DC special: Tourism treasures to be unearthed

Hyderabad: The tourism sector is hoping for a fresh impetus in 2014 once the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh is completed, as governments of both states will initiate measures to boost tourism. Tourism is both a means of increasing revenue and generating employment, and post-bifurcation new tourism spots can emerge in both states.

The emphasis should be on what tourists take back from the experience of visiting a place or region, say experts,  because it is what will make them want to visit again. For example, if one mentions Hyderabad, a tourist will either think of the Charminar, or biryani or pearls, because that is what the tourist experience has been limited to.

If you look at the statewide picture, the places that get the most number of visitors are Tirupati, Araku, Srisailam and Visakhapatnam because many tourist spots lack connectivity and basic infrastructure such as places to eat or rest.

“Post the bifurcation, two new governments should expand the tourism sector and give it an all new identity.  Consider the tourism model of Gujarat or Kerala. They have not only incorporated places of historical or heritage significance, but have also imbibed culture, food and more elements of the region by associating with the locals. This has created employment and also opened more avenues of revenue,” said Suresh Kochattil, an avid traveller and co-organiser of the Greater Hyderabad Adventure Club.

“Currently, there is no infrastructure or accessibility, or comfortable places to stay. The local community must be involved to act as guides as they know the place like the back of their hand,” says Gautam Reddy, who has hitch-hiked the Silk Route in the footsteps of Marco Polo.

He says a place like Lankavaram, which is beautiful, barely has any tourist facilities. “Tourism should not be short-sighted and this idea should now renew with the split in the new year. We need to set up toilets and In&Out facilities at petrol bunks and increase more pick-up and drop points for the convenience of tourists,” said Reddy, a Hyderabadi, now based in Istanbul.

He said more information needs to be provided to tourists in the form of brochures, maps, available hotels and restaurants and how to get to places. Much of this information should be available at airports, train and bus stations. A network of travel desks across the city, a user-friendly website which is regularly updated, rated and blogged by tourists is also essential.

Ranjith Annepu, a waste management consultant, who works in Africa and had earlier worked in the US and also some cities in India, says that places of tourist interest must be clean and pleasant and he emphasises the need for more litter bins.

“The new state governments should get some land for setting up regional landfills and it is important for them to provide as many bins as possible in these tourist places so that tourist places remain a pleasant site for travellers,” says Annepu who is also co-founder of Be Waste Wise.

Andhra Pradesh plays host to a rich treasure trove of attractions, from temples and heritage monuments, forest and wildlife to beaches. The ongoing agitations and stirs revolving around the state’s bifurcation has had a major impact on tourism in Andhra Pradesh for the last couple of years.

Experts say that when compared to the West coast, where the beaches in places like Goa and Mumbai have been effectively utilised to make them tourist-friendly, the East coast, specially the Andhra side, has not been utilised to it’s potential due to lack of connectivity, transport, cleanliness and basic infrastructure.

“These places have to be recognised and planned with a motive of sensitive development. The beaches have to be clean along with a special focus on sanitation facilities, the government should work on creating an ambience to make people want to come there.

There are no hotels situated within 10 minutes’ drive. Coastal Andhra Pradesh is not completely addressed. The coastal history has never been recognised or promoted. A place like Machilipatnam for example, has many historical elements, lighthouses and more. 

Promoting these places is essential. Goa has been successful because they have planned the development of the beach culture in such a way that even its heritage has become a part of this. Same is the case with Mumbai. There should be life around tourism,” said Anuradha Reddy, Convener, Intach, Hyderabad Chapter.

Many tourists visiting these places have also complained about the lack of professional guides and that there is a need for bringing in more learnt guides, who can run tourists through the era that a monument was built in. “There are many language issues. They are well-versed only in Telugu, whereas many tourists would even adjust with Hindi. We need to start training more local youth and start engaging them into the profession,” Reddy added.

The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation and the department of tourism have proposed plans to address a few of these concerns and some are already in progress. Crores of money is being allocated for development of rural tourism, temple tourism, tribal tourism, eco-tourism and more such proposals will now give both regions more reasons to celebrate their state.

Not just restricting to Tirupati or Araku, many more places will now get visibility on the global tourism map. “This year the budget was increased from Rs 12 crore to a whooping Rs 160 crore, along with Rs 221 crore financial assistance from the Central government. And all this apart from the new concept of development of three travel corridors, which have been assigned Rs 50 crore each,” said V. Madhu Sudan, officer on special duty, Tourism and Culture Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh.

“To make traveling and accommodation more economical for people, we are starting 16 new budget hotels across AP. These hotels will provide comfortable stay at an affordable  price,” he said. A first-of-its-kind 100-room economic hotel is now being constructed in Tirupati at an estimated budget of Rs 15 crore for devotees who visit the place.

The first floor of the building is complete and it will be finished soon. “More such hotels have been sanctioned in Karimnagar, Adilabad, Arsavelli in Srikakulam, which is famous for the temple of the Sun god.

We also have budget allocated for constructing wayside amenities. These are on the way to a destination, like a refreshment place for tourists. We already have nine of them and will add four more at Nagari in Chitoor, Dindi on Srisailam and Bechupally in Mahbubnagar,” Madhu Sudan added. 

APTDC has associated itself with the local tribal youth for the project and the land of these areas falls under the Forest Act and can be developed only in association with the locals. “We are also focusing a lot on promoting tourism at the scenic Papikondalu,” the OSD added.

Similarly, many eco-tourism projects are under progress across Andhra Pradesh. “There is one such project coming up in Coringa in East Godavari in the forest area, which is famous for it’s beautiful mangroves, another  coming up at Dindi, backwaters of Godavari near Razole. Dindi already has a resort, but now we are upgrading it by bringing in a state-of-the-art houseboat like those of Allappey, at an estimated budget of Rs 1 crore,” an APTDC official mentioned.

Another Rs 46 crore has been sanctioned for the Bheemli corridor, where a sculpture park will be set up at the Babikonda and Thotlakonda. “We are also now working on the Horsley Hills-Paderu circuit. A proposal has been submitted to the government of India and it has agreed to make it into a circuit. And one more proposal has been sent for the Paderu to Lambasinghi circuit. The land is disputed, since it’s a tribal area. We are currently doing due diligence and are looking at developing a model where tribals and Integrated Tribal Development Agency will be involved in the development and we will fund it,” Madhu Sudan said.

Three eco resorts will come up at Adilabad, Jannarram and Kadem, a hill resort at Ali Sagar in Nizamabad. These will be same as weekend getaways. The hill resort gives a very picturesque view of places spread at a distance of 5 km up to Bodhan. Bringing in another new concept of eco-tourism, the Medak Fort will now have a Rajasthani themed hotel, which will attract more tourists. Similar plans are being worked at Battisgarh and Shyamgarh, where tourist amenities like sheds, pathways, beautification and landscape will be created.

APTDC has been under the scanner for not utilising the Andhra coast to portray it as a place of tourist interest so far. In the last couple of months, a lot of thought has been put into the development of the coast. “Nine new beach resorts have been sanctioned.

We initially had four at Srikakulam, but now new ones are coming up at Kalingapatnam, Mypadu in Nellore, Barua in Srikakulam, in Chintapalli, Uppada, Ramayyapatnam, Tummalapenta and one on Kottha Koduru. All of them have been taken up by APTDC. We have doubled efforts in the last one year and what was just thought of in the last 50 years is now finding shape,” the Madhu Sudan added.

APTDC is now also working on developing water sports. “We never had anything more than a speedboat. But, now we have purchased nine jet skies and placed one each in Mypadu, Suryalanka, Rishikonda, Hussainsagar etc. An American Pontoon boat (a luxury boat) will also be bought soon. We have tied up with private players in Rishikonda. This area will have hovercrafts and other water adventure activities,” Madhu Sudan said.

Adventure activities like rock climbing, will now start at Pulikundu, ropeways in Bhongir, Vijayawada and Kondagatta will also start as public-private-partnerships.
Rural tourism has definitely caught the fancy of many and the APTDC has quite a few plans for the development of many places that have one significant element that makes them stand out and depict the characteristic of a region.

“We are pacing our activities specially on this front. Two projects worth Rs 65 lakh each is being spent for creating a market for the brassware art at Pembarthi and also at Cheriyal. Another Rs 1 crore is being spent on creating a huge outlet by APTDC for promoting Gadwal art and for creating a market for the weavers, wherein tourists can not just see the art live, but also learn its history.

Another Rs 50 lakh is being spent for the development of the Tholu Bommalata (puppet show) and for developing a concept where people can actually watch a live puppet show and relive the bygone era. Similarly Rs 50 lakh has been sanctioned for Pochampally and Uppada,” officials at APTDC informed. 

As per a new study conducted by National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management, the Dokra metalcraft from Adilabad is now getting Rs 11 crore for its revival. Dating back to the Harappa and Mohenjadaro era, ATPDC has tied up with experts and artisans to work on new designs and create a market. “In rural areas, we are also taking up the media of fairs and festivals to bring in tourists from various parts of the country.

We have 20 such community festivals that include the Nagoba jatara, Araku Festival, Kakatiya Festival, Flamingo Festival, Lepakshi Festival, Kakinada, Beach Festival, Satavahana Festival, Visakha Utsav, Gandikota Festival and the Sammakka Sarakka Jatara. A new fishermen festival will be started soon,” Madhu Sudan added.

Temple tourism in the South has been attracting tourists since ages. “There is some good news for people going to Tirupati. We now have been given 900 tickets per day for Sheegra Darshan, which will enable darshan of Lord Balaji in just an hour or two even in peak hours, that comes as part of a package,” informed Manohar, tour package expert at APTDC.

There are also weekend temple packages, starting from Srisailam to Ahobilam, Mahanandi, Yaganti, Belum Caves and Alampur Jogulamba temples. “Dividing temples region-wise to facilitate easy traveling, we are customising Rayalaseema, Telangana and Andhra temple packages,” he added.

A new tour package will be started by January 2014 that covers the other side of Hyderabad’s heritage. “The 13th Finance Commission has given a grant of Rs 100 crore for refurbishing many heritage monuments like the Badshahi Ashoorkhana, Hayath Bakshi Begum mosque and Sayedanama tombs for restoration,” Madhu Sudan mentioned.