The 55th Annual Convention of the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) brought together prominent leaders from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, with tourism and hospitality emerging as key focus areas.
Andhra Pradesh’s Minister for Tourism and Culture, Mr. Kandula Durgesh, announced that hospitality projects worth nearly ₹723 crore have been approved by the State Investment Promotion Board in the past six months. These projects are expected to generate employment for around 200,000 people.
Highlighting the state’s initiatives, he said Andhra Pradesh has granted industry status to its Tourism Department, focusing on infrastructure, hub-and-spoke models, and comprehensive tourism policies for 2024 and 2029. “We are showcasing Andhra Pradesh’s strengths at leading global platforms like ITB Berlin and WTM London to attract investments. Vijayawada and other destinations are being developed to strengthen temple tourism as well as leisure and heritage segments,” Mr. Durgesh said.
Karnataka’s Health Minister Mr. Dinesh Gundu Rao extended full government support to the sector, noting, “We will do our best to address issues facing the industry and help it grow further.”
FHRAI President K. Syama Raju emphasized tourism’s role in job creation and global cultural promotion, calling for stronger public-private partnerships.
On the sidelines of the convention, FHRAI and ETS India announced a collaboration to strengthen hiring standards in hospitality. Using ETS’s globally recognized TOEIC® assessments, the partnership will help hotels and restaurants benchmark communication skills, improve training, and enhance service quality to meet international standards.