Tourist spots to be showcased in Tourism Week

The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Department has lined up a slew of activities in connection with the coming World Tourism Week and also the international biodiversity convention, to be held here from October 1 to 19.

A 'Sculpture Park' will be inaugurated at the crafts village 'Shilparamam' and a Hyderabad Heritage Run, covering major monuments like Chowmohalla Palace, Charminar, Golconda Fort and Quli Qutb Shahi tombs, will be conducted on September 23 during the World Tourism Week celebrations from September 21 to 27, senior officials said today. A 'Vintage Car Rally' will be held on September 26 and the awards of excellence will be presented the next day. The international biodiversity convention  Conference of Parties (COP 11)  will be attended by 5,000-8,000 delegates from nearly 193 countries to deliberate on issues concerning biodiversity and bio-safety. The tourism department is showcasing various historical places, heritage sites and other places of tourist interest to put Andhra Pradesh on the world tourism map, they said. The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) is organising specially-designed package tours for the delegates and also customised city sight-seeing tours every day from the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC), the main venue of the conference. Specially-trained volunteers and other trained personnel would be deployed to help the delegates at the convention venue and also when they go on tourism trips. All major dance forms from across the country, including 'Kalaripayattu' from Kerala, Ghumar Dance from Haryana, Dandiya from Gujarat, Pung Cholum from Manipuri, will be showcased on all the 19 days from October 1 to 19, they added. PTI