Tourism Minister M. Srinivasa Rao claimed Thursday that selling foreign liquor in bars and restaurants operated by AP Tourism was part of promoting tourism, rather than promoting liquor sales.
At a press conference organized by AP Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) to announce the resumption of boating in the state, the minister said tourist safety was a top priority and the department had put in place a foolproof mechanism. In the first phase, boat traffic would resume in Papikondalu, West Godavari district, he added.
He said the government is keen to develop tourism to attract tourists from all over the world. The pandemic has tainted the sport and caused the department to lose around 150 billion yen in sales over the past year and a half, he said.
To monitor boating activities, nine control rooms have been set up in different locations under coordination of the revenue, water resources and tourism departments, he said. Of the total of 300 boats in Krishna and Godavari, 52 were operated by AP Tourism.
Other officials present included Minister V. Srinivas, MLA Malladi Vishnu and APTDC Executive Director S. Satyanarayana.