Port Blair, Aug 21: The Lt. Governor of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lt. General A.K. Singh PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM (Retd.) attended the National Conference of Tourism Ministers at ITC Maurya, New Delhi. Union Minister of Finance, Defence and Corporate Affairs Shri. Arun Jaitley made the inaugural address and Shri Shripad Yesso Naik Minister of State for Tourism & Culture (I/c) also spoke on the occasion.
The Lt. Governor underscored the vision to develop Andaman & Nicobar Islands as a unique destination for sustainable, eco-friendly tourism keeping in mind ecological concerns & local sensibilities.
He said, for augmentation of tourist inflow International Air-connectivity from Port Blair should be the top priority. Rationalization of airfares to Port Blair, setting up of Oceanarium, providing capital investment subsidy for tourism infrastructure projects such as resorts/hotels, catamarans/speed boats for inter- island transportation, providing tax holidays for investments in tourism infrastructure projects in Andamans on the lines of tax exemptions offered to Northeast and Jammu Kashmir were also raised during the Conference.
The Lt. Governor also requested Ministry of Tourism to open a local Chapter of National Institute of Water Sports (NIWS) in the Islands to facilitate promotion of water sports activities.
The Lt. Governor also requested Ministry of Tourism to launch ‘Incredible India’ campaign for promotion of Andaman. Production of publicity material on Andamans for distribution in the overseas markets, familiarization visits of tour operators, travel agents, travel writers from overseas markets to the Andamans under the hospitality scheme of the Ministry of Tourism, organizing of next Edition of the International Tourism Mart-2015 in the Andamans were also demanded in the conference.
The Lt. Governor requested the support of Ministry of Tourism for facilities like Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVOA) as well as e-Visa facilities in Andamans for promotion of Yacht Tourism, Cruise Tourism and Air charters.
