the foreigners.

The hallmarks of the city's history, Charminar and Golconda Fort have been the most visited places so far by the foreign delegates and the brightly-lit structures have reportedly appealed to many who are even queuing up for second visits. "Every delegate seems to be awestruck by the beauty of Charminar, Golconda Fort and also Chowmahalla Palace which are illuminated in the evening. These places are included in the daily evening tour for which around 50 members turn up daily and many have come more than once," said an APTDC official, who is manning the travel desk at CoP-11 venue.

He further added that full day tours covering State Fine Arts Gallery, Salar Jung Museum, Birla Mandir, Mecca Masjid, Lumbini Park and Ramoji Film City are among other attractions and overnight weekend trips to Nagarjuna Sagar, Srisailam, Warangal, Ananthagiri Hills and Pochampally too are being received well by the delegates.

Officials at these tourist spots reported a notable rise in the number of visitors. "Our daily average footfall has increased by at least 30 per cent with the number of foreigners visiting the place going from around 25 to nearly 50 in a day and this has resulted in increased revenue too," said Kishan Rao, director of Chowmahalla Palace, adding that he is expecting the figures to rise further in the coming week and that a special event has been planned on Saturday for 250 delegates. Shilparamam too witnessed around 1000 visitors last weekend and officials said that the numbers are steadily increasing leading up to the next weekend.

However, Salar Jung Museum seems to be missing out on the action due to its early closing time on weekdays. Although the closing time on weekends has been extended to 8 pm, it remains 5 pm on weekdays resulting in the museum's exclusion from the daily evening tour. But officials remained hopeful for the coming days. According to officials, several Japanese and Korean delegates even left a comment in the feedback form saying 'Dhanyavaadam'.

Tourists come away impressed (http://postnoon.com/2012/10/16/tourists-come-away-impressed/80491)

The City of Nizams has several attractions to boast of — monuments that are testimony of Hyderabad’s rich culture, the Nizami tehzeeb, mouth-watering delicacies, the IT hub and not to forget the pearl stores that abound here. If anything, the City is a dream for tourists.

“Charminar is definitely the star attraction for me in the City. The perfect mix of old world charm and modern technological parks in Hyderabad is impressive. Besides, the people here are very helpful,” smiles Yousuf, a tourist from Oman.

Katherine from UK couldn’t agree more. “People here are very friendly, which is not the case in London. But the City is extremely noisy. The last time I visited Bangalore, I couldn’t come here, so this time I had to visit the City. Walking around visiting the tombs and other architectural marvels are a pleasure and not to forget the scrumptious biryani,” she says.

The only problem, tourists complain about are beggars who constantly hound them. On the whole though, the City seems to have worked its charm on the foreign delegates and tourists.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/travel/Hyderabad-is-worlds-3rd-best-city-to-visit-in-2013/articleshow/16912825.cms
Hyderabad is world’s 3rd best city to visit in 2013
Hyderabad has been named as one of the best cities in the world to visit next year by travel guide book Lonely Planet. :banana::cheers:

The Indian city has been described by Lonely Planet as "elegant and blossoming", News.com.au reported.

Lonely Planet's Top 10 Cities for 2013 are:

San Francisco

Amsterdam

Hyderabad :banana:

Derry/Londonderry

Beijing

Christchurch

Hobart

Montreal

Addis Ababa

Puerto Iguazu

Last Heritage hurdle for city monuments (http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/hyderabad/last-heritage-hurdle-city-monuments-035)

Source: DC (http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/hyderabad/last-heritage-hurdle-city-monuments-035)

The main advisory committee (Heritage structure experts) of the International Council of Monuments and Sites (Icomos) is scheduled to visit Hyderabad again on October 31 for the final scrutiny of the Charminar, Golconda and Qutub Shahi Tombs before they are given the UNESCO World Heritage monument tag. This was revealed by the department of Archaeology and Museums.

The advisory body, along with Indian Heritage experts from Delhi, will arrive in Hyderabad on October 31 and remain in the city till November 3 for inspection purposes, said the officials.

“The suggestions given by the advisory committee of UNESCO have been taken seriously and implementation has already begun. The department has also removed small rocks and structures from around the tomb, said Mr G.V Ramakrishna Rao, archaeology department director.

Here's the what Lonely Planet (http://www.lonelyplanet.com/themes/best-in-travel-2013/top-10-cities/) had to say about selecting Hyderabad:

Hyderabad was once the capital of a filthy-rich princely state. After India’s independence, the palaces and pleasure gardens were sold off, built over and looted, and you had to be really sharp to see the city’s beauty. But several palaces in Hyderabad’s Old City have recently been refurbished, including Falaknuma Palace, a seven-star hotel that was skilfully restored by the Taj Group and is now an exceedingly plush time capsule. Other monuments and buildings are being fixed up, but the city, and many of its architectural gems, are still off the radar – which keeps the masses at bay. Elegant and blossoming, but also weathered and undiscovered, Hyderabad’s Old City is ripe for exploration.

Lonely Planet's Hyderabad and Secunderabad (http://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/andhra-pradesh/hyderabad-and-secunderabad) Page

Hyderabad and Secunderabad, City of Pearls, was once the seat of the powerful Qutb Shahi and Asaf Jahi dynasties. Today Hyderabad’s west side is, with Bengaluru (Bangalore), the seat of India’s mighty software dynasty; ‘Cyberabad’ generates jobs, wealth and posh lounges like she was born to do it. Opulence, it would seem, is in this city’s genes

Across town from all this sheen is Cyberabad’s gorgeous and aged grandmother, the old Muslim quarter, with centuries-old Islamic monuments and even older charms. In fact, the whole city is laced with architectural gems (just like the garments of Asaf Jahi princesses threaded with gold): ornate tombs, mosques, palaces and homes from the past are tucked away, faded and enchanting, in corners all over town. Keep your eyes open.

Once an important centre of Islamic culture, Hyderabad is southern India’s counterpart to the Mughal splendour of Delhi, Agra and Fatehpur Sikri, and a sizeable percentage of Hyderabad’s population is Muslim. The city gracefully combines Hindu and Islamic traditions – while a strategically placed 17.5m-high Buddha looks on.

You’re likely to be taken aback by the chilled-out kindness of Hyderabadis, and many find the city delightful: lots to see and do with almost no hassle.

India’s Sleeping beauty awakes (http://www.silkroadbooksandphotos.com/books-hyderabad-deccan-a.html)

Source: Silk Road Books and Photos (http://www.silkroadbooksandphotos.com/books-hyderabad-deccan-a.html)

India’s ancient principality of Hyderabad was once a carnival of palaces, decadence and concubines by the thousand. Now the city is thriving again

Click on the link for more....

Tourism projects need to be fast-tracked: Chiranjeevi (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/travel/tourism-projects-need-to-be-fasttracked-chiranjeevi/article4137220.ece)

HYDERABAD, NOV. 26:
Union Tourism Minister K. Chiranjeevi on Monday expressed the need to fast-track the implementation of tourism projects and assured that he would clear the Vizag mega circuit for Central financial assistance.

Following a review of various tourism projects, including development of infrastructure to support tourist spots, here on Monday, he said that during the XI Five Year Plan, the Union Government released Rs 201 crore for 40 projects in Andhra Pradesh and in the first year of XII Plan, the Centre released Rs 58 crore for 11 projects.

He said that the Rs 55-crore Vizag circuit project between Visakhapatnam and Bhimli will be developed as a tourism spot hub.

The Minister agreed to consider the State Government’s request to set up a new institute for hotel management.

During the interaction, he stressed the need to focus on rural tourism. Most foreigners visiting India like to see the real India which is in rural parts of the country, its traditions and customs. Andhra Pradesh is rich in rural traditions, art, cuisine and culture and has potential to attract them.

The Buddhist spots in the State could be developed and promoted to attract foreign tourists.

He stressed the need to brand Andhra Pradesh just like Kerala and Madhya Pradesh to attract visitors. “Effective marketing of our tourism is needed while highlighting the unique sales proposition of the State,” he felt.

UN’S TOURISM MEET

India will play a host to the United Nations world tourism Organisation (UNTWO) regional commission for South Asia, East Asia and Pacific countries in April 2013 in Hyderabad.

More than 30 countries are expected to take part in the event which was finalised at London during the meeting with Taleb Rafai, Secretary General, UNWTO.

He felt this event presents an ideal opportunity to showcase the rich heritage and potential for meetings and conventions.

Holiday crowds spread cheer in Old City (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Holiday-crowds-spread-cheer-in-Old-City/articleshow/17761741.cms)

HYDERABAD: Christmas day brought cheer to the Old City with historic monuments and museums registering heavy footfall after more than a month of tension and clashes between police and local residents saw places like the Charminar out of bounds for days.

Traffic came to a halt for half-an-hour when tourists from across the country made a beeline for buying tickets at Charminar. Beaming officials of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) said the 400-year old monument witnessed a spurt in the number of tourists in the last three days with 7,000 per day as against a meagre 3,000 per day after November 16, which saw biggest clashes in the area.

Tension over expansion of the Bhagyalakshmi temple abutting the Charminar resulted in huge protests with police firing tear gas shells, stopping people from marching towards the structure and also shutting down shops and putting up barricades, specially during Friday prayers.

On Tuesday, officials opened the gates of all four minarets instead of the usual northeast entrance to allow visitors who were swarming from early morning. "The increase in the number of tourists means that the days of violence are over. Hopefully we will see more foreigners in the coming weeks," said a relieved ASI official.

"My family was aware of the tension in Hyderabad which is why we had to postpone our trip twice. It is good that everything is normal now. There is a lot of rush as we have been standing in the queue to climb to the top for about 20 minutes," Ravi Kiran, a visitor from Bangalore said.

The Salar Jung Museum too recorded an increase in the number of visitors. According to officials, more than 13,000 tourists have visited the museum everyday since Sunday as against around 4,000 on regular weekdays.

Eateries remained packed till late in the evening even as people bought jewellery from the gold and silver markets of Gulzar Houz and Pathergatti.

Hyderabad on a High!!! (http://www.thehansindia.info/News/Article.asp?category=1&subCategory=2&ContentId=110343)

Source: The Hans India (http://www.thehansindia.info/News/Article.asp?category=1&subCategory=2&ContentId=110343)

Hyderabad got the new stamp of international approval after it made it into the list of Lonely Planet’s ‘Top 10 cities of the world - Best in Travel 2013’ right above desirable destinations like Montreal and
Addis Ababa.

While most Hyderabadis may summarily dismiss such rankings as just another tourist gimmick, the fact is that the city has all takes to be where it is – central location, an international airport to boot, hospitable weather, cuisine for all palates and pockets and good connectivity. :)

By Manju Latha Kalanidhi
http://www.thehansindia.info/Updates/2012/Dec/30/hyd.jpg
Regardless of what you thought, said or how many times you dismissed Hyderabad as a city with awful traffic, unruly crowds, hot weather, reckless cab drivers, the word is out there in the open and it’s official. Hyderabad, indeed, is among the ‘Best in Travel 2013 - Top 10 cities of the world’.

Yes, right after San Francisco, Amsterdam and suddenly Hyderabad, the only Indian city in the list this year (Benguluru was listed last year!). What’s more, we are ahead of Beijing, Montreal, Addis Ababa according to the list put up by Lonely Planet, a reputed, credible international travel guide book of BBC Worldwide.

The magazine describes the city as a “Best for culture, food value for money ...once the capital of a filthy-rich princely state. After India’s independence, the palaces and pleasure gardens were sold off, built over and looted, and you had to be really sharp to see the city’s beauty. But several palaces in Hyderabad’s Old City have recently been refurbished, including Falaknuma Palace, a seven-star hotel that was skillfully restored by the Taj Group and is now an exceedingly plush time capsule.

Other monuments and buildings are being fixed up, but the city, and many of its architectural gems, are still off the radar – which keeps the masses at bay. Elegant and blossoming, but also weathered and undiscovered, Hyderabad’s Old City is ripe for exploration.” The city got the honour for its rich culture, heritage, food, worthy sight seeing places and its warm reception.

Currently, the city is in a state of flux with flyovers under construction, ring roads at various stages of progress, the arterial roads in tatters over construction of the Hyderabad Metro Rail project, frequent bandhs and disturbances over regional issues, lack of civic sense and more. Does the city really deserve this honour?

Preeti Verma Lal, New Delhi-based travel writer and photographer for international magazines, says all such ratings and rankings should be taken with a pinch of salt.

The sampled population is very small and rarely diverse. Ratings can at best be the verdict of the sampled population, never the gospel's truth. “Hyderabad is a beautiful city, but I will not place it among the top cities in the world. It is getting there. Perhaps it will be world-class one day. Not now, definitely. If I were to rate an X factor, probably it will be the biryani. Seriously. I'd travel to Hyderabad for the biryani. Whether it is ranked world-class or shanty is a redundant calibration.” She thinks the Hyderabad’s food is sumptuous, the culture beautiful and the heritage fabulous.

Lesley Esteves, Deputy Editor of Outlook Traveller Getaways, who recently spent a week in Hyderabad for a special in-depth story on Telangana cuisine says food can often make or mar a city or town’s tourism quotient. People go all the way to Kerala and Kolkata to enjoy their cuisine.

"One of the best things Hyderabad offers to visitors is not one but a number of superb cuisines - the world famous cuisine of the Nawabs, and the cooking of Coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema and of course Telangana. From the beautiful bommidayala pulusu of Konaseema, to Bandar laddus and superb sarvapindis in Karimnagar, every corner of AP state is represented in the kitchens of the capital city."

"Hyderabad people's hospitality deserves a mention. I have come to the city a few times to do stories on food, and no matter whether a big restaurant or roadside shack, people just refused to accept payment from me. The last time I came to write on Telangana food, people running even the simplest home kitchens would give me bags full of Telangana sweets and snacks to take home." That is the ‘x’ factor of the city, she says.

Besides decent connectivity within the city, it also boasts of an international class international airport. Vaibhav Jain, General Manager (Sales), Hotel Taj Falaknuma, says that Hyderabad is slowly inching towards the destination that people are expressly planning to visit. “Previously, you heard of people planning a vacation to Goa, Kerala or Rajasthan. Now, Hyderabad has got added to the list.”

The hotel, he says, has also managed to become a destination in itself and tempting people to plan a trip to Taj Falaknuma as the hotel with its grand opulence of the real Nizami era gone by in Hyderabad.

Potturi Venkateshwar Rao, noted Telugu journalist and an avid traveler, says there is nothing surprising in Hyderabad getting such an honour. In fact, it’s long overdue. “Salarjung Museum is indeed a treasure trove in itself. Shilparamam, the crafts village, which came up a decade ago is also a great place for tourists to have a look at state’s arts and culture. Hussainsagar lake with the magnificent Buddha in the backdrop by the sunset is definitely a sight to behold. I think the city deserves the distinction more than any other city in the country,” he says.

Violence, bandhs, bad traffic are all part of any cosmopolitan city and one cannot discount its tourist quotient based on these parameters. “Incidentally, Hyderabad is not a city known for malls and modern monuments but for its history, architecture and culture. In the 1950s, Philip Meadows Taylor, an Anglo-Indian writer and employee in the service of the Nizam of Hyderabad, wrote in the novel "Confessions of a Thug", about the real glory of the city.

Based on his interaction with a real thug called Sayeed Ameer Ali, he wrote about how Mahankali Temple in Secunderabad was where the Muslim and Hindus prayed together to the Goddess to help them to safely sell their loots to public as traders How many cities can boast of such a great heritage and history? The city enjoys central location, salubrious weather throughout the year barring the few peak summer months, good connectivity in terms of private and public transport and more important, food for all tastes, seasons and palates.

Hyderabad has got it all. Instead of being cynical about why we got this honour, we should be proud of it and celebrate it,” he adds.
Point taken! Yes, as the New Year rolls by, it’s time to celebrate because, folks, Hyderabad is on a high!!! Three Cheers!

Chandana Khan, Special Chief Secretary for Tourism and Culture (http://www.thehansindia.info/News/Article.asp?category=1&subCategory=2&ContentId=110343)

Source: The Hans India (http://www.thehansindia.info/News/Article.asp?category=1&subCategory=2&ContentId=110343)

What are the three things that you think Hyderabad has that has earned it this distinction?
It is the rapid development and the comfort experienced here, that has earned the city this merit. Besides the popular heritage structures, the national and international meetings and conferences, like the recent Biodiversity Summit, have been giving the city a focus in the world map.

Moreover, the connectivity of the city with European, and western countries is very good. The city is well connected with very good air and rail transport, which is absent in Delhi, Bhopal, Orissa and other major cities of India.

Do you think such honours actually help a city earn better footfall of tourists?
Yes, it definitely helps. As it increases curiosity about the city and people get more interested in visiting the place. It also helps increase the economic activities as guides, food, transport; handicrafts business will get a boost in addition to the work for the cultural artists.

What are the big plans for the city. What more can we expect in terms of travel and tourism in the next few years. What is the Tourism ministry and department planning for the city?
We want to build up the image of Hyderabad as a ‘Mega Mega cosmopolitan city’. Heritage reflection of the city is something we would really like to strengthen. The unique Deccani food culture of Hyderabad is another thing we would be popularising by organising various food festivals. One culture that we want to develop in the city is evening entertainments by promoting and organising- evening shows, talks, theatre and festivals.

Many plans of protection, beautification, illumination works are already underway. Above all the uniqueness of Hyderabad should remain as it is.

With so many bandhs, protests, roads under construction, how would you convince a tourist to come to Hyderabad?
It happens in all the cities. Not just in our country, but it is witnessed in the cities across the globe. The bandhs and protests are the part and parcel of a democracy. It is the hallmark of a democratic system.
(As told to Sudheer Goutham)

Worst conservation management

Hyderabad definitely doesn’t deserve this ranking. In 1947, I would probably put Hyderabad in top three, but over the years it is spoiled with development. Palaces have been broken down, boulders destroyed and natural landscape ravaged. There is no other state in India that pays such less attention to its history. While I love Hyderabad, the people, the food, I will have to say that it has one of the worst conservation management record in the whole of Asia.

This is the only city in India that has such scant regard for its rich medieval history. That said there has been development at Falaknuma, Chowmahalla and Badshahi Ashoorkhana. However, when I see the neglect of Saidanima Tomb and Moulali and the damage done to Raymonds Tomb, I feel deeply anguished on how the history is being abused and damaged. What is gone cannot be brought back and so far it has been a losing battle.

William Dalrymple,
Author,Historian

From The Hans India (http://www.thehansindia.info/News/Article.asp?category=1&subCategory=2&ContentId=110343)

CTC India conducts workshops in Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata (http://www.travelbizmonitor.com/ctc-india-conducts-workshops-in-chennai-hyderabad-and-kolkata-18869)

In a bid to further expand its reach in India, the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) India organised workshops in Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata recently. During the workshops, which were attended by over 300 travel agents, CTC Team India gave a presentation highlighting various Canadian provinces and also educated the trade on Visa procedures. At the workshops the Canada Specialist Programme (CSP) was also promoted.

The Programme, an educational tool designed to promote travel and tourism to Canada, helps travel agents in becoming an expert in Canadian travel experiences. The session concluded with an interactive quiz and the winners were awarded with kit bags, Canadian Ice Wines and tickets to Canada. “The interest from these markets has been outstanding and the workshops were a huge success. Moving forward in 2013, we would like to visit these cities at least twice a year and also tap new cities,” stated Tina Singh, Assistant Vice President, CTC India.

In 2013, CTC plans to launch its Signature Experiences Collection (SEC) in the Indian market which will be an endeavour to reposition Canada as a truly unique, experiential destination. The Tourism Board will also continue to conduct trade seminars and market places in major cities; focusing on FITs, SECs and creating Visa awareness along with developing co-op programmes with tour operators.

At click of mouse, the veiled Rebecca pops up (http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/at-click-of-mouse-the-veiled-rebecca-pops-up/article4253558.ece)

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The Hindu The veiled Rebecca statue, one of the masterpieces of the Salar Jung Museum. File photo



Connoisseurs of art can look forward to a virtual tour of the famed museum in the New Year as the authorities have decided to put the museum on the map of the world in association with the Google Art Project

Now one can see and appreciate the fascinating objects at the Salar Jung Museum (SJM) from the comfort of one’s home. Connoisseurs of art can look forward to a virtual tour of the famed museum in the New Year as the authorities have decided to put the museum on the map of the world in association with the Google Art Project.

With this the SJM joins the select band of museums which have gone online. Ever since the Google Art Project commenced in February 2011, as many as 135 museums in different parts of the world have launched the virtual tour facility. In India only two museums – National Gallery of Modern Art and National Museum, Delhi – currently have an online presence.

Salar Jung will be the third museum to offer this ‘walk-through’ facility. The executive committee of SJM has okayed the proposal and it will soon be placed before the Museum Board headed by Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan. An MoU between SJM and Google Art Project would be inked shortly to formalise the deal. This is expected to generate global interest in the largest one-man collections of antiques driving more visitors to the museum.

The Google platform allows one to access high resolution images of art works. It enables users to virtually tour museum galleries, explore physical and contextual information about art works.

However, the SJM authorities propose to present a view of its 39 galleries instead of focussing on the objects. Of course as the camera pans a gallery all the objects in it can be seen and details will appear. “In each gallery three to four important objects will be highlighted,” says A. Nagender Reddy, director, SJM.

Famous objects like the veiled Rebecca, Mestophiles and the Lady with the Lamp and the visual delight – the musical clock wherein a Lilliputian gongs the bell every hour will be there to view in detail.

No cost, no pay

It is a kind of advertisement at no cost. The SJM doesn’t have to pay anything to Google for this facility. “It is all intended to promote art and museums,” Mr. Reddy said.

The bewildering object d’art is at the click of the mouse. So, guys get ready for a ‘walkthrough’ the Salar Jung Museum.

Foreign tourism boards woo Indian filmmakers (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Foreign-tourism-boards-woo-Indian-filmmakers/articleshow/18311587.cms)

CHENNAI: Film tourism - visiting foreign locales picturised in a popular movie - has started to become popular among Indian travellers and tourism boards of different countries are trying to cash in. The India International Film Tourism Conclave (IIFTC), promoted by the Film Federation of India, now plans to tap this potential by bringing together producers, directors and representatives of different tourism boards on one platform.

Of the more than 750 movies produced in the country each year, around 80 are shot abroad and many Tamil producers are known to film song sequences in countries where even Bollywood directors haven't gone.

Tourism officials of Fiji, Cyprus, Egypt and Korea have evinced interest and offered to guide producers around the formalities of making films in their countries. "Chennai, Hyderabad and Mumbai cater to 90% of the demand and tourism boards are looking for a single platform to reach out to the vast film industry," said IIFTC director Harshad Bhagavat. IIFTC will organize conclaves in Hyderabad and Mumbai to help producers interact with representatives of tourism boards. "We got enquires from tourism boards who found many tourists visiting countries featured in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi movies.

Some tour operators included Spain in their packages after a Hrithik Roshan-starrer shot there became a hit," he said.

However, producers are divided over the advantages of shooting a movie or song abroad. S A Chandrasekhar, director and producer, said, "My experience with Hong Kong was different. Hong Kong tourism was of great help but it cost me 2 crore to shoot two reels, around half my film's budget. We need to make shoots abroad economicaland cheaper than shooting in India."

Producer G P Vijay Kumar said the IIFTC should scout for locations in countries that are economical when compared to India. "This will help producers because they often end up spending more than expected during shoots abroad. Junior artistes are paid in dollars or francs. This will work out expensive than hiring artistes in India.

We need single window clearance for different sections of shoots." Cinematographer and director K V Anand said "Korea and South America were destinations not exploited by our producers. People have started to clap for cinematography of a song. So, directors want to shoot in exotic locations not shown in any other movies."

"Single window clearance is crucial. Visa rules should be simple, charges should be minimum, producers need incentives because a lot of people will visit the countries after seeing the locations on the movie. Countries which promote film shootings should also ensure that they will have adequate equipment and junior artists and technicians for visiting film production crew because it is not possible to carry all equipment abroad," said Ravi Kottarakara, a producer.

Lubaina Sheerazi, India representative of Oman Tourism, said, "we plan to promote shoots from Indian producers in Oman. But, we will offer incentives only if the storyline promotes Oman."

Shilparamam has bigger fish to fry now! (http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/shilparamam-has-bigger-fish-to-fry-now/article4383123.ece)

Visitors to Shilparamam have a new entertainment: they can do fishing in the water body. Pay Rs. 50 for a 30-minute angling and who knows, you may go home with a big fish catch

Undeterred by the harsh mid-afternoon sun, Santosh sits still on the waterfront. In the serene and rustic environs of Shilparamam, he has already caught eight fish and with two more baits left, wants to get more.

The invitation from the city’s popular leisure haunt to fish and carry home the catch is evoking a good response from visitors here. John, a youngster from Kondapur, says he fished for the first time in his life and is returning home with five fish.

In just two days of introduction, the concept to fish at Shilparamam has picked up and several of the visitors on Tuesday could be seen sitting with fishing rods. G. Anjaneyulu from Tadipatri with his family fished for one hour and ended with nine fish. Excited at the catch, his sons wanted more.

Shilparamam, which is spread over 65 acres, over the years developed a watercourse on a five-acre site. Two years ago, about 50,000 fish were released in it.

The visitors have to pay Rs. 50 for the fishing rod, six baits and 30 minutes to try their luck. The man-made channel has different fish species like ‘korameenu’, ‘silva’, ‘bocha’, ‘valgal’ and so on.

Shilparamam Special Officer G.N. Rao says the fish caught here can either be taken home or if interested, have it cooked at a nearby stall. “We have set up a fish corner close to the fishing points where a cook will prepare the desired dish from the catch,” he says.

Based on the size of the fish, the fish corner charges Rs. 100 or Rs. 120 per kg. The fish will be cooked the way the visitor wants and the options range from ‘pulusu’, fry to curry.

Salar Jung Museum weaponry: armed to the hilt (http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/salar-jung-museum-weaponry-armed-to-the-hilt/article4386777.ece)

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The Hindu A muzzle loading revolver on display at the Salar Jung Museum.

The collection of fire arms at the museum is rare and varied

The first weapons used by the Stone Age man were knives, axes, spears fitted with sharpened flints. Around 1300 BC iron swords and shields showed up. Cavalry first appeared in about 1300 AD on the battle fields of western Asia and the horse man, armed with sword and lance could run down the infantry easily.

Challenge to the supremacy of Cavalry came first, from long bow and next, cross bow and next, fire arms which date from 1326 A.D. The first firing mechanism was matchlock, introduced in the 15th century. It gave way, in 17th century, to the flint lock, in general use until 1840. Muskets with rifled barrels came in 19th century. With the invention of percussion cap (a small copper cap or cylinder) which also made possible the use of cartridge, revolver became possible. The fully automatic rifle appeared in 1908. Machine gun of the modern type followed in later half of 19th century.

The Salar Jung Museum’s collection of arms comprises 1,236 traditional weapons and 188 fire arms. Besides India, the Museum’s arms come from countries like England, France, Germany, Belgium, USA, Turkey, Persia and China. Majority of them show decorations done in enamelling, damascening, engraving, jewelling and embossing.

In the mixture of Museum’s swords, daggers, guptis (concealed swords), shields, battle-axes, spears, and armour parts like helmets, armguards, coat of mail and char-aina (four protective metal plates) the visitors will find a variety of materials and designs used.

The Indian rulers whose names are inscribed on the swords and daggers are the Mughul emperors Humayum, Jahangir, Shah Jahan, Aurangazeb and Bahadur Shah and Qutub Shahi rulers Abdullah Qutub Shah and Sultan Abul Hasan Tana Shah. About English swords, mention may be made of a sword presented in 1875 by the Prince of Wales to Sir Salar Jung I (1829-1883). The blade was manufactured by Wilkinson in London. A curved sword is a present to Sir Salar Jung I from Viscount Kitchner, the then commander-in-chief of Indian army. The blade is beautifully etched.

The collection of fire arms is equally rare and varied. The flint-locks, match-locks, repercussion-locks, muzzle-loading, breech-loading and automatic guns, blunderbusses, ordinary pistols and revolvers ranging from 17th century to 20th century are interesting. Well-known gun manufacturers represented in the collection are: Smith and Wesson, Samuel Rock, Devisme A Paris, Wood and Sons. The pistol bearing inscription referring to the warrior prince Tipu Sultan is a proud possession of the Museum.

Tourists flock to Hyderabad (http://postnoon.com/2013/02/13/tourists-flock-to-hyderabad/108299)

State tourism board claims credit for growth. Domestic tourism outstrips overseas tourism. Visitors ignore political disturbances like T-stir.

Hyderabad has turned out to be a favourite tourist destination in entire Andhra Pradesh despite the ongoing separate Telangana agitation. The tourist sector in the City is on a roll.

The City’s growth in the tourism sector has been remarkable in the last three years. The number of tourists, both domestic and foreign, visiting the City since 2010 has doubled by the end of 2012. If we look at the official statistics, the number of domestic tourists visiting Hyderabad rose from 46.45 lakh to 1.54 crore by the end of 2012. There is an unprecedented increase of almost 200 per cent in the number of domestic visitors to Hyderabad city.

The very fact that the number of tourists has increased indicates that despite the various kinds of disturbances, including the separate T-agitation since 2009, the State capital broke its own records when it came to attracting tourists.

Commenting on this, Hyderabad district tourism officer Sudhakar said that the regular organisation of tours and travel expos by the State tourist department across the country led to the huge surge in the number of domestic tourists to Hyderabad. “We have organised tours and travel expos across the country in all important cities. Apart from the metros — Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai and

Kolkata — we have organised expos and exhibitions in cities like Ahmedabad, Baroda, Jaipur, Lucknow, Bhopal, Amritsar, Pune and other cities in the country.

“Through these expos, we succeeded in attracting lot of tourists to Hyderabad in particular and the State in general,” he said. The potential of Hyderabad as a tourist destination won it the award of ‘Must-Visit Destination-2012’. It was also adjudged the ‘Must-Visit Destination’ by the New York Times in 2011.

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However, when it came to foreign tourists, the number of tourists visiting the City came down slightly. According to the official statistics, in 2010, a total of 2,94,951 foreign tourists visited Hyderabad. However, in 2012, a total of 2,61,527 tourists visited the city, a dip of around 10 per cent. When we compare last year’s figures to those of 2011, there is an increase of 10 per cent in the number of foreign visitors to the City. The State-level figures of foreign tourists also show a slight reduction. Andhra Pradesh attr*acted a total of 15.3 crore tourists during the last year and earned US$23 million in revenue through the tourism sector.

State cashes in on the boom

Keeping the phenomenal growth of the tourism sector in mind, the State government is planning to launch scores of tourism projects in the current year. The government is planning to launch 13 new tourism projects, being constructed at the cost of `63 crore, this year. Another 12 under-construction tourism projects, being built by spending `53 crore, are ready for their launch.

Some of these projects include eco-tourism resorts, Haritha and beach resorts in various districts of the State. Speaking to Postnoon on the growth of the tourism sector, State tourism minister V Vasant Kumar said that the government is committed to give all kinds of support for the growth of the tourism sector in the State. Kumar also hoped that the tourism sector would continue to record phenomenal growth this year as well.

Where leisure meets its destiny (http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/where-leisure-meets-its-destiny/article4432813.ece)

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Given the mounting concerns over safety in public places, Shilparamam has stepped up its security apparatus with the installation of CCTV cameras to keep an eye on the sprawling campus.

One of the popular leisure and shopping destinations in the city, Shilparamam, spread across 65 acres, is visited by thousands every day including tourists from other States. Hosting art and cultural activities, it is also a major attraction for foreign tourists visiting the city.

Strict monitoring

“Already, eight CCTV cameras have been installed at vantage points, and more will be added. As of now, we are able to monitor key points including an uninterrupted vigil of the entrance,” says G.N. Rao, Special Officer, Shilparamam. The strength of security staff has also been raised for more visible presence, he adds.

Nearly 100 sentry guards have been deployed at different areas including the recently opened Night Bazar. Conceived and developed as an art and crafts village with facilities to host cultural events, Shilparamam has nearly 300 artisans from across the country setting up stalls with their goods throughout the year.

On special occasions such as Sankranti, Navaratri and New Year’s eve, the number of artisans swells to nearly 700. “Shilparamam complex has also turned into a much favoured destination for cultural activities, and more than 475 different cultural events were hosted last year,” says Mr. Rao.

A recent addition to the campus is the Sculpture Park where sculptors from across the country participate in a camp and engage themselves in the creation of works of art. Along with a few old ones, a total of 80 sculptures have been put on display at Shilparamam. Meanwhile, the authorities are planning to expand the concept of Shilparamam to other parts of the Andhra Pradesh including a centre at Bhadrachalam.

Sculpture park

“At Bhadrachalam, we are working on a sculpture park and given the mythological appeal of the place, the idea is to base it on the Ramayana theme,” he says. The locations where the much-admired Shilparamam centres have been set up or are under development include Kadapa, Tirupati, Pulivendula, Visakhapatnam, Puttaparthi and Kakinada.

“On an average, a total of 22.5 lakh persons visit these centres every year,” Mr. Rao adds.

Aggressive campaign to keep tourist places clean (http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/aggressive-campaign-to-keep-tourist-places-clean-113031200356_1.html)

Chiranjeevi said the recent blasts in Hyderabad will have no impact on the UNWTO conference to be held in the city next month.

Andhra Pradesh has been selected for best state for comprehensive development of tourism, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation for best civic management, Apollo hospital in Hyderabad for best medical touirism facility and Hyderabad airport as best airport in the country.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8528/8603086423_37d8bd78c4_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sahilmuhsin/8603086423/) Chowmohalla Palace (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sahilmuhsin/8603086423/) by sahil muhsin (http://www.flickr.com/people/sahilmuhsin/), on Flickr

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8109/8603085923_92480c92e5_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sahilmuhsin/8603085923/)
Chowmohalla Palace (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sahilmuhsin/8603085923/) by sahil muhsin (http://www.flickr.com/people/sahilmuhsin/), on Flickr

To help boost tourism in South East Asia, a UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) meeting and threedayconferenceon sustainable tourism will be held in Hyderabad from April 12-14, officials said on Thursday.
Organised by the Union ministry of tourism, the conference of the UNWTO would start on April 12, while its 25th joint commission meeting would be held on April 13. Both the events will bring together delegates from various countries in South Asia, East Asia and the Pacific to review the region's performance in the tourism sector and deliberate on measures for further development.
India currently holds the chair of the UNWTO Regional Commission for South Asia. “India accords great importance to the issue of sustainable tourism," Union minister for tourism K Chiranjeevi said, adding that the need of the hour was not tourism growth alone but development in a sustainable manner.
Over 250 delegates are expected to participate in the conference. The meeting will have over 100 delegates from the UNWTO member countries. “The event will provide a great opportunity for Andhra Pradesh and particularly Hyderabad to showcase the varied attractions and facilities to the international tourism fraternity and would help in promoting tourism in the state," the minister added.
The UNWTO is the United Nation’s agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally-accessible tourism. IANS

Hyderabad to get a boost with UN World Tourism Meet from April 12
(http://newindianexpress.com/states/andhra_pradesh/article1537059.ece)

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The doomsday predictions of Hyderabad losing favour as a destination for international events notwithstanding, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) is going to organise the 25th joint meeting of UNWTO commissions for East Asia, Pacific and South Asia as well as a conference on sustainable tourism development here between April 12 and April 14.

Nearly 150 foreign delegates representing around 29 countries are expected to attend the three-day conference being jointly organised by the Union Ministry of Tourism and the state Tourism department. The city had hosted the UNWTO executive council session in 2004.

“Contrary to the reports which indicate that tourism in the city has gone down in the wake of the terror attacks, the number of foreign tourists have registered a 2.5 percent increase between January and March. So far participation of 103 delegates has been confirmed. Through this event, we would like to showcase the rich culture and tradition of the country,” said Chiranjeevi, Union minister of state for tourism, announcing the event. He also released a video-itinerary highlighting the tourist attractions of the host city.

In order to develop mega destinations and circuits, the department had allocated a budget of Rs 221 crore and various projects have also been highlighted for central assistance for 2013-14 to develop the state as a major tourism destination, Chiranjeevi said.

Vatti Vasantha Kumar, state tourism minister, said, “Following the success of Biodiversity Conference and COP-11 held in the city last year, the UNWTO will be organised to highlight the scope for tourism in the city. The conference will be inaugurated by the chief minister on April 12. The governor will participate in the proceedings. The guests will be taken on a visit to the Buddhist settlement at Nagarjuna Sagar Konda as a part of the technical session on April 14.”

The event being organised at a cost of Rs 5 crore will have Rs 2 cr central contribution. Around 300 guests will attend the inaugural session, including the tourism ministers of various Indian states.

The delegates will be taken on a city tour covering places like Falaknuma Palace, Chowmahalla Palace, Taramati Baradari, Golconda, Charminar and Purani Haveli during the first two days.

JK tourism minister participates in UNWTO session in Hyderabad (http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2013/Apr/13/jk-tourism-minister-participates-in-unwto-session-in-hyderabad-14.asp)

Hyderbad, Apr 12: Minister for Tourism, Ghulam Ahmad Mir has said that Jammu and Kashmir government is making all efforts to promote and showcase state’s abundant tourism potential for its economic revival.
Speaking at 3-day joint session of United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) conference on ‘Sustainable Tourism Development’ at Hyderabad, the minister said the need of the hour is not tourism growth alone but development of tourism in a sustainable manner. He said: “Our initiative at the international level to host the events, no doubt, will go long way in highlighting India’s role in promoting global and regional tourism for economic growth, employment generation and social integration.”
The conference was inaugurated by Union Minister for Tourism, Dr K Chiranjeevi and participated by over 250 delegates all over the world besides the representatives of Indian States.
Tourism Minister said south Asian region has rich and varied tourism products to attract visitors from the world over-with heritage and culture dating back to thousands of years, architectural and natural marvels, an unmatched bio-diversity and home to almost all the world religions.
Mir said the occasion would prove good opportunity to the State government to promote tourism in the State.
He while deliberating the initiatives taken by the J&K government with the liberal financial support of Central Government said that new virgin spots like Bhaderwah, Bangus, Yousmarg, Doodpathari, Veerinag and other dozen spots have been developed with required tourist infrastructure in the State and thrown open for tourists.
Tourism Minister said that State government has also explored the golf, adventure and pilgrim tourism in the State.
He said: “We have World famous golf courses like Royal golf Courses at, Gulmarge, Phalgam, Sidrah, Jammu and is also developing a golf course at Leh.”
He said government has also promoted convention and eco-tourism and has developed adventure tourism by organizing international and National level championships. The Minister called world bodies to visit the Jammu and Kashmir for their holidays and enjoy the beauties of nature here in Kashmir, the paradise on earth. He welcomed the lifting of travel advisories by some European countries while asserting that Kashmir was being promoted as part of the “365 day travel” destinations of the country.
Tourism Minister said that we are going to start new tourist attractions in the State which includes paragliding at several feasible spots like Sonamarg, Phalagam and Buderwah. He said besides gondola facilities at World known Gulmarg, ropeways are being installed at other potential spots in Kashmir and Jammu.

Centre moots Hyd, Bangalore for visa-on-arrival service (http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/centre-moots-hyd-bangalore-for-visa-on-arrival-service-113041500603_1.html)

This is expected to cover tourists from about 15 more countries

The tourism ministry is in talks with the Ministries of Home Affairs and External Affairs to extend the visa-on-arrival facility at more airports like Bangalore and Hyderabad to visitors from about 15 countries.

"We have proposed to the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs to extend the visa-on-arrival facility to be available at more international airports in India, including Bangalore and Hyderabad, which would cover tourists from about 15 more countries under its ambit," additional director general (MR) - tourism, A K Gupta said on the sidelines of the Great India Travel Bazaar (GITB) 2013 function.

Both the ministries are examining the proposal and its feasibility, he added.

It is a pan-India international platform for inbound tourism. At present, the visa-on-arrival scheme is available at four international airports -- Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata. It covers citizens of over 11 countries, including Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines and Myanmar.

The visa-on-arrival scheme has been a huge success and contributed to increase in the number of tourists from these countries, Gupta said. Last year, the tourism ministry had said the government was in the final stages of consultations on allowing visas on arrival to citizens of another 10 countries, including Germany, France and Russia.

According to a FICCI Knowledge Paper on Inbound tourism (released in February 2013), the number of travel visa on arrival tourists registered a growth of 54.6 per cent as compared with the same period in 2012.

Tourists can visit Hyderabad with visa on arrival (http://www.deccanchronicle.com/130425/news-current-affairs/article/tourists-can-visit-hyderabad-visa-arrival)

Hyderabad: Hyderabad is among the five cities selected for the visa-on-arrival facility. Goa, Thiruvananthapuram, Bengaluru, and Kochi airports are the others.

This was decided at the third interministerial coordination committee meeting in the capital on Wednesday. The committee was constituted to sort out tourism-related issues on a priority basis.
So far, the tourist visa-on-arrival facility is being extended to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata airports.

The visa-on-arrival scheme comes with a maximum validity of 30 days with single entry facility on condition that the foreign national is visiting India solely for the purpose of tourism, or is on a casual visit to meet friends or relatives.

The facility is allowed no more than twice in one calendar year with a minimum gap of two months between each visit.

Visa on arrival for Pak, Bangla mulled

Visa on arrival is being granted to nationals of Japan, Finland, New Zealand, Luxembourg, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore, the Philippines, Laos, Indonesia and Burma. Other countries that are being considered for inclusion are France, Germany, Russia, Thailand, Spain, Sweden, Malaysia, South Africa and Brazil.

Pakistani nationals cannot avail of the facility for security reasons. Bangladesh too has not been included though sources reveal that attempts are on for both countries to get this facility.

Tourists dip but revenue triples

HYDERABAD: The tourism department almost tripled its revenue in 2012-13 to Rs 23 crore as compared to 2011-12, but its no thanks to tourist footfalls which has been on the decline, official data revealed. Authorities said the reasons for the jump in revenue are the collection of high development fee for new projects this year and lease rentals from private groups.

read more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Tourists-dip-but-revenue-triples/articleshow/20284860.cms

Stable govt and complete make over of all major roads and junction will increase the beauty of this city.
While I visited first time to Hyderabad in 2011, the roads were awesome, now they have not maintained well..