IATO's 34th annual convention at Visakhaptnam from Sept 6

Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), along with the Andhra Pradeshtourism department, will be organising its 34th annual convention here from September 6to 9.

Union Tourism Minister Ashok Chandra Panda will participate in the convention, in which over 900 delegates will be taking part.

The IATO will come up with suggestions to promote tourism in Andhra Pradesh and attract foreign visitors.

Explaining the objective of the convention,IATO president PranobSarkar said it would focus on exploringnew tourism destinations and developments and boosting global tourism opportunities in Andhra Pradesh.

The theme of the convection is 'Mission: 20 million Tourists by 2020, challengesand possibilities,' he added.

Three teams of IATO visited Vizhakapatnam, Vijayawada and Tirupati to observe facilities at the tourist destinations, he said.

CEO of Andhra Pradesh Tourism Authority and Managing Director of the state Tourism Development Corporation,Himanshu Shukla said the government had developed some tourism projects based on the recommendations of two conventions of IATO in 1997 and 2003