Hyderabad, March 13, 2024......The Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FTCCI) 's Tourism, Hospitality, Media, MICE, Entertainment & Events Committee-2024 today rolled out its ambitious initiative called 'Athithi Devobhava".

“Atithi Devo Bhava” meaning “Guest is God” is a novel campaign to brand auto rickshaw/ cab drivers as tourism ambassadors. The first contact tourists make on arrival into any city is auto or cab drivers.  Their behaviour will make or mar the image of the place. 

The Tourism Committee's initiative is to make these drivers realise their importance and teach them basic Etiquette, English, First Aid, and CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation – is an emergency lifesaving procedure performed when the heart stops beating)

Auto drivers and tourist cab drivers are the real faces of any city, place, state or nation, said Meela Jayadev, President of FTCCI.

Auto and cab drivers are the ambassadors as tourists depend on them. Their sound knowledge of the city, its topography, good behaviour, charging a fair fare, welcoming nature of the guest, etiquette etc make a huge difference in making a good and positive impression on the guest about a destination.  Besides places of tourism importance, these people can be very good advisors and influencers.  They can additionally share information about the historic importance, for instance, they can highlight the importance of Charminar, Mecca Masajid, Salarjung Museum, Golconda Fort, Birla Mandir, Hussain Sagar Lake, Buddha Statue, Cable Bridge, Statue of Equality, T-Hub, Hyderabadi Biryani, Irani Chai, Pearls, Samosa, Osamina Biscuits, Bangles and others, added Mr. Meela Jayadev. 

The campaign was rolled out at five places on Wednesday shared by Rakhi Kankaria, Chairperson, Tourism Committee.  Three places in the morning--Kachiguda Railway Station, Nampally Railway Station, Imliban Bus Station, and two in the afternoon at Jubilee Bus Station and Secunderabad Railway Station where the campaign rolled out. About 200 people have participated.  

Taxi drivers play a vital role in the tourism sector, its branding and promotion added Mohan Lal, Co-chairman of the Committee

On Thursday another program will be held at GMR Auditorium at GMR Airport in three sessions --- at 10 am, 2 pm and 4 pm. On Friday it will be repeated at Abhinandan Motors at Sangareddy, Bowenpally, CMR Automobiles Erragadda.

The initiative was rolled with the active participation and support from Govt of Telangana, the Tourism Department, GMR Hyderabad, Apollo, Kothari Group, Society for Emergency Medicine India, IIHM, Tripura Constructions and Agromech. 

Each participant was given away a first aid kit by Apollo Emergency as well as Agromech.

Very soon, the Tourism Committee of FTCCI will bring out a QR code, which will be displayed at a prominent place in all autos and cabs in the city.  Upon scanning the QR code, the tourists will be able to access all tourism-related information. 

The committee soon will come out with an audiobook, a self-learning tool, to enable them to learn English and a couple of other languages. It will be four different languages.