Andhra Pradesh to host IATO meet in Vizag from September 10-12, says Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh

Andhra Pradesh Tourism and Culture Minister Kandula Durgesh. | Photo credit: File Photo

Andhra Pradesh will host the 41st National Annual Convention of the Indian Association of Travel Agents (IATO) in Visakhapatnam from September 10 to 12, Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh said on Thursday.

Addressing the secretariat in Amaravati, Mr. Durgesh said that the event will bring tourism leaders, tour operators, hotel managers and politicians from across the country on a single platform and will serve as a great opportunity to promote the state’s tourism sector.

IATO, a leading inbound tourism organization with over 2,068 members across the country, has launched a special drive to increase participation of tourism stakeholders from Andhra Pradesh, he said, informing that the one-time entry fee of ₹10,000 (plus GST) paid by tour operators, hotels and tourism stakeholders from Andhra Pradesh has been completely waived off.

“However, this concession will be available for applications submitted up to December 31, 2026,” the minister informed, adding that the registration fee for the convention, which was normally ₹6,000 for IATO members and ₹8,500 for non-members, has been reduced to ₹3,000 for delegates from Andhra Pradesh.

Eligible local tourism representatives could apply online through the official IATO portal — — without paying an initial entry fee, he said.

Mr. Durgesh said more than 1,000 leading tour operators, domestic travel agents, destination management companies, hotel industry representatives and airline representatives are expected to attend. “This will provide an opportunity to the tourism stakeholders of Andhra Pradesh to showcase their hotels, resorts and tourist destinations at the national level without cost of promotion and establish direct business relationships with leading tour operators from across the country,” he said.

The minister called on hotel and resort owners and managements, tour operators, travel agencies, homestay operators, transport operators, tour guides and start-ups to take advantage of the opportunity, obtain IATO membership and attend the convention.

Published – 03 Sep 2026 18:08 IST