New Year holidaymakers opt for local destinations

Hyderabad: Many holidaymakers are looking at places within the state this season, resulting in a huge rush for APTDC destinations.

Among the favourites are Vishakhapatnam, Araku and Hanamkonda.

Borra Caves, Rishikonda, Belum Caves, Oravakallu and Bhavani Island,  which have options for trekking, safari, cruises and water sports, are also seeing tourist traffic.

“We were unable to plan ahead and, therefore, found most of the famous out-of-state destinations completely booked. We are finally going on a three-day trip to Araku, Vishakhapatnam and Rishikonda as we have been given very good reviews by people who have visited these places earlier,” said Prashant K., a software professional.

“The local destinations are not only a quick getaway option but also offer respite from huge crowds that we are likely to bump into at other tourist destinations. That was the reason why we chose a trip to Oravakallu and neighbouring areas for this year-end,” said Krutika Sharma, a marketing professional.

Resorts on the city’s outskirts as well as around Vishakhapatnam have been pre-booked, with a day’s package costing a steep Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000.

While APTDC properties are doing well, a senior official said that a lot more can be done. “Even though we have a number of options available within the state for corporate tourists, we have been constantly losing business to other states. We need to lay more stress on development of infrastructure in these areas and promote the destinations better,” he said.