Tourism set to bounce back in AP
Visakhapatnam division's share of earnings is around 60 per cent in earnings from services to the tourists
VISAKHAPATNAM: Tourism sector in the state is all set to rebound as the holiday season and weekends brought cheers to sightseers across seven tourism divisions including Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Kurnool, Tirupati, Kakinada and Kadapa.
Administration of Covid-19 vaccines to over 77 per cent of targeted population of 3.7 crores excluding those below 18 years of age against the national average of 75 per cent, dip in Covid-19 cases (396 positive cases in the last 24 hours) and discovery of no new variants of the virus in the past few months are said to be reasons for the increase in tourism activities.
Visakhapatnam tourism divisional manager T. Bapuji said the division earned Rs 11.07 lakh on October 19 and Rs 5.8 lakh on October 22. Overall, this month, the division earned Rs 2.069 crores, he added.
Generally, Visakhapatnam division’s share of earnings is around 60 per cent, while Tirupati is around 15 per cent, Vijayawada 10 per cent and the rest of the divisions contribute nearly five per cent share in earnings from services to the tourists.
“We have received more tourists from neighbouring Odisha than our regular tourists from West Bengal. But Bengal tourists are regular customers to us. This time their number has decreased. We hope that their number will increase shortly,” Bapuji told this newspaper.
Borra Caves in the district emerged as the favourite tourist spot for visitors to the division. Nearly 35 lakhs of the total earnings in the division for this month were reported from Borra Caves only.
The tourism sources said the flow of tourists would increase once the Indian Railways open the three Vistadome coaches to Araku and Borra Caves.
When contacted, the Waltair railway division official spokesperson said three new Vistadome coaches already arrived in Visakhapatnam, and one of them went for a trial run, which got successful results.
“We are presently operating the existing Vistadome coach to Araku daily. The services of three new Vistadome coaches will be operated shortly, maybe in November as we are waiting for the LHB rake for the new Vistadome coaches,” the railway officer clarified.