Sun Sep 28 05:42:38 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary and news article rewrite of the provided text:

**Summary:**

The Andhra Pradesh State Hotels Association’s (APHA) new president, G. Srinivasa Rao, is advocating for the hotel industry to be granted industry status. He argues this would lead to tax concessions, affordable loans, and allow hotels to operate later into the night. He also requests bar permits for smaller hotels. He highlighted the substantial tax revenue generated by the hotel sector and emphasized the need for government support for its development. He conveyed these concerns to Andhra Pradesh Minister Kandula Durgesh and Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation MD Amrapali during a recent industry event.

**News Article:**

**Andhra Pradesh Hotel Association Calls for Industry Status, Tax Breaks**

**Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh – September 28, 2025 –** G. Srinivasa Rao, the newly appointed president of the Andhra Pradesh State Hotels Association (APHA), is urging the Andhra Pradesh government to grant industry status to the hospitality sector. Speaking at a hotel sector event today, Mr. Rao emphasized the significant contributions of hotels to the state’s revenue, citing approximately ₹2,500 crore in taxes paid annually.

“Granting industry status would be a game-changer for our sector,” Mr. Rao told *The Hindu*. “It would pave the way for much-needed concessions on taxes like GST and property tax, as well as reduce electricity bills and allow access to loans with affordable interest rates.”

Mr. Rao, who is also the Managing Director of Hotel Maruthi-Vizianagaram, also requested the government to consider allowing hotels to operate until midnight, aligning with the operational hours permitted for bars under the new excise policy. Furthermore, he suggested extending bar permits to smaller hotels with as few as 20 rooms, mirroring a similar policy in Karnataka.

The APHA delegation recently submitted a memorandum outlining these concerns to Andhra Pradesh Minister for Tourism Kandula Durgesh and Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation MD Amrapali during a national tourism and hospitality sector event in Bengaluru. The hotel industry awaits a response from the government, hoping that their requests will be considered to support and foster growth in the sector.

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